{"id":3496,"date":"2024-01-09T18:04:05","date_gmt":"2024-01-09T18:04:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/?p=3496"},"modified":"2025-07-16T09:18:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T09:18:17","slug":"in-app-notifications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/","title":{"rendered":"What are In-app Notifications and Why You Must Be Using Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"color:#32373c;background-color:#00d1b2\" class=\"wp-block-genesis-blocks-gb-notice gb-font-size-18 gb-block-notice\" data-id=\"bf2b7b\"><div class=\"gb-notice-title\" style=\"color:#fff\"><p>TL;DR<\/p><\/div><div class=\"gb-notice-text\" style=\"border-color:#00d1b2\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In-app notifications boost engagement, UX, onboarding, feature adoption, upsells, and retention<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use well-timed tooltips, banners, modals, slide-ins, and survey embeds based on behavior<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Design notifications to match your UI, use targeted segments, and monitor performance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Refiner\u2019s example shows quick setup: create a notification, choose delivery, target users, customize design<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I know this is going to sound blunt, but I gotta ask: <em>Have you ever used a SaaS product that wouldn\u2019t show you an in-app notification at one point or another?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Me neither.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, I\u2019m not saying that everyone\u2019s using in-app notifications, it&#8217;s far from it. For one, most likely, you\u2019re reading this guide exactly because you haven\u2019t been using in-app notifications yet and want to implement them. But still, triggering in-app notifications is a fairly common practice in SaaS.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this guide, you\u2019ll learn how to use it in your product, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what we are going to cover in this guide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-pale-pink-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"#what\">What is an in-app notification?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ll go through the concept of showing notifications to users in the app and discuss various aspects and elements of an in-app notification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"#examples\">Examples of in-app notifications<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ll show you some examples of what good (and bad) in-app notifications look like so that you can understand what works and what doesn\u2019t.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"#vs\">In-app notifications vs. push notifications<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ll also discuss the differences between the two and what often confuses people with one another.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"#use-case\">Common use cases for in-app notifications<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ll show you when to use in-app notifications and what objectives you could achieve with them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"#types\">Different types of notifications that you could display in-app<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, there is more than one in-app notification that you could trigger in your product, and we\u2019ll go through them in this section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"#tutorial\">Creating an in-app notification<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ll also walk you through the complete step-by-step process of creating and triggering an in-app notification.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s quite a bit of information to cover so let\u2019s get right into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what\"><strong>What is an in-app notification?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I admit that the term itself &#8211; <strong><em>in-app notification<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; may be giving pretty much everything away. Because what else could it mean than a notification or a message that you display within an app, right?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, if that\u2019s what you thought, too, then bingo. You\u2019re spot on.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bravo!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An in-app notification is nothing more than an <a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-messaging-guide\/\">in-app message<\/a> you trigger and display within the app to users who are interacting with the product right now.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of an in-app notification. Notice how the company is using the medium to tell users about new features and improvements they\u2019ve launched recently.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"322\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Ahrefs-1024x322.png\" alt=\"An example of an in-app message announcing a new feature.\" class=\"wp-image-3460\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Ahrefs-1024x322.png 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Ahrefs-300x94.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Ahrefs-768x241.png 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Ahrefs.png 1044w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>But there is something in the definition I\u2019ve provided that I must clarify. <\/strong>You see, I suspect the phrase \u201c<em>right now<\/em>\u201d may be a little misleading.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I say \u201c<em>right now,\u201d I do not mean the time when you<\/em> triggered the notification. In this case, \u201c<em>right now<\/em>\u201d refers to the moment when a user logs in to the app and begins working within it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because if you think about it, to them, the notification appeared on screen \u201c<em>right now<\/em>\u201d as they\u2019ve been doing whatever they\u2019re doing in your product. And that\u2019s even though it\u2019s been hours since you\u2019ve launched the campaign.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is one other phrase in my definition that I probably need to clarify &#8211; \u201c<em>nothing more than<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually, a phrase like this may sound as if it diminishes the value of whatever it&#8217;s describing. That\u2019s not the case here. My reason for using it is literal. An in-app notification is literally, a notification, a message that your users see in the app. That\u2019s it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s something insignificant or less than any announcement you send through other channels.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Far from it. In fact, as you\u2019ll see shortly, a typical in-app notification can pack a much harder punch than many other messages and marketing channels.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"examples\">But first, let me show you a couple more examples of in-app notifications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First, let\u2019s start with two examples of simple notifications. One explains the holiday support hours; the other tells a user more about new product functionality. Take a look.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"424\" height=\"511\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Notification.png\" alt=\"In-app notification example.