A push message can now be sent to users in a specified country, region or place. This is called a Geo-based Push Message. Geo Push is different than Geofencing. Geo Push entails sending a push message to those users that have last opened the app within the location radius you have specified. In this way, the app is not constantly sending the location data from a user's device. Our platform will only register the last known location. This saves precious battery life of the user's phone.
To use Geo Push, please follow these steps:
- Login to design.appmachine.com en select the app you would like to configure.
- In the left vertical menu, select Push Message and select the Settings tab
- Make sure that the "Enable geo-based push messages" option has been activated.
- Update your app using the "Update Now" button to make sure that this feature is made available in your app. Your app may require a Store Update. An update may be required in order to enable certain permissions in your already published app.
Once your app has been updated with the correct settings, you can start using Geo-based Push Messages. In this example, we will send a push message to a specified location.
- Log in to design.appmachine.com en select the live app you'd like to send the push message to.
- In the left vertical menu, select Push Message and click on the Add button
- Write the text of your push message and select the time it should be sent from. Click Next.
- In the next step you are shown two options, choose "Send to everyone near a location."
- Enter the address of your chosen location, and choose the radius around this location that the message should be sent to.
- You can also choose how recently the users had to have been at that specified location for them to receive the push message. This can help you target the right audience.
Useful Tips:
Your app needs to be live (published) and recently updated. The last version of the app in both stores needs to have been published after May 1st. If your app is older than this and you would like to update it, please send us an email at [email protected].
Changing the "Enable geo based push messages" setting requires an Android update every time. Android apps may only ask for permission to use location data if it is actually being used in the app.
A user's location may not always be accurate. This often depends on the user and the device that is being targeted.
Sending Geo-based push messages is only available on design.appmachine.com and in the Reseller CMS. Sending Geo-based push messages from within the app is not possible.