Reach users 1:1 with the Notifications API

We're launching a beta version of the new Notifications API for apps on Facebook.com that enables you to send short, custom messages to your existing users through the Facebook notifications jewel. Notifications are a great way to re-engage users by informing them of important events, invites from friends, or actions they need to take in your app.

Power and responsibility

Notifications are a powerful way to communicate with users, but require good judgment. To ensure the best reach for your notifications, be mindful of the language you use and the frequency at which you send them.

You can send notifications to your users without requesting additional permissions. However, people are in control of the notifications they receive. The first few times people see notifications from your app they may accept or decline them. They may also choose to opt-out at any time.

Monitor the success of your notifications

In recent tests, people who received high-quality app notifications were five to ten times more likely to click through than they were for requests. Alternatively, people who received low-quality app notifications were more likely to turn off notifications from the app.

We encourage you to test and monitor how your notifications are performing. The new Notifications dashboard in Insights shows feedback on notifications sent via this API, including information on turn-off rates. Apps with with exceedingly high turn off rates for notifications may be classified as spam and disabled. You should watch Insights closely to make sure your notifications are well received by users and not in danger of being shut-off.

About the beta

Notifications work well when they deliver relevant, useful information to people using your app. Over time, we will continue to adjust how these notifications appear to ensure users see relevant notifications and developers have an optimized experience.

More information

Get more information on implementing Notifications API by reading our documentation, and learn how to make your notifications more clear, compelling and useful by reading our Notifications Best Practices.