\" class=\"wp-image-3503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Notification.png 424w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Notification-249x300.png 249w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 424px) 100vw, 424px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"355\" height=\"363\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Notification-2.png\" alt=\"In-app notification example 2.\n\" class=\"wp-image-3502\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Notification-2.png 355w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Notification-2-293x300.png 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 355px) 100vw, 355px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This is what an in-app announcement looks like. In this case, the company uses an in-app notification to promote its customer training.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"123\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Announcement-1024x123.png\" alt=\"Announcement.\" class=\"wp-image-3501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Announcement-1024x123.png 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Announcement-300x36.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Announcement-768x92.png 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Announcement-1536x185.png 1536w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Announcement.png 1573w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>But actually, before I saw that notification in my account, the company also presented me with a simple tooltip. That\u2019s because this particular functionality has changed, and the company wanted to ensure that I know about it. Here\u2019s what the tooltip looks like. Note that you can see the aforementioned announcement behind it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"589\" height=\"301\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/tooltip.png\" alt=\"In-app notification tooltip.\" class=\"wp-image-3500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/tooltip.png 589w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/tooltip-300x153.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 589px) 100vw, 589px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>And this is a new feature announcement in my time tracking app.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"573\" height=\"223\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/New-feature.png\" alt=\"New feature announcement. \" class=\"wp-image-3499\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/New-feature.png 573w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/New-feature-300x117.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 573px) 100vw, 573px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Of course, there are other types of in-app notifications, and I\u2019ve explained them in another section below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, we have another issue to consider\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"vs\">Aren\u2019t these notifications the same as push notifications?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No, they\u2019re not. But I admit that it\u2019s quite easy to confuse one with the other, so let me clarify that now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s start with similarities (because that\u2019s what makes many people confuse in-app notifications and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibm.com\/topics\/push-notifications\">push notifications<\/a> with each other.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, both in-app and push notifications:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Help companies provide information to users.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Offer a way for companies to engage their users, too.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not to mention that both of these notification types help companies communicate with users in real-time (remember the \u201cright now\u201d issue we discussed earlier?)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>But there is a subtle difference between them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You see, in-app notifications trigger INSIDE the app. Push notifications trigger OUTSIDE the product.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think about it &#8211; Push notifications typically show up on your smartphone\u2019s display, right?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They tell you about something new that happened within the app. They notify you of a new message. They provide you with additional information or statistics that you might need at present.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But they disappear when you come back to the product.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can see in-app notifications only when you log back into the product. They\u2019re nowhere to be found as far as your phone\u2019s display or the lock screen is concerned. But log back into the app, and you\u2019re bound to see an in-app notification there.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The difference between them is more technical than anything else, I admit. But it does affect how you use each notification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Push notifications are perfect for engaging users who are not using the app at present. In fact, they are a great way to bring them back and re-engage them with the product.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In-app notifications, on the other hand, are an ideal channel for engaging users who are in the product at present.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As I said, it\u2019s a subtle difference but an important one to understand, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This brings us to the next point\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"use-case\"><strong>Why use in-app notifications? What can you get from triggering notifications within the app?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I guess the best place to start this part of our discussion is by taking a step back because it\u2019s easy to start thinking about in-app notifications as a channel or strategy of its own.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I can\u2019t think of anyone launching in-app notifications for the sake of doing so. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually, the strategy is part of something bigger\u2026.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Earlier this year, I posted a lengthy guide (very much like this one) to <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/product-led-growth\/\"><strong>product-led growth<\/strong><\/a><strong>.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m sure you\u2019re familiar with the concept, but in case not, my guide is a great place to start.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in short, product-led growth places the product at the center of your organizational objectives to drive acquisition, engagement, and retention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, your growth is determined by the product, not the sales team.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What\u2019s that got to do with in-app notifications?<\/strong> Well, as you see in just a moment, in-app notifications help you achieve quite a number of typical product-led growth objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#1. In-app notifications help engage users<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Look at the examples of in-app notifications I\u2019ve shared above. Notice how many of them have been designed to engage users of those products. (Note, we\u2019ll shortly go through a list of different ways to do that with this strategy.