Web Push Notifications vs Email Marketing
Web Push Notifications vs Email Marketing – In this era of digital marketing, maintaining communication with customers has become extremely important for any business. As technology is developing, new methods of marketing are also emerging. Two such major and effective tools are Web Push Notifications and Email Marketing.
Both have their own advantages and are used for different purposes. This article will compare these two marketing channels and explain which method may be more effective in which situation.
Web Push Notifications vs Email Marketing
| Criteria | Web Push Notification | Email Marketing |
| Delivery time | real-time (instant) | as per email server |
| Content length | too short, limited, long | detailed |
| Click-through rate (CTR) | High (4-10%) | Low (2-4%) |
| Visual elements | Limited | HTML, images, GIFs, etc. |
| Subscription Process | One click permission | Form filling required |
| Individualization | Limited | Deep and advanced |
| Spam problem | No | Sometimes the email goes to the spam folder |
| Automation | Limited | Comprehensive and accurate |
| Costing | Less cost | High cost (especially on large lists) |
| Device dependency | browser dependent | Email across devices |
Also Check – Free Vs Paid Web Push Notifications
What is web push notifications?
Web push notifications are small pop-up messages that are sent by a website to a user’s browser, even if the website is not open at that time. These notifications appear on the user’s device screen and give them instant information about a product, offer, or update.
Key Features:
- Real-time delivery
- Requires user permission
- Browser-based (works in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.)
- Have a high click-through rate (CTR)
- Are concise and attention-grabbing
What is Email Marketing?
Email marketing is an old but extremely effective digital marketing channel in which business organizations send offers, newsletters, promotions or any information to their customers via email. It is a type of permission-based marketing in which users give their consent in advance.
Key Features:
- Ability to share detailed information
- Long format content
- Greater personalization possibilities
- Smarter analytics and tracking
- Automation possible
Benefits of web push notifications
- Instant attention grabber: As soon as a notification is sent, it appears immediately on the user’s screen.
- No email ID required: User can subscribe in just one click.
- Easy to send messages to a large number of users at once.
- High click-through rate: Especially in e-commerce and news websites.
- +Segmentation and time-zone targeting easy.
Limitations of web push notifications
- Only small amounts of content can be sent.
- Some browsers or devices are not supported.
- User experience may deteriorate if sent too frequently.
- User may decide to cancel subscription if sent too often.
Benefits of Email Marketing
- Ability to send detailed and personalized content.
- Easy to create automated funnels and series.
- Detailed analytics of campaigns available – like open rate, bounce rate, clicks, etc.
- Helpful in building brand image.
- Reaching the customer’s inbox directly – which builds credibility.
Limitations of Email Marketing
- Going to spam or being ignored by users.
- Requires more time and resources to create content.
- Subscription process is relatively lengthy.
- Email open rates are steadily declining – especially among mobile users.
Uses in various industries
| Industry | Web push notifications | Email Marketing |
| E-commerce | Flash Sale, Cart Reminder | Order details, product recommendations |
| Media/News | Breaking News Alert | Weekly Newsletter |
| education | Class schedule reminder | Course Content |
| Finance | Transaction Notifications | Statements, offers |
| Software / SaaS | Feature Updates | Onboarding Series |
An in-depth understanding of email marketing
Types of email marketing:
1. Newsletter Email –
- Sent once a week or month.
- Contains company news, blogs, updates.
2. promotional email –
- Provides information about discounts, offers, coupon codes.
- Useful in increasing sales.
3. Transactional Email –
- Order confirmation, password reset, shipping details.
- These emails are automated and increase credibility.
4. Welcome Email Series –
- When a customer signs up for the first time.
- An opportunity to introduce the brand.
Email marketing tools
- Mailchimp
- ConvertKit
- Sendinblue
- ActiveCampaign
- Zoho Campaigns
- HubSpot Email Marketing
Most of these tools:
- Provides features like user segmentation,
- email templates,
- automation workflows,
- analytics reporting.
An in-depth look at web push notifications
Types of web push notifications:
- Breaking news or alerts
- E-commerce notifications
- Education or Course Alert
- Finance/Banking
Major platforms / tools for web push notifications:
- Alertwise
- OneSignal
- PushEngage
- WebEngage
- VWO Engage
- MoEngage
When to choose which tool?
| Needs | Suitable Tools |
| Instant deals or time-sensitive offers | Web push notifications |
| Deep customer engagement, content sharing | |
| Bring users back to the website | Web push notifications |
| Building Brand Trust | |
| Complex information or PDF, link |
Nature of Email Marketing
Email marketing is a way in which companies send emails to their consumers — including newsletters, offers, customer updates, shopping reminders, and personalized recommendations. This strategy is especially beneficial when you need to tell your brand story, share information, or build a long-term customer relationship. Email marketing gives you access to the customer’s inbox, and if the content is good, users will take the time to read it. For example, if you’re running an online course platform, you can send your subscribers course updates, new courses, and student stories via email once a week.
The nature of web push notifications
Web push notifications are alerts that appear instantly through the browser. When a user visits your website and “Allows” the notification, you can send them a message later — even if they are not present on your website at that moment. Its biggest feature is its ‘instant visibility’. For example, if you have launched a limited period offer, there may be a delay between sending and opening an email, but a web push notification can appear instantly on the screen and the customer can take immediate action. This is why this tool has proven to be extremely effective for e-commerce, news sites, and flash sales.
Who is better in which industries?
Email marketing is more effective for B2B industries like SaaS companies, educational platforms, consultancies, etc. where sharing in-depth information is important. Web push notifications work best in B2C segments — such as e-commerce, news, travel, and food delivery. For example, apps like Zomato received 3x more clicks in 30 minutes only due to well-timed push notifications.
conclusion
In today’s time, when customer presence is spread across various channels, it is not wise to rely on only one marketing tool. While email marketing builds depth, relationship and reinforces branding, web push notifications ensure speed, freshness and immediate action. The combination of the two not only increases the brand’s reach but also enriches the customer’s experience.
If you’re building a new brand or want to make your existing marketing strategy more effective, understanding the power of both tools and using them wisely can be a game-changer for your business.
