All you need to know about Google Chrome v86 updates to improve user experience.

Google takes user experience seriously, and we can not deny this fact with the recent updates on Chrome 86 for abusive Push Notifications. In this article, we’ll cover

  • What are push notifications?
  • How Google track abusive push notifications?
  • What changes are done to provide a safer browsing experience?
  • How can reported websites resolve this before enforcement? 
  • And finally, what Truepush recommends to its clients to build a trustful user experience.

What are the push notifications?

Push notifications are brief messages that a website sends directly to its users. Once visitors subscribe or opt-in for push messages on websites, they receive updates on their desktop and mobile devices henceforth. This is a reliable channel of user re-engagement if used appropriately. This is how a notification appears on websites-

What raises concerns about the safety of this user re-engagement channel?

As every technology’s pros and cons exist, push notifications, though vividly used by websites as a promising re-engagement channel, leaves scope for unethical use by some websites.

Out of all the websites integrating with third-party push providers or with an inbuilt push system, 90%  of push subscribers use chrome browser.

While most of the websites send informative push alerts to their users, some of these websites use notification to mislead their users. The potential harm that this practice includes could vary from and not limited to stealing sensitive information, gaining unauthorized access to the system, and sending fake messages or warning alerts. 

How Google tracks abusive push notifications? 

As the new feature from Chrome v86 updates come into the picture, automated web crawling service” from google subscribes to push notifications that a website sends.

While submitting your website to the search console for review, Google search for some samples of your pages to detect employment of any malicious activity by subscribing to push notification. By considering the website’s past actions in indulging in such malicious practices, Google’s automated web crawling service filters the potential origin of the abusive push notifications from these websites. 

Now that you know how a website is scanned for abusive push notifications, how can users prevent further damage to their privacy and sensitive data? 

Reducing abusive push notifications and focusing on user experience

Based on user experience reports submitted to Google worldwide, there is a need to take user experience one more step ahead of the ladder. 

Once a website is filtered in the abusive push notification bucket, every visitor who has previously subscribed and for the new visitors coming on to the site, the notification is by default hidden as mentioned in the chrome v80 updates for quieter push notifications.

There is no change in the UI, as shown below.



However, once a visitor clicks on the bell icon as shown in the above video, a notification pops up with a message, alerting the user about the malicious activity, as shown below.

One important thing to note here is that the notifications setting of already existing subscribers to abusive push is restored to default. This indicates users need to revisit the website and choose once again to subscribe or not to a website. Thanks to Google for saving users from these potential threats! 

How does a reported website save itself from enforcement?

Once a website is under Google’s radar for abusive push notifications, the search console will mark the report’s status as “Failed” with the necessary information provided in the report. 

Google would provide the site owner with two opportunities for submitting the site for review. Chrome enforcement will begin if the abusive push issues are not fixed, and the status remains as “Failed” even after the 30 days of the previous report.

Here’s what Google states-
The first time your site is found to be in “Failing” status, we’ll send an email to registered site owners and users at least 30 calendar days prior to the start of Chrome enforcement, and you’ll have the opportunity to submit your site for another review.”

Truepush recommendation to its valuable clients

Truepush journey has been incredible since it’s launch. With more than 30,000+ clients onboard, we recommend all our valuable clients to adhere to these best practices

In brief, 

  • Include the landing page URL relevant to the notification message body.
  • Do not link the notifications to spam sites or any malware. 
  • Send push notifications with relevant updates as your users would expect from your website. 
  • Build trust and your brand’s reputation focussing on good user experience

Conclusion

Chrome v86 updates indicate that Google takes user experience seriously, thus, restricts any actions from site owners that can potentially compromise user's privacy. Websites should leverage Push notifications to reform the way brands communicate with their users directly on their devices. 

________________________________________________________________________

Image source- Background vector created by freepik – www.freepik.com

Image edited by- Truepush