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They tell users something. Those notifications help them use the product better. They introduce new features or may even hint at what\u2019s coming to excite users even more about the product.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, they provide you with a way to engage with your users and open a direct communication channel for you to do that.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#2. In-app notifications = Much better UX<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I admit that UX is quite an overused term. Many people throw it into anything product-related. But there is also a reason why they do so (even though I might disagree with the discourse that follows) &#8211; UX is critical to product-led growth. In fact, I risk saying that there is no growth without it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But UX is also incredibly challenging, and one reason for that is a lack of that direct communication channel I mentioned above.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In-app notifications can act as such a channel and help you support users and boost their overall experience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#3. In-app notifications help combat churn (big time!)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Churn is\u2026 well, churn. It\u2019s there, and we, SaaS founders, don\u2019t like it. But it\u2019s also something we can try to combat, and in-app notifications provide us with a way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key to this is once again in the phrases \u201cengagement\u201d and \u201cuser experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With in-app notifications, you can send timely updates to users. Or show new features, point them to other features they may have missed, address their concerns, educate them, and do pretty much everything else to ensure their success with the product.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I know, I know, it feels like a pipe dream to retain users like that, but it does work.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#4. In-app notifications help onboard new users, too<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In-app notifications can help you introduce new users to your product\u2019s UI. With these notifications, you can introduce and entice them to try specific features and then slowly drip feed information about your product\u2019s other capabilities. All to get them to that \u201caha\u201d moment and reach the <a href=\"https:\/\/userlist.com\/blog\/saas-user-activation\/\">activation point<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#5. In-app notifications are the best way to notify, excite, and upsell users, too<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We rarely see these as communication objectives, but it\u2019s true &#8211; Sometimes you just want to tell users something. The message could be as mundane as a notification about scheduled maintenance, for example. Or a quick piece of information about a new blog post you\u2019ve published, a new initiative you\u2019re undertaking, etc.\u2026&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It doesn\u2019t matter what it is. What matters is that there is no better way to tell users about it than when they\u2019re already engaging with the app.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#6. Finally, in-app notifications give you an insight into your user\u2019s interests, pain points, and behavior<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You know, often, we mostly consider what we\u2019re getting from sending a particular message to our users.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But as usual, this coin has the other side &#8211; The data you get from monitoring how users interact with the message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And let\u2019s face it, you can derive quite a lot from observing things like what messages engage your users the most when they engage with those messages, what placements work the best, and so on.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such performance data can be a treasure trove of information about your users. Information that you really can\u2019t get anywhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"types\"><strong>Different types of in-app notifications<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s turn our attention to more tangible aspects of in-app notifications.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, although it may seem otherwise, there is more than one type of such a message that you can display.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Your in-app notification can be a tooltip<\/strong>, pointing someone to a particular aspect of the UI.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"597\" height=\"316\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/tooltip-example.png\" alt=\"Tooltip example for an in-app notification.\" class=\"wp-image-3498\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/tooltip-example.png 597w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/tooltip-example-300x159.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 597px) 100vw, 597px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>You can also display a popup<\/strong> with your message and set it to appear in different parts of the interface.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"442\" height=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/feature-announcement.png\" alt=\"Feature announcement example.\" class=\"wp-image-3434\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/feature-announcement.png 442w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/feature-announcement-300x183.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 442px) 100vw, 442px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>You could use a banner to communicate your news with users. <\/strong>This example features not one but two banners with different announcements.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"198\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Banner-in-app-notification-1024x198.png\" alt=\"In-app notification banners. \" class=\"wp-image-3497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Banner-in-app-notification-1024x198.png 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Banner-in-app-notification-300x58.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Banner-in-app-notification-768x148.png 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Banner-in-app-notification.png 1263w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Another common type of <\/strong>in-app notification is a widget like this one. By the way, if this looks very much like a live chat widget to you, you\u2019re spot on. These in-app notifications often take a similar shape. What\u2019s more, many live chat products include the option to trigger notifications as part of their widgets.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"475\" height=\"496\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Alitu.png\" alt=\"An example of an in-app survey message.\" class=\"wp-image-3461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Alitu.png 475w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Alitu-287x300.png 287w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>In-app notifications are perfect for surveys, too. <\/strong>In fact, surveys are probably the most common content of in-app notifications after user onboarding.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"624\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-09-at-19.03.03-1024x624.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-09-at-19.03.03-1024x624.png 1024w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-09-at-19.03.03-300x183.