Automated Messages
Send Automated Push and Email Message Campaigns
This feature is unavailable in apps created after December 11, 2024 and for free apps. Please use Journeys for all message automation needs.
Automated Messages are push notifications and emails sent to users that enter into Segments. They are commonly used for drip campaigns like re-engaging inactive users or welcoming new users or events like congratulating players on reaching a certain level.
Creating automated message campaigns
Before creating an automated message, you need to setup a 2 things:
- Templates which are reusable messages to send.
- Segments which are users eligible to receive your automated message.
In Messages > Automated select New Automated Message and the type you want (Push or Email).
Create a new automated message
Name your Automated Message Campaign something recognizable. This lets you identify the automated message among others. Pro tip: name the segment, automated message and template the same thing to easily associate all 3.
Step 1. Audience
The segment(s) of users that are eligible to receive the message. The number of users is dynamic. Over time, as users enter the selected segment(s) they will be able to get the Automated Message.
If multiple segments used, users will not get duplicate messages if in multiple segments.
Audience segment selection
Step 2. Message
Select the Message Template you would like to send. We suggest dedicating one template per Automated Message. Also, name the template something recognizable for the automated message.
Step 3. Delivery Schedule
Select when the message should start being sent.
| Delivery Options | Details |
|---|---|
| Immediately (Push and Email) | Sends the message as soon as possible. - On the free plan, this may take several hours. - On the paid plan, this may take several minutes. |
| Intelligent delivery (recommended) (Push only) | Sends the message personalized based on each user’s activity. May take 24 hours to send based on user’s behavior. |
| Custom time per user time zone (Push and Email) | Sends the notification at the specified timezone. Recommended for time-sensitive notifications. |
Intelligent Delivery
Intelligent Delivery May Take 24 Hours. Make sure the segment used will contain users for at least a 24 hour period when using “First Session” and “Last Session” filters. For example:
“Last Session > 24 hours AND Last Session < 48 hours” “First Session < 24 hours”
Re-triggering Default Behaviour
By default, Automated Messages will only be sent to a user’s device 1 time. Even if the user leaves a segment and returns to it.
Deliver to users more than once?
Set how often you want to deliver this message to the same subscription if still within the segment.
By default, Automated Messages will only be sent to a subscription 1 time. Even if the user leaves a segment and returns to it.
If no option is selected, the user’s device will only get the message 1 time. If the device is in the included segment and excluded segment, then leaves the excluded segment but is still in the included segment, they will get the message.
If the user returns to the app
The user will get the message again after returning to the app or website if they are still included within the segment.
After a certain amount of time
The user will get the message again after X hours/days/weeks have passed if they are still included within the segment.
OR Logic for Re-Delivery
These options are not dependent on each other.
If you select both, then the automated message will resend each time one of the options triggers and the user is still in the segment.
Example of the delivery logic
In this example, the message will be sent when the user is most likely going to be online to receive it and resent again IF:
The user returns to the site/app AND they are still in the segment OR After 4 weeks have passed AND they are still in the segment.
Automated Messages get sent roughly every 4-6 hours and do not include timezone optimizations.
Paid Plan Users get automated messages sent within a few minutes and access to timezone delivery.
FAQ
How can I Automate Messages for certain days?
Automated Messages do not provide options for scheduling notifications on specific dates and times. For example, if you want notifications to be sent every Wednesday at 4pm, you should use the following methods:
- The OneSignal Create Notification API
- Integrately | OneSignal integration or Zapier | OneSignal
- Scheduling your messages manually through our dashboard notification create form every 30 days (notifications can only be scheduled 30 days in advance).
Why are my Automated Messages not sending?
Push users who have not been active for over 3 months will be excluded from all automated notifications.
If the segment for the automated message uses “First Session” or “Last Session” filters, make sure the timeframe is:
- longer than 24 hours if using “Intelligent delivery”
- longer than 8 hours if using “Immediate” delivery on a Free Account
How to track performance of Automated Messages?
You can track the message’s lifetime performance from Templates. The Delivery page tracks individual Automated Message stats and are only saved for around 30 days.
How are automated messages sent out?
Automated messages are sent out in batches of 10,000 messages. This means if you are sending automated messages to 36,000 users, you would see four distinct notifications in Message Reports - three with 10,000 users, and the fourth with 6,000 users.
If you want to schedule recurring notifications for an exact time, please see our Zapier integration docs.
Example Automated Message Campaigns
Please see our Abandoned Cart guide for more details and examples on how to set that up.
In all examples, make sure to setup a template with emojis and/or bright and catchy images and icons to help entice the user to click and come back.
Re-engagement Campaigns
Continuing the first example re-engagement campaigns, let’s setup 2 more to help further get the user back to the site:
| Automated Message | Segment Filters |
|---|---|
| Inactive 10 days | Last Session is greater than 240 hours ago AND Last Session is less than 264 hours ago |
| Inactive 20 days | Last Session is greater than 480 hours ago AND Last Session is less than 504 hours ago |
Adding the upper segment limits help transition the subscriber in and out of the segment.
For “Inactive 10 days” and “Inactive 20 days” automated messages, use the “Intelligent Delivery” option and select the option under “Deliver to users more than once?” to be If the user returns to the app. This will make sure to repeat the flow if the user becomes inactive for 10 days or 20 days again in the future.
Image showing the delivery section
Welcome Campaign
OneSignal does provide Web Push Welcome Notifications but these are limited in that they don’t work for mobile apps and you cannot add different languages or customize the push notification beyond title and message.
If you want to send a welcome notification along with a stream of notifications to get users introduced to your app or site, you can follow this guide to get started:
Welcome Campaign Planning
Think about the main points you want your users to know about your app or site. For example, if you are an ecommerce site, think about what type of product categories you want to introduce to your users or neat things you can do on that may not be obvious.
Once you decide how many welcome notifications you want to send in a row, you can decide how you want to space them. We suggest sending 3 total welcome notifications spaced out on days 1, 2 and 4 (skipping day 3).
Setup your segments as follows:
| Automated Message | Segment Used |
|---|---|
| Welcome 1 Day 1 | First Session is less than 24 hours AND First Session is greater than 2 hours |
| Welcome 2 Day 3 | First Session is less than 96 hours AND First Session is greater than 72 hours |
| Welcome 3 Day 5 | First Session is less than 144 hours AND First Session is greater than 120 hours |
On all 3 campaigns, your “Delivery” and “Deliver only once to a user, unless” options should be blank or not selected since you don’t want to re-send these notifications.
Example Welcome Campaign Ideas
- Discount Codes. Even 5% will be a great way to hook users into coming back and keeping an eye out for your notifications.
- Educational pieces on common or helpful features customers may not be aware of.
- Blog posts or documentation links.