Definition
Web push is a browser feature (the Push API and the Notifications API) that lets a website send messages to a visitor who agreed to receive them. Publishers collect those subscriptions and ad networks rent the delivery: the advertiser's notification is sent to subscribers who match the targeting, and the advertiser pays only when a subscriber clicks it