The Three Types of Push Notifications (And How to Balance Them Correctly)

Push notifications are one of the most powerful communication tools for DTC ecommerce brands. They’re a high-visibility, zero-cost-per-send channel (more immediate than email and less intrusive than SMS). 

But most brands get their push strategy wrong.

They bombard customers with endless promotional blasts, driving opt-outs, uninstalls, and frustration. When used the right way, however, push notifications can drive long-term retention, build brand awareness, and boost sales… without alienating your audience.

The key? Understanding, and balancing, the three core types of push notifications: Customer Experience (CX), Promotional, and Awareness.

Let’s dive deeper, and help you build a push strategy that drives more revenue and fewer opt-outs.

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Why Push Notifications Matter More Than Ever

Push notifications are a uniquely valuable channel:

• Zero cost per send, unlike SMS which can cost 1-5 cents per message.
• Higher visibility than email (appearing directly on lock screens).
• Less intrusive than SMS (which many customers consider reserved for friends and family).
• Immediate delivery that email can't match.
• Direct access to your most engaged customers (app users represent your most loyal segment).

Given these advantages, why do so many brands struggle with their push strategies?

Some brands claim that push (or apps, as a whole) are ineffective.

But with the results we’re seeing from many brands using push, that’s just not true.

The answer lies in how you’re utilizing (and balancing) different types of push notifications.

Further Reading: The Economics of Push Notifications for DTC Brands

The Three Types of Push Notifications

All push notifications you send fall into one of three types.

Most brands send too much of one type, which causes customers to ignore them, and eventually either turn off notifications, or uninstall the app altogether.

Let’s take a closer look at each type now.

1. Customer Experience Notifications

These notifications reduce friction in the customer journey and provide essential updates that improve the buying experience (usually triggered by a specific event, such a purchase).

Examples:

• "Your order has shipped! Tap here to track your delivery."
• "Good news! The 'Everyday Tote' you've been waiting for is back in stock. Only 15 available."
• "Your subscription will renew in 3 days. Tap to modify or skip."
• "We've saved your cart! Don't miss out on the 3 items you were considering."

Why They Matter:

• Customers expect these notifications, making them the least likely to trigger opt-outs.
• They build trust and reduce anxiety in the buying process.

Some CX notifications—like back-in-stock reminders and abandoned cart notifications—have exceptionally high conversion rates (20%+).

However, many CX notifications are not meant to directly drive revenue. Notifications like shipping updates and order confirmations build the foundation for long-term customer retention, by building a customer experience that increases the chance of the customer buying again.

Best Practices:

• Automate these notifications as much as possible
• Include actionable information, not just status updates
• Personalize with product names, order numbers, and customer names
• Time them appropriately (nobody wants a shipping update at 3 AM)

2. Promotional Notifications

Promotional push notifications are made to generate immediate sales by sharing offers, product launches, or time-sensitive promotions.

Examples:

• "24-HOUR FLASH SALE: 30% off our best sellers ends at midnight. Shop now!"
• "Early access for VIPs only: Summer collection just dropped. Shop before it's public."
• "Last chance! Your cart items are selling fast."
• "BFCM exclusive: Buy one, get one free on all skincare. Today only."

Why They Matter:

• High conversion potential, especially for engaged users (which most app users are).
• Useful for urgency-driven promotions (e.g., BFCM, limited-time offers).
• Typically have a higher conversion rate than email due to their immediacy and high visibility.

Promotional notifications are a double-edged sword: They deliver the highest short-term ROI but also the highest unsubscribe rates when overused.

If you only ever send promotional notifications (especially if you send them a lot), you’ll build push fatigue. Users will start to tune out your messages—or worse, they’ll get annoyed, and turn off notifications, or uninstall the app altogether.

These notifications can be incredibly effective. But only if you manage the frequency with which they’re sent (and the mix of promotional notifications, and the third type, which we’ll discuss next).

Best Practices:

• Limit frequency to 1-2 promotional pushes per week maximum
• Segment and personalize based on purchase history and interests
• Reserve for truly compelling offers (not every small discount deserves a push)
• Use sparingly during key selling periods (BFCM, seasonal peaks)

3. Awareness Notifications

“Awareness” notifications are the type of push notifications sent the most by the brands with the most impactful push strategies.

