Sending messages to the interested visitors has been revolutionized with the introduction of web push notification system. The way site owners usually send notifications to the audience is email newsletter. But the process is complicated and requires subscribers to login to their email accounts then open the emails. Many of such emails go unchecked. Even people are so unwilling to subscribe to email newsletters.
On the other hand, web push notification comes handy and superbly flexible for the subscribers. It’s a one click subscription system and doesn’t bother your subscribers that much. But the question is how can you set it up for your WordPress site. This is what we are going to show you today.
What is web push notification
Web push notification is a message delivery system through browsers. Subscribers get them on the web browsers even when the subscribed website is not open in their browsers.
The advantages of web push notifications
While visiting your website, there’s chance that people will love your content and want to be notified when you release/publish anything new. To have those visitors in the loop, web push notification is the easiest way to go.
There are plenty of reasons why one might want to have web push notification system for their site. The advantages of web push notifications will interest you too. They are:
- Re engage visitors without knowing their email or other details
- Increase click-through rate
- Push notifications are shorter and ask lesser attention than email newsletters or social media updates
- Prompt and certain delivery of contents. Emails may go to the spam folder but there’s no such case for web push notifications
- User friendly, easy to subscribe and turn off notifications
- Requires explicit permissions from the visitors
- Reach people who are not on your website
- Push notification technology is evolving fast from a simple message delivery system to a rich and interactive communication channel
How to set up web push notification on a WordPress site
Most of the major websites these days have web push notification system. You already have experienced web push notification on Facebook, Google, and other popular web sites you regularly visit. Now, it’s time you had this system on your own WordPress site.
Let’s know the whole process in some easy steps.
We will show how to set up web push notification on a WordPress site with a plugin “OneSignal”, a high volume, simple and reliable messaging system built for websites.
Step 1: Install OneSignal plugin on your website
Installing the OneSignal plugin is just like any other regular WordPress plugin.
Step 2: Create a OneSignal account
Create a
OneSignal account on their website. You can create an account using your Facebook, GitHub, Google account or email address. Choose the one that suits you best.
Step 3: Add an app
Once you are done with the signup process, create an app by clicking on the ‘ADD APP’ button on your OneSignal dashboard.
Give your app a name and click on the ADD APP button.
Step 4: Edit your app
Edit your OneSignal app by selecting a platform to configure. You can return to this screen to configure more platforms. Select Web Push as a platform and click on next.
Step 5: Configure web push
Now it’s time to configure your web push notification system. Select WordPress plugin or website builder out of the three options. Then select WordPress as your website builder or CMS.
Step 6: Enter WordPress site info
Now, enter your site name, website URL, upload an icon and decide whether your website is fully on HTTPS.
Step 7: Configure OneSignal plugin on your dashboard
With every step above, you are done with your part on OneSignal website. Now, go to your WordPress Dashboard > OneSIgnal Push. Put App ID and REST API Key at the respective places in the Configuration.
You can also upload your site icon for Safari here. The icon you uploaded before will not work for Safari’s permission request bar.
Now get back to your website Dashboard > OneSIgnal Push. Find the Safari Web ID field and place the ID.
Tweak your web push notification messages as there are several options to take care of.
