App Inbox

What is the app inbox?
An app inbox is exactly what it sounds like; an inbox (similar to email) that lives within your mobile app!

Essentially, it gives you the ability to send persistent messages to app users, unlike push notifications for example which disappear once engaged with or dismissed.

It’s a relatively quick set-up and can added to both Android and iOS versions of your app.

The positioning of the inbox can be as subtle or as prominent as you like. Most brands tend to use familiar notification bell as the icon to open it up from within the app, but you are free to choose something else if you prefer.

App Inbox is an oft-overlooked channel that can play a role in many engagement strategies. Essentially, an App Inbox is a screen within an app that stores persistent messages. It’s kind of like an email inbox, but it lives inside the app itself.

App Inbox differs from other mobile channels such as push notifications or in-app messages. For both push and in-app messages, they’re gone once you open them. This makes them great for immediate offers and information, but poorly suited to messages that need to stick around for a while.

Advantages of app inbox
Less aggressive
A well thought out push notification strategy will undoubtedly bring results, but there will always be a portion of app users who simply don’t like, or respond well to, push marketing.

The app inbox is perfect for engaging these users, as it allows them to discover and explore the content you send them at their own pace.

Not permission-based
Your app users are not required to opt-in to receive messages to their inboxes, unlike push notifications.

This makes it an ideal channel to complement your existing app engagement strategy, particularly when it comes to reaching customers with iOS devices. Presently, iOS app users need to actively give consent to receive push notifications. Android users give their permission automatically upon download.

With an app inbox, you can message your entire user-base with personalised, dynamic content.


Rich and full-page content

App inboxes support HTML5 content and are fully customisable. You are not bound by the same design and formatting constraints that apply to a web or app push notification, whose limitations are determined by the browser or operating service itself.

Altering your app inbox through a platform like Xtremepush is easier than getting your development team to make native changes to the app itself. This makes it possible for marketers to create engaging campaigns by themselves, without involving their technical team.

As you can see in the example below, every aspect of the inbox can be tailored to reflect your company’s branding.

Increase and optimise your push notification subscriber list
The app inbox also presents the user with a very simple on/off toggle button for push notifications.

This gives users who are interested in receiving them but may not have opted in initially, or perhaps they opted out for a period, to re-subscribe quickly and easily.

For those users who do not wish to receive push notifications from your app, and as a result, are more than likely not engaging with them currently, it’s an opportunity to opt out.

Whilst this may initially seem like a drawback for a marketer, it’s actually a good thing!

It’s in your interests to weed out those users who are not interacting with your marketing messages, as they will skewer your campaign results.

Permanence
If you are currently sending push notifications (either web or app) then you’ll know how effective they are for promoting flash sales or daily deals.

What happens however if the recipient isn’t in a position to act on the message immediately? More often than not, they will swipe the notification away. Unfortunately, you have now lost the chance to convert them.

And what about deals that are set to last for a longer, perhaps even indefinite, period of time? These are the kinds of messages that we want the recipient to have access to for as long as the offer extends. Again, this is another area where push notifications come up a little short.

Messages delivered to the app inbox remain visible for a specified amount of time. Promo codes, coupons and other less limited-time offers are more effective when delivered to a user’s inbox, as they remain discoverable right up until whichever expiry date you choose.

Badging
You’re more than likely already familiar with badging already. When a new message is received to their app inbox, a badge appears on the user’s app icon.

This provides a visual stimulus that prompts the recipient to open the app and investigate.

The badge is displayed until this happens, serving as a reminder for the user to check the message.

How App Inbox can complement your marketing efforts?

For Messaging & Beyond
It’s easy to see why App Inbox messages help inform users about promotions, just like push notifications and email. Where the channel really shines is its ability to improve the user experience.

For promotions, delivering messages through App Inbox helps users keep track of what’s happening. For personalized product recommendations, App Inbox helps mobile teams organize and update campaigns code-free. You can even adjust the look and feel of the whole app by wrapping App Inbox messages in a scrollable menu.

Provide a Personalized News Feed With App Inbox
There are plenty of reasons for app teams to include personalized news feeds for each user. By aggregating useful notifications in single spot, it’s easier for users to discover new content. The type of content you’d include in a news feed depends on the type of app. A social app might deliver alerts from friends, a news app might send top headlines from certain categories, or a retail app might announce when a new item is in stock.

Delivering Coupons
Usually, push notifications are a great channel for discounts and other promotions. They catch the user’s attention, giving them a reason to return to the app and browse around. This is especially true for time-limited promotions.
But not in case of promotions that either aren’t time limited or that have very long time limit.
With an App Inbox, it’s easy to keep track of active promotions or offers within the app. If users can double-check the fine print of each promotion, they’re more likely to shop with confidence, knowing exactly what kind of discount they’ll receive.