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-09-at-19.03.03-768x468.png 768w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-09-at-19.03.03.png 1208w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tutorial\"><strong>[TUTORIAL] How to create an in-app notification for a SaaS product<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So, we\u2019ve covered all the theory behind in-app notifications. So, to close this guide off, let me show you how to actually put together an in-app notification and trigger it in your product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>A quick disclaimer<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; For the purpose of this demonstration, I will be using my <a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/features\/in-product-microsurveys\/\">in-app survey<\/a> and messaging app, <a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/\">Refiner<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>TIP: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/app.refiner.io\/auth\/register\">Sign up for a free trial<\/a> to be able to go through the process alongside me.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#1. New project<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The process naturally starts with creating a new in-app notification project.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Refiner, as well as many other in-app notification tools, considers each project the same. In this case, a survey.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, click on the \u201cNew Survey\u201d button in the upper right corner to create a new notification. Then, select&nbsp; \u201cCreate from scratch\u201d to build your in-app notification without using any predefined templates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"990\" height=\"639\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-2.png\" alt=\"Creating an in-app notification.\" class=\"wp-image-3439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-2.png 990w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-2-300x194.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-2-768x496.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#2. Choose the delivery method<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most companies trigger in-app notifications either within their web or mobile app. So, naturally, as the next step, you need to specify where your in-app notification will appear.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"342\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-3.png\" alt=\"In-app notification display method.\" class=\"wp-image-3440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-3.png 985w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-3-300x104.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-3-768x267.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#3. In-app notification content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>From then on, it\u2019s all about adding content to your in-app notification. And the good news is that the process is actually quite simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Start with a headline. Make sure that it\u2019s strong enough to attract attention and also, communicates what the notification is about.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then, add the actual notification &#8211; that\u2019s the main body of your message.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Finally, specify the URL of a link, if you\u2019re going to be including any, and of course, also specify the actual call to action copy to encourage users to take your desired action.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"991\" height=\"808\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-5.png\" alt=\"Adding content to an in-app message.\" class=\"wp-image-3442\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-5.png 991w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-5-300x245.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-5-768x626.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 991px) 100vw, 991px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>And that\u2019s it. Your notification is practically ready to go live.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, there are other things you can set up to make it more attractive to users, and also, ensure that it reaches the right people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#4. Design Customization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The main trick with in-app notifications is that you want them to both retain the look and feel of your product AND stand out enough so that users notice them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that\u2019s something you can achieve by customizing your notification\u2019s design.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some ways in which you can do this in Refiner. You can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Add an image to make the popup more enticing.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Specify where on the page the widget will appear. This, by the way, is more important than it might seem. In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-survey-response-rates\/\">we published research<\/a> into the relationship between in-app widget placement and response rates, and I recommend you review it when planning your app messaging strategy.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add (or remove) various UX elements like the close button and more.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"973\" height=\"724\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-6.png\" alt=\"Notification settings.\" class=\"wp-image-3443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-6.png 973w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-6-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-6-768x571.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 973px) 100vw, 973px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">#5. Audience targeting and timing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, you need to decide who is going to see your in-app notification. And you have several options here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You can display it to all users. This is perfectly normal for messages like new features or product announcements, for example.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can trigger the in-app message to a selected segment of your audience. These could be new users, and your in-app notification can help them with the onboarding process. Or you could send it to the most engaged users only, trying to move them to a higher usage plan, for example.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Naturally, the first option is easy. You just need to launch the in-app notification without specifying any audience segment, and Refiner will deliver it to everyone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you want to be more specific about whom you distribute your notification to, you\u2019ll need to define those relevant segments first.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what the setup to trigger the message to new users only looks like in Refiner.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"901\" height=\"715\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-7.png\" alt=\"Audience segmentation for in-app messages.\" class=\"wp-image-3444\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-7.png 901w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-7-300x238.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-7-768x609.