They maintain consistent mindshare without being overtly promotional, creating multiple touchpoints that feel helpful rather than intrusive.

Examples:

• "Pro tip: Store your coffee beans in a cool, dark place to maintain freshness longer."
• "Happy Self-Care Sunday! Have you done your skincare routine today?"
• "We love seeing your creative projects! Tag us in your photos using #BrandName."
• "Did you know? Your recent purchase helped us plant 5 trees. Learn more about our sustainability efforts."

Why They Matter:

• Builds long-term familiarity with your brand without annoying customers.
• Unlike promotional messages, these increase engagement over time, making customers more receptive to future notifications.
• Push notifications are cheap and high visibility, making them ideal for this approach—unlike SMS (too intrusive, high cost per send) and email (lower visibility and open rates).

These notifications rarely get credit for conversions in attribution models, but they dramatically increase the effectiveness of your promotional messages (and overall push strategy) over time.

They keep your brand top of mind, and train your customers to expect regular push notifications, without becoming an annoyance.

They won’t (and don’t need to) always generate a reaction. But by sending less-pushy push notifications, you can send more, and ultimately drive more long-term engagement.

These notifications act like a billboard or a display ad on your customer’s lock screen—not meant to drive immediate conversions but to build consistent mindshare.

Best Practices:

• Focus on education, community, or brand storytelling
• Time them for moments when customers are likely to engage with your product category
• Keep them brief, friendly, and conversational
• Use them as daily touchpoints rather than conversion drivers

Further reading: Do Push Notifications Work for Abandoned Carts?

Finding Your Perfect Notification Balance

Most brands make a critical mistake: they send almost exclusively promotional notifications, with some basic CX messages when necessary. 

This approach might drive short-term revenue and decent per-message performance, but burns your list, and the chance to build powerful long-term relationships with a lot of your customers.

The ideal push notification mix for sustainable growth is something like the following:

• 70% Awareness notifications (builds long-term retention & brand recall)
• 30% Promotional notifications (drives immediate revenue)
• CX notifications when needed (these are typically event-driven)

The Psychology Behind Why This Balance Works

When customers only receive promotional messages, they become conditioned to either:

• Ignore your notifications entirely.
• Only engage when they're in buying mode.
• Unsubscribe to reduce notification noise.

However, when awareness messages dominate your strategy:

• Customers see value beyond discounts.
• Your brand maintains presence without purchase pressure.
• When promotional messages do arrive, they stand out and receive attention.
• The perceived value of your app increases beyond just transactions.

Key takeaway? Think display ads, not megaphones. Push notifications should feel like frequent, low-friction brand impressions that blend into your customer’s day.

It may feel like you’re getting worse results, because the overall conversion rate is lower.

But long-term, you'll get more of what actually matters; repeat customers, LTV, and engaged app users supporting your brand.

If you don't have a mobile app yet to send push notifications, make this your priority.
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As long as you have a mobile-optimized website, you're closer to having an app than you think. It's fast, straightforward and affordable to turn your website into an app and unlock the benefits of push notifications.

To see for yourself how easy it is, get a free preview of your site as an app, using just your website's URL and a few details about your store.

Final Thoughts: Treat Push Like an Always-On, Low-Cost Display Ad

Unlike email or SMS, push notifications are essentially free, with high visibility.

They don’t even need to be opened; customers get the entire message right there on their lock screen (which the average American looks at 262 times per day).

Instead of treating push as just another promotional tool, use them to build brand familiarity and long-term engagement. Think of them as organic, native, high-frequency brand impressions.

Brands that only send promos burn through their list. Smart brands mix in awareness & CX messages to extend the life of their push strategy and maximize retention.

Actionable Next Steps:

1. Audit your current push strategy—what’s the mix of CX, promo, and awareness?
2. Build a push notification calendar balancing all three types.
3. Test sending more awareness notifications and track engagement (overall app engagement—not just direct results such as CTRs and conversion rate from push) over 90 days.

Remember that the goal is not necessarily to sell from every push. 

People don’t swerve off the highway to get to a grocery store whenever they see a coke billboard. But the next time they are in a grocery store, they’re drawn to the Coca Cola display.

If you craft your push mix correctly, you should see more sessions, higher session time, and more revenue from your app users.

The best brands don’t just sell. They stay in their customers’ minds. Use push notifications to do both.