Writing an effective push message is a lot like writing an email subject line — it needs to convince someone to open your app.

And it needs to be awesome. 

And persuasive.

And clear.

And…short? (We’ll get to that in just a bit) 

A Push Message’s Purpose

A good push message is the gateway to reigniting engagement. A bad push message is spam that can earn your app a one-way ticket to uninstallation. 

Your push message must capture attention, provoke interest, and tease just the right amount of information without sounding “sales-y.” Boy, is that a lot to squeeze into a limited set of characters. 

This begs the question, is there an ideal length for push messages? Or, should you use as many words as possible to ensure you’re covering all the details?

Luckily, we have an answer!

The Ideal Push Message Length (To Get the Best Click Rate)

While there is no exact formula for writing the perfect push message, we do have data to guide you.

Let’s start by simply understanding how long your push message should be to get the best click rate: it should contain 10 or fewer words.

Here’s the proof:

The big takeaway is that short, succinct, and clear push messages have a higher click-through rate, by a large margin. Keep in mind that the actual number of words visible on the screen will vary by smartphone screen size, which is another reason to keep things concise. 

What Does this Mean for Your App Marketing?

It means you need to cut the fluff and get to the point quickly. You only have a few seconds to capture attention, so you need to communicate the value, goal, or reward fast. 

Remember, your push message does not need to deliver all the nitty gritty details – it just needs to highlight the main user benefit and prompt them to re-engage with your app!

A Few Examples of What Short & Sweet Push Messages Could Look Like

eCommerce App - “Shop Now: Members get 50% off new arrivals.”

Finance App - “Your monthly statement for March is ready. View now.”

Social App  - “X commented on your Hawaii photo! See what they said.” 

Magazine App - “[Celebrity] just announced their engagement! Get all the details first!”

Want more data-driven best practices for crafting the perfect push message? Click on the CTA below to learn the best time to send, the best day to send, etc.