The Ultimate Guide to the Notification Icon – Best Practices and Tools

Nowadays, push notifications have become a part of our daily lives since every app is reaching out to its users through this tool. However, the effectiveness of these notifications isn't just about the message. Instead, its visual elements can play a significant role in convincing users to engage with them. Therefore, a notification icon can contribute to their success.

In this article, we will explore the importance of the push notification icon, the best practices for using it, and the tools that are going to help you in the process.

Why Do We Need Notification Icons?

If you bring any notification to mind, you will realize that an icon is one of their essential parts. All Android app notification icons let users know which app has an update for them at a glance. In addition to this though, there are more benefits to them. The most significant ones are the following:

• Visual Communication: App notification icons act as a visual cue that instantly conveys the purpose of the notification. This helps users understand what the communication is all about even without reading the full message. For instance, a tracking notification icon informs them that their package will soon arrive at their door.
• Brand Recognition: Using the same image in all communication channels can boost your brand identity. Therefore, your notifications become instantly recognizable to your audience, thus enhancing their trust and loyalty. A great example of this is the various messaging app notification icons that have become synonymous with their corresponding apps.
• User Engagement: Notifications are tools that are well-known for grabbing user attention. Those who use an icon have been proven to be more effective than those with text alone. A compelling icon can give an extra motive to users to take action instead of ignoring the communication.
• Enhanced User Experience: Using a push notification iconis one of the best ways to make your communications as intuitive and accessible as possible. This simple visual element creates an even better experience with your app by making it more inclusive.

Notifications Icon Size Recommendation in EngageLab

If you're thinking of implementing a notification icon to your app push and web push communication, you have to consider their size and format. By doing that, you can rest assured that the icons will look sharp and professional across any device your audience might be using. EngageLab provides specific guidelines for app push and web push notifications to help you create these icons, which you can then easily incorporate into your communications. Read the EngageLab Docs carefully which will provide you with all relevant information to create the appropriate push notification icon.

To help you, we have compiled all the relevant information in the tables below:

Icon Size and Format for AppPush/WebPush/WhatsApp Notifications

Icon Size and Format for Social Media App Notifications

Push Notification Icon Tools

To adhere to the guidelines, you will probably need to use the right tools. Fortunately, there is a wide range of online apps that help you with several aspects of your icon creation. For example, you can design, resize, and compress your app notification icons with just a couple of clicks. In this section, we have selected the most useful of these online tools:

1 Canva

Canva is a versatile tool that helps you design icons, banners, and much more with readymade templates. Therefore, you can use it to quickly design your Android app notification icons according to your specifications.

2 TinyPNG

TinyPNG is a tool that specializes in compressing PNG and JPEG images without any quality loss. By optimizing your icons, you will enhance the overall performance of your notifications as they will load faster and they will look more professional.

3 Kapwing

A tool like Kapwing offers you an easy way to resize your images to specific dimensions. Simply upload your tracking notification icon or any other type of icon and set the desired size.

4 IcoMoon

IcoMoon is a tool that you will use to create vector icons and convert them into different formats. With this app, you can easily customize your icons and export them in various sizes and formats.

How to Add Push Notification Icon

Once you have your icons ready, you can start creating push and web notifications in EngageLab . This platform makes it easier than ever before to establish communication with your audience in a variety of channels, such as email, SMS, app push, and web push.

EngageLab is a powerful platform that will become your go-to tool for managing push notifications across apps and websites. Its user-friendly interface, detailed analytics, and customization options permit you to have an effective strategy that engages your audience.

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Below, you will find step-by-step guides for both AppPush and WebPush notifications in EngageLab.

How to Add App Notification Icons in EngageLab

Log in to EngageLab. If you don't have an account, it is very easy to create one for free. Simply enter your email and password.

Go to your EngageLab console and click on "AppPush". This will take you to your push notification dashboard.

Set up your application. If you haven't used this feature before, you will need to add your app to EngageLab. Enter all required information and upload the icon you have prepared.

Create your push notification. Click the "Create a Push" option on the sidebar to start creating your notification. Type the text, select your audience segment, and when you want to send the notification.

How to Add a Web Push Notification Icon in EngageLab

Log in with your EngageLab credentials. If you haven't signed up yet, create your account for free.

From your console, click "WebPush" to create your web push notification.

Set up your application, where you will be sending your web push notifications. Enter all required information and make sure to add your application icon here, which will be used in your notifications.

Create your web push notification. Click "Create a push" from the sidebar, and then "Notification". Type your text, and the target web address, and select your audience segment and date.

Besides Icons-What You Need to Know About Notification

While a notification icon is an integral part of the notification itself, other elements decide its effectiveness. In this section, we are going to analyze some case studies that show you how changing your icon can have a strong impact on your business. In these cases, you will find brands of all sizes that have benefited from a new logo that gets incorporated into their notifications.

1. Instagram's New Logo

One of the most well-known cases of changing a brand logo and icon is that of Instagram. Social media was already one of the top ones when they decided to make this huge change in 2013. At the time, this move became the starting point for icon design. However, nowadays this minimalist icon is considered one of the most recognizable ones in the world. Instagram continues to be one of the big players in social media platforms, and the app's logo only reinforces the company's image.

2. Travel Town – Merge Adventure

Travel Town by Magmatic Games has been one of the mobile games that has been on the rise in recent months. The game first appeared in 2021, and since then, it has gained many fans. In fact, in March 2024 the game had its largest revenue to date, having gained $21.1 million.

One of the contributing factors to the game's success is undoubtedly its logo. The new icon features two cups of coffee that also allude to its genre. The previous logo wasn't as recognizable and didn't highlight what the game was actually about. This is a great case to realize that even the app notification icons can play a role in your growth.

3. The Duolingo Owl

It is no surprise that Duolingo is a great example of its icon use. In recent months, the language-learning app's users have discovered that its logo has been changed, featuring the Duolingo owl in a bad state. This is a marketing technique that aims to make users feel shocked and curious, thus prompting them to launch the app.

In addition to this, Duolingo uses personalization a lot. Its push notification icon remains rather simple, featuring the brand's instantly recognizable campaign. On top of this, it also uses additional images and emojis to draw an emotional response from users who receive them. With all of these tactics, the app has managed to gain more than 500 million registered users and about 37 million monthly active users.

4.  Netflix Logo

There is no denying that Netflix features one of the most iconic logos nowadays. Netflix is one of the brands that show you that the simplification of your icon can often create a very modern and professional result. Right now, when you see this icon, you instantly recognize which brand it is without having to look it up.

Nevertheless, the brand used various versions of its logo before it reached this iconic design. Its first logo has nothing to do with the minimal red lettering you are using. By changing its marketing approach, and its visual elements, the company managed to revolutionize media streaming and become one of the biggest tech companies in the world.

These case studies offer you a good glimpse into how to make the most out of your notification icon. Some of the best practices that we actively recommend include:

• What are Mobile App Usage Analytics & How to Measure them?
• Mastering Push Notification Marketing: Everything You Need to Know
• What are the Push Notification Character Limits? All Platforms Discussed
• Email A/B Testing: Change Your Email Marketing

Wrapping Up

Messaging app notification icons are a great example of how to boost your brand recognition. Leverage the power of the notification icon to add an important visual element to your app push and web push communications. EngageLab gives you all the tools you need to build a successful push notification strategy. Sign up for EngageLab today to access all the tools and features you need to create compelling, effective push notifications.

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