As mobile brands hit their stride with delivering personalized omnichannel experiences for their users, they face a pivotal challenge when it comes to growth: how to provide seamless, hyper-relevant user journeys at scale, without sacrificing quality.
For SaaS and smart device ecosystems specifically, meeting user expectations for a timely, intuitive mobile experience requires a degree of automation that many brands simply cannot achieve with their current mobile engagement solution.
By drawing insights from successful implementations by companies like Whisker and Sprocket, we invite you to learn from the “road-tested” strategies that have already driven real results. Remember, automation is no longer just about efficiency—it’s about creating meaningful engagement, improving user satisfaction, and ultimately driving long-term app retention that extends beyond the initial download.
Distinguishing curious browsers from committed users
Many smart device brands face the challenge of distinguishing between users who have genuinely integrated their product into daily use and those who have merely downloaded their app out of curiosity.
Whisker, a smart-device pet care business, lacked visibility into which app users actually owned and connected their Litter-Robot product versus those who had downloaded their app without making a purchase. With OneSignal, they were able to gain precious data transparency into user segments based on device ownership status. This allowed them to engage true product owners with relevant updates and cross-selling opportunities while nurturing potential customers who have yet to convert.
Automating with creativity
Whisker’s push notifications have not only increased mobile app-driven revenue by 20%, but their newfound clarity surrounding high-value user segments opens the door for scalable automation strategies using OneSignal’s drag-and-drop Journeys builder tool.
Below are some high-impact, unique ways to automate omnichannel campaigns and address engagement pain points caused by a split audience.
1. Automatically trigger tailored onboarding sequences based on whether a user has connected a device or not.
- For Connected Users: Send an in-app walkthrough, setup tips, and best practices via push notifications and email.
- For Unconnected Users: Deliver a drip campaign with compelling product benefits, a limited-time discount, and user testimonials to encourage conversion.
2. Use automation to detect engagement signals and adjust messaging accordingly.
- If a new app user browses FAQs or setup guides without connecting a device, trigger an SMS or push notification to direct users to a step-by-step walkthrough.
- If a connected user consistently engages with maintenance guides, send an email or app message promoting relevant accessories
3. Once a user purchases and connects their device, use OneSignal Journeys to drive repeat sales:
- 30 days post-purchase: Push notification promoting essential accessories or replacements.
- 60 days post-purchase: Email showcasing premium add-ons, like app-controlled monitoring upgrades or extended warranties.
4. For users who haven’t engaged with your app for more than a week, automate a multi-touchpoint reactivation flow:
- Push notification: Highlight new updates, personalized recommendations, or key features users may have missed
- Email reminder: Feature updates, troubleshooting guides, or exclusive loyalty rewards for active users.
5. Identify highly engaged users and trigger personalized messages to maximize advocacy:
In-app message: Encouraging advocacy by prompting users to leave a review or join a loyalty program.
Email invitation: Join your brand’s referral program for discounts on future purchases.
Read the full Whisker case study to see how they boosted revenue, in-app sessions, and push subscriptions.
Breaking timezone barriers and scaling global engagement
One of the most common growth roadblocks for SaaS brands is how to effectively engage users across different regions, each with unique preferences and time zones.
The bike resale app Sprocket found its platform rapidly gaining popularity in India, a notoriously bike-friendly market. Keeping up with the surging demand required precise audience segmentation for web, iOS, and Android to deliver platform-specific updates. However, timing these notifications for a user base halfway around the world became a logistical hurdle.
Instead of manually calculating time zones or risking poorly timed messages, Sprocket leveraged Intelligent Delivery to ensure that every communication reaches users at the optimal time, automatically adjusting for their local timezone. This approach allows them to scale engagement without the complexity of global scheduling.
Automating sales alerts to drive conversions
For many brands, a key challenge in driving sales is ensuring that potential buyers and sellers stay informed throughout the transaction process. As a decentralized resale platform, Sprocket faced a similar issue—users relied on off-platform communication to maintain privacy, similar to Craigslist. However, this created a gap where sellers weren’t always aware of when they had received an offer unless they manually checked their email.
To eliminate this friction, Sprocket implemented automated push notifications that alert users to check their inbox when an offer is received. By seamlessly integrating automated messaging into the sales process, Sprocket ensures that opportunities don’t get lost due to communication delays, ultimately improving transaction completion rates and boosting revenue. But automation doesn’t stop there.
Sprocket also taps into the power of referrals by rewarding users with a free listing when they invite friends to join the platform. Through automated messaging, both the referrer and the new user receive instant notifications when the reward is earned, ensuring a seamless and engaging experience. By augmenting the referral process with automation, Sprocket drives organic growth, increases user acquisition, and keeps existing users actively engaged.
Done effectively, automation can significantly reduce drop-off rates, simplify the user journey, and create a more frictionless experience. As a result, you both increase revenue and allow your other teams to focus on optimizing your platform rather than managing manual follow-ups.
Scale smarter, not harder
Scaling with automation requires choosing the right mobile engagement solution—one that not only streamlines messaging but also ensures the right users receive the right messages at the right time. Without a robust platform, brands risk disjointed communication, missed opportunities, and lower conversion rates.
OneSignal is the ideal choice for SaaS and smart device brands looking to scale, offering a powerful suite of tools to automate, personalize, and optimize messaging across multiple channels. With OneSignal Journeys, businesses can build dynamic, behaviorially-driven workflows that guide users through every stage of the customer lifecycle. From onboarding to retention, OneSignal specializes in leveraging intelligent automation to unburden marketers to boost revenue and create seamless user experiences at scale. Try us out for free to see just how effortless engagement can be.
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