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 901px) 100vw, 901px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Last thing &#8211; Remember our brief discussion about the phrase \u201cright now\u201d we had when talking about what in-app notifications are? Well, now you&#8217;ll see why we\u2019ve had it in the first place.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You see, Refiner also allows you to precisely define what that \u201cright now\u201d is for each user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This means that you can decide to trigger the notification immediately after the person logs in to the app (or triggers a specific functionality.) But you can also set the system to wait for a predefined amount of time before doing so.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like this.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"892\" height=\"685\" src=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-8.png\" alt=\"In-app launch triggers.\" class=\"wp-image-3445\" srcset=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-8.png 892w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-8-300x230.png 300w, https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/tutorial-8-768x590.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 892px) 100vw, 892px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>This gives you incredible power to ensure that the notification reaches the person exactly as they are the most susceptible to the message.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>And that\u2019s it\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s everything there is to know about in-app notifications. What\u2019s left is to try the strategy yourself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Good luck!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-cta ab-block-cta\"><div class=\"ab-cta-content\">\n\n<span class=\"ab-cta-title\">Increase SaaS Conversion and Retention Rates with Refiner<\/span>\n\n<div class=\"ab-cta-text\"><p>We help SaaS &#038; digital product teams to better understand the needs of their users. Make better product decisions, find upsell opportunities and send ultra-personalized campaigns to retain more customers.<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"ab-cta-button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\" target=\"_self\" class=\"ab-button ab-button-shape-rounded ab-button-size-medium\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In-app Notifications &#8211; FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1752657359708\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How many notifications can I show per session?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Typically two max, only when relevant; overloading users leads to notification fatigue.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1752657373366\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Modal vs tooltip vs banner \u2014 which should I use?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Use modals for major announcements or upgrades, tooltips for onboarding guidance, and banners for passive updates or alerts.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1752657403256\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Where do notifications perform best in-app?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Context matters more than location; deep modals and targeted tooltips work better than subtle corner placements<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1752657415757\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do in-app messages really boost retention?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, research shows they can increase user retention by up to 3x, with >30% click-through on personalized messages<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1752657424630\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How do I know notifications are effective?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Track views, clicks or dismissals and downstream impact \u2014 feature activation, survey responses or UX improvements.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Glossary of terms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>In-app notification<\/strong>, a contextual message displayed within the app to drive action, share info or collect feedback<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Modal<\/strong>, a full-screen popup that demands user attention<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Banner<\/strong>, a passive message appearing at top or bottom of the screen<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tooltip<\/strong>, a small pointer to guide users toward features<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Slide-in<\/strong>, a partially intrusive message sliding onto screen<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Segment-based trigger<\/strong>, messages shown to specific user cohorts based on behavior or attributes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I know this is going to sound blunt, but I gotta ask: Have you ever used a SaaS product that wouldn\u2019t show you an in-app notification at one point or another? Me neither.&nbsp; Of course, I\u2019m not saying that everyone\u2019s using in-app notifications, it&#8217;s far from it. For one, most likely, you\u2019re reading this guide [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3511,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"refiner_sidebar_werbeblock":"1224","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-product-led-growth","category-saas-growth-tactics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What are In-app Notifications and Why You Must Be Using Them<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover what in-app notifications are. Learn how to use in-app notifications to drive engagement and customer success.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What are In-app Notifications and Why You Must Be Using Them\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover what in-app notifications are. Learn how to use in-app notifications to drive engagement and customer success.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Refiner Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-01-09T18:04:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-16T09:18:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/What-are-in-app-messages.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Moritz Dausinger\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@mdausinger\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Moritz Dausinger\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"17 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Moritz Dausinger\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/55632335b069a1d4a08cfd16de5d4dd2\"},\"headline\":\"What are In-app Notifications and Why You Must Be Using Them\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-01-09T18:04:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-16T09:18:17+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/\"},\"wordCount\":3106,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/What-are-in-app-messages.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Product-led Growth\",\"SaaS Growth Tactics\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/\",\"name\":\"What are In-app Notifications and Why You Must Be Using Them\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/in-app-notifications\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/refiner.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/What-are-in-app-messages.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-01-09T18:04:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-16T09:18:17+00:00\",\"description\":\"Discover what in-app notifications are. 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