What is in-app messaging?
In-app messaging refers to a customer engagement technique brands use to communicate with users while they’re actively using an app. These messages are targeted and appear at a pre-programmed moment in the user’s app experience.
Although in-app messaging gets thrown into the same basket as push notifications, it’s fundamentally different. These messages are context-specific and conversational and aim to elevate the customer’s experience while they’re already engaging with your software. On the other hand, push notifications attempt to increase customer engagement by prompting customers who aren’t using the app.
The beauty of in-app messages is that they can reach and connect with many users without burdening your team. They can be sent both through mobile apps and company websites, and if used correctly, in-app messages can be an intrinsic part of your customer’s product experience.
Different types of in-app messaging
- Chat messages – Proactive chat messages are great for initiating conversations with customers or offering customer support. They can also be used to greet users and let them know about any new promotions that are on offer.
- Pop-up messages – The great thing about pop-up messages is that they appear at a set time. They’re also based on user behavior and can be triggered by exit intent, time spent on a specific page, or the number of page views.
- Surveys – These are often used once your agent has finished chatting to a user to assess the service they’ve received, allowing valuable feedback to be collected.
- User guides – Onboarding needs to come with minimum fuss, which is why an intuitive user guide or in-app tour is essential for new customers.
- Tooltips – These quick tips provide informational notifications connected to a particular feature of a product. They can be unobtrusive as they only appear when your user is looking at a specific feature.
How to use in-app messaging
Here we look at in-app messaging examples and use cases and how to use in-app messaging most effectively:
Engage with users
Engaging with your users can be a challenge, but great app creators know that the way to a user’s heart is through loyalty rewards.
App notifications alert users to know when they’ve reached a milestone, such as completing their profile or using the app for a month. This gives the user a sense of accomplishment and keeps them in the app for longer.
Provide an in-app tutorial
Nothing ruins a new app experience like a complicated onboarding process. If the user has to answer a thousand questions or face a complex user interface (UI), their frustration quickly grows, and the app in question soon ends up unused.
In-app messages help users enable essential features such as location settings or adding credit card information.
Promote new features and updates
Got a new feature on your app that makes it ten times better than before? You don’t want that to go unnoticed. Shout it from the rooftops – or instead with an in-app message, and display it across the whole screen when your user opens up the app.
Broadcast promotional messages
By displaying special features, discounts, coupons, or premium offers. Promoting premium in-app features within a free subscription can also turn non-paying customers into paying subscribers.
Collect feedback
Getting feedback from your customers is often quite hard, mainly when positive. In-app messages prompt the user to leave a quick review – hopefully with five stars. Your customer can quickly choose a star rating and hit submit by reminding them with a message that asks whether they’re enjoying the app.
Follow up on interactions.
Set up a chatbot and use follow-up messages to respond to your users in real-time.
How to set up in-app messaging
One of the many benefits of in-app messaging is that configuring it to your app doesn’t take hacker-like skills or a whole lot of time. Easy integration is now possible thanks to well-built APIs that allow you to get set up and start engaging with your customers in a short time.
Here’s your step-by-step guide to setting up in-app messaging with Freshchat:
- Click on the Campaigns icon in the left-hand menu bar, select New Campaigns > Targeted Messages.
- Name your campaign.
- Choose a team member who will receive any replies (if relevant).
- Write your targeted message.
- Send your message on the right topic.
- Schedule your message.
- Target your audience.
- Launch your targeted message.
To find out more about setting up in-app messaging, check out our support page.
Best practices for in-app messaging
Before getting started with your in-app messages, you should apply the following tried-and-tested tips to ensure you get the most out of your marketing strategy:
- Find the correct flow for your message – Even though in-app messages allow for a higher word count than, say, push notifications, you should always aim to keep your message short and sweet – you want to make that first impression impressive, not annoying.
- Use the right visuals – Nobody wants to look at a bland box with some words in it, right? Help your message stand out from the crowd by ensuring that the design and color scheme highlight your brand’s unique identity.
- Send relevant information – Imagine sending a premium user information about signing up for your premium plans. It just doesn’t make sense, and it can get exasperating fast. Know your customer, and make sure to send them information that is relevant to them.
- Capture attention with the correct headline – Your headline will determine whether your user clicks the little “x” button or instead clicks “Read more.” Optimize your headline with the right keywords and use attention-grabbing adjectives.
- Insert the suitable CTA – The right call to action (CTA) is essential for prompting your audience to take action.
Action-oriented CTAs can be found everywhere; however, they’re not always the most effective. Action-targeted CTAs include words like “Click here,” “Submit,” “Enter,” “Download,” and “Continue.” Benefit-oriented CTAs, on the other hand, work much better. Examples of these include “Watch right now,” “Stay connected,” “Let’s talk,” “Join the fun,” “Give me more,” etc.
- Perform A/B testing – Effective in-app messages are customizable, so both marketers and app owners should carry out testing to determine the type of messages that will resonate with their audience the most. Use A/B testing for your copy, message timing, and design to achieve the best possible results.
- Focus your metrics – It’s essential to observe and understand your metrics and track the most useful KPIs for your business. How many of your customers are getting your in-app messages? And how many are following upon them?
Time to start sending the right messages
In-app messages are an excellent way to improve your daily, weekly, and monthly user and retention rates. They are a powerful tool triggered by users actively interacting with your app. Using proactive messaging, you can prompt your users to provide feedback or even purchase additional items or services.
Getting started with in-app messaging doesn’t have to be an impossible task. In just moments, you can schedule a targeted campaign without any coding or special programming skills by using a tool that makes things easy and gets you up and running fast.
Help customers get the most out of your app today with in-app messaging.
