Web Push Notifications: The Free Marketing Channel Most Indian Businesses Are Missing

SMS costs money. WhatsApp limits broadcasts to opted-in contacts. Email open rates average 20%. But there's a channel that's completely free, instant, and gets 4–8% click-through rates — browser push notifications.

And most local Indian businesses haven't heard of it yet.

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What Are Web Push Notifications?

When you visit a website on Chrome, Safari, or Firefox and see a popup asking "Allow notifications?", that's the Web Push permission prompt.

Once a customer clicks "Allow", you can send them a message that appears on their phone or desktop even when they're not on your website. It looks like an SMS or WhatsApp message but costs you absolutely nothing to send.

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How It Works on city360.directory

Every business listed on city360.directory has a "Follow" button on their profile page. When a customer clicks it:

1. Their browser asks permission to send notifications
2. If they accept, they're subscribed to that business
3. You can now send them push notifications from your dashboard

Examples of what you can send:

• "New dish alert! Our Mangalorean Fish Curry is back on the menu this weekend. Book a table: [link]"
• "Weekend offer: 20% off all services this Saturday. Book now: [link]"
• "We're now open on Sundays! Visit us at [address]"
• "Happy Diwali from [Business Name]! Use code DIWALI20 for 20% off"

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The Numbers That Matter

| Channel | Cost per 1000 messages | Avg open rate | |---------|------------------------|---------------| | SMS | ₹150–300 | 98% | | WhatsApp| ₹150–500 | 85% | | Email | ₹10–30 | 20% | | Web Push | ₹0 | 70–80% |

Push notifications are seen almost immediately — 90% are opened within 10 minutes of delivery.

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Which Businesses Benefit Most?

Restaurants: "Tonight's special: Butter Garlic Prawns. Limited quantities — reserve your table now."

Salons: "Slot available today at 3 PM with Kavita. Book in 2 clicks."

Gyms: "3-day free trial still open for this week. Grab it before spots fill up."

Healthcare clinics: "Reminder: flu vaccination camps this Saturday, 9 AM–1 PM. No appointment needed."

Event venues: "New event added: Stand-up comedy night, Feb 28. Early bird tickets now."

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How to Set It Up

On city360.directory, push notifications are built in. Once you list your business:

1. Customers who visit your profile can click "Follow"
2. As your follower count grows, you build a free notification audience
3. From your business dashboard, go to Notifications → Send Push to compose and send

No technical setup needed on your end.

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Best Practices for Push Notifications

Frequency: 2–4 notifications per week maximum. Over-messaging leads to unsubscribes.

Timing: Send when your customers are active. Restaurants: 11 AM (pre-lunch) and 5 PM (pre-dinner). Salons: 9–10 AM on weekdays.

Personalisation: Use the customer's city or name where possible ("Hey Mumbai, we're now open in Andheri!")

Value first: Every notification should give value — a deal, useful info, or something exclusive. Don't just send promotional spam.

CTA is essential: Every notification should have a link to take action (book, view, call).

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GDPR & Indian Privacy Law

Web Push requires explicit opt-in (the browser permission popup). This means:

• You can only send to users who explicitly clicked "Allow"
• Users can unsubscribe at any time from their browser settings
• You must comply with India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023

city360.directory handles all of this compliance automatically for listed businesses.

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Start Building Your Push Audience Today

The best time to start collecting push subscribers was when you listed your business. The second best time is now.

Every day your business is on city360.directory, customers can click "Follow" and become part of your free notification audience. A business with 500 followers has a direct, free marketing channel to 500 local, interested customers.

List your business on city360.directory and start building your audience for free.