Every day, the typical smartphone customer receives an average of 46 notifications! Beyond merely capitalizing on viral memes or providing discounts, it’s crucial to contemplate the visual impact of your push notification on the customer. 

To stand out, brands must be creative and stick to the best practices and character limits for the title and description of push notifications. When your notification’s text surpasses the character limit supported by a customer’s device or browser, it gets truncated, affecting readability and diminishing the customer’s interest. 

To assist you in maintaining effective push notification marketing, we’ve outlined the character limits, best practices, and tips for optimizing push notifications across various devices and browsers.

What Are The App Push Notification Character Limits?

Despite the option to include more text in the notification, only a limited portion is visible on the screen. For example, the description character limit for Android is 240 characters, and for iOS, it is 178.

Marketers must keep the content within the push notification character limits on various devices to ensure the message is delivered optimally. 

 Here are the character limits for all major mobile and web platforms –

Push Notification Character Limit for Android 

The ideal title character limit for Android push notifications is 65, while descriptions can contain up to 240 characters.

Push Notification Character Limit for iOS 

For iOS devices, the character threshold stands at 178 before the text gets truncated. It means about four lines of text. However, there’s no defined title character limit.

Push Notification Character Limit for Web 

The character constraints for web push notifications fluctuate based on the browser, operating system, and device type. Usually, they fall within the range of 40 to 75 characters for titles and 50 to 225 for descriptions.

Here is the cheat sheet for various browsers and their versions –

OS / BrowserTitle Character CountDescription Character Count
Android, Chrome3065
Android, Firefox3065
Android, Opera5065
Android, Yandex3565
Windows 8, Chrome57126
Windows 10, Chrome69139
Windows, Firefox54200
macOS, Safari49103
macOS, Chrome4388
macOS, Firefox4290

A successful push app notification strategy revolves around driving conversions. Therefore, crafting brief, timely, and brand-aligned notifications is essential. Besides taking care of the character limit, marketers must also ensure that their messages stand out amongst their customers’ daily push notifications. 

Content, timing, personalization, frequency, and permissions all play a crucial role in the quality of a push notification. Let’s have a look at how to optimize the titles and descriptions of a push notification –

Tips to Optimize the Titles and Description of a Push Notification  

Optimizing the titles and descriptions of push notifications can significantly enhance their effectiveness. Firstly, ensuring brevity is crucial; concise titles within character limits grab attention. Crafting descriptive yet succinct content for the notification’s body ensures clarity. 

Secondly, employing action-oriented language in titles compels customers to engage, while descriptions should provide essential details that entice action. Moreover, personalization adds impact; tailoring notifications to customer preferences fosters a stronger connection. 

Lastly, rigorously testing variations helps identify the most compelling combinations of titles and descriptions, refining your approach for maximum impact.

Here are some easy ways to optimize the titles and descriptions of your push notifications – 

1. Keep it Concise and Clear 

Keep titles concise and within character limits to ensure they’re easily comprehensible at a glance. Clear, focused titles instantly convey the purpose of the notification. For descriptions, keep it minimal while providing essential information. Customers should understand the message quickly without being overwhelmed by unnecessary details.

2. Use Emojis 

Emojis inject vibrancy and emotion into push notifications. Taking cues from apps like Swiggy and Zomato, consider leveraging emojis strategically. For instance, a pizza emoji 🍕 or a flame emoji 🔥 can accentuate a food delivery notification, making it visually appealing and engaging. Emojis help convey emotions and can catch the eye amidst a sea of notifications, increasing the likelihood of customer interaction.

3. Include words that provoke emotion or enthusiasm

Create titles that compel customers to take immediate action or pique their interest. Use strong verbs or phrases that prompt a response. Descriptions should support the title, providing additional context or information that encourages the desired action, whether making a purchase, exploring a new feature, or engaging with content.

4. Create Urgency 

Craft titles and descriptions that evoke a sense of urgency. Phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Hurry, Last Few Left!” instill a fear of missing out, prompting customers to act promptly. Pair these urgent phrases with clear and concise descriptions that elucidate the time-sensitive nature of the offer or event. For instance, “Flash Sale: Only 3 Hours Left!” communicates immediacy and drives action.

5. Be Funny/Conversational

Injecting humor or a conversational tone can humanize your notifications and resonate better with customers. Swiggy and Zomato often employ witty, relatable language that feels like a friend chatting, not just a notification. Using puns, jokes, or playful language, such as “Time to taco ’bout our delicious deals” or “We’re egg-cited to offer you today’s special,” adds a personal touch and fosters a friendly connection, making customers more receptive to the message.

6. Leverage Personalization 

Tailoring notifications based on customer preferences, behavior, or location enhances their relevance. Incorporate customer-specific details like their name, past interactions, or personalized recommendations. Personalized notifications demonstrate that you understand the customer’s needs, fostering a stronger connection and increasing the likelihood of engagement.

7. Keep A/B Testing

Continuously test different variations of titles and descriptions to identify the most effective combinations. A/B testing lets you understand what resonates best with your audience, helping refine your push notification strategy for maximum impact and engagement.

What’s Next?

A successful push-based marketing notification meets the consumer’s needs, respects the customer’s preferences, and serves relevant content. Crafting a compelling title and description for your push notifications is the first stage for getting more engagement. However, push marketers often face many other issues.

Adhering to character limits and optimization guidelines isn’t just a rule; it’s a gateway to making notifications readable and captivating. It’s not just about fitting into limits; it’s about standing out amidst the digital noise.

The key lies in understanding customers—personalizing notifications, testing variations, and resonating with what makes them tick.