How to Send Push Notifications Using OneSignal in WordPress

Push notifications are an excellent way to engage visitors to your WordPress site and keep them updated with new content, promotions, or offers. OneSignal is a popular service for sending push notifications, and it integrates seamlessly with WordPress. In this blog post, we will walk you through the process of setting up OneSignal on your WordPress website and sending push notifications to your users.

Step 1: Create a OneSignal Account

Before integrating OneSignal with WordPress, you need to sign up for a OneSignal account.

1. Visit OneSignal’s website: Go to OneSignal’s homepage and click on the “Sign Up” button.
2. Create an Account: You can sign up using your email address or your Google or Facebook account.
3. Log in to Your Dashboard: Once you’ve created an account, log in to the OneSignal dashboard.

Step 2: Create a New App in OneSignal

To send push notifications, you must create an app in OneSignal.

1. Navigate to the OneSignal Dashboard: Once you’re logged in, click on the “New App/Website” button.
2. Enter App Details: Provide your app’s name and select the platform for which you want to send push notifications. For WordPress, you’ll choose the Website option.
3. Configure Web Push Settings: Choose whether you want to send notifications to desktop or mobile devices. For most WordPress sites, the default settings will work fine.
4. Set Up OneSignal Web Push: Follow the on-screen instructions, which will guide you in configuring the web push for your site. You’ll be provided with a OneSignal App ID and API Key to use on your WordPress site.

Step 3: Install and Activate the OneSignal Plugin in WordPress

OneSignal has a plugin for WordPress that makes integration easy. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to Your WordPress Admin Panel: Go to your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Install the OneSignal Plugin:
   • Go to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for “OneSignal Push Notifications.”
   • Click Install Now and then Activate the plugin.
3. Configure the Plugin: Once the plugin is activated, go to OneSignal Push in the left-hand sidebar menu.

Step 4: Configure OneSignal Settings in WordPress

Now that the plugin is installed, it’s time to configure it:

1. Enter OneSignal App Details: In the OneSignal settings page in WordPress, you’ll need to enter the OneSignal App ID and API Key that you got when you created your app in OneSignal.
2. Choose Push Notification Settings:
   • Configure the options for how you want the push notifications to behave, such as the notification title, message, and icon.
   • You can also set when you want to show notifications, for example, when a new post is published or when a user subscribes to your website.
3. Customize the Subscription Prompt: OneSignal will prompt users to subscribe to push notifications when they visit your site. You can customize this prompt’s appearance, timing, and message.

Step 5: Test Push Notifications

Before going live, it’s important to test whether push notifications are working properly:

1. Send a Test Notification: From the OneSignal settings page in WordPress, click on Send Test Push. Enter a message to send a test notification to your subscribed users.
2. Check the Notification: Open your website in a new browser or incognito window and check if the test notification appears on the screen.

Step 6: Start Sending Push Notifications

Once everything is set up and working, you can begin sending push notifications to your subscribers.

1. Send Notifications from OneSignal Dashboard: To send notifications, you can either use the OneSignal dashboard directly or use the Send Push Notification option in the OneSignal plugin’s settings in WordPress.
2. Target Specific Users: You can send notifications to all subscribers or target specific segments based on various criteria like device type or location.
3. Schedule Notifications: OneSignal allows you to schedule notifications in advance, which can be especially useful for promotions or announcements.

Step 7: Analyze Push Notification Performance

OneSignal provides detailed analytics for your push notifications. You can track metrics such as the open rate, click-through rate (CTR), and delivery rate. This data will help you optimize your notifications for better engagement.

To view the analytics:

1. Go to the OneSignal Dashboard: In your OneSignal account, go to the “Notifications” section.
2. Review the Metrics: Analyze how your notifications are performing to improve your future campaigns.

Conclusion

Integrating OneSignal with WordPress is a simple and effective way to send push notifications to your website visitors. With this integration, you can increase engagement and keep users informed about new content or promotions. By following these steps, you’ll be able to set up push notifications in no time.

Happy sending!