We all use Notifications on our smart phones. And I love it when my phone lets me know I have a meeting or I need to leave for my next appointment. But Apple has been quietly working on Notifications for our Mac Computers as well. It’s still early in it’s development (yes, I often live on the bleeding edge of technology), but there are some promising features that are on current Macs and I guess will be coming in iOS 8 as well.
What’s the big deal?
- Opt in once, be notified of updates!
- It’s built into the Mac OS X Mavericks, so no additional software is required!
- If you miss a Notification, you will get it when you log into your computer.
Push Notifications is a way to opt in to be notified of something new. Yes, advertisers can abuse something like this, but before you throw the baby out with the bath water, here’s what’s awesome. Website owners can use this features to notify their loyal users of new articles. One of my playgrounds for new technology is my Volleyball Club website. And here’s how I’m using these extremely useful Push Notifications: Every week when I publish the weekly practice and game calendar, I can now Push a Notification to the parents who want to know when the schedule is updated. There’s no marketing there, just a simple way to let my users know when something is new and available for them.
How can I use this for my business?
- Stores and E-Commerce sites can leverage this technology for Specials.
- Calendar and Event Websites can use it for Reminders
- Publishers can use it for more engagement with New Articles
Caveats and Notes:
- Currently this technology is built only into the Mac Operating System. I believe it will be coming to iOS 8 within the next 6-12 months.
- Super smart people are working to bring this feature to PC’s and Android Phones. I’ll keep you updated.
How does it work?
- Open Safari on your Mac.
- Go to a website with Push Notifications (try http://kovahawaii.com to see how it works).
- When you see this box, make sure you Click Allow
- That’s it!
How do I turn it off?
- Open the System Preferences on your Mac.
- Click on Notifications
- Find the Website you Authorized
- Uncheck the Boxes: Show Notifications on Lock Screen, and Show in Notification Center
- That’s it!
I want it!!!
Fill out the form below and let me know how we can integrate this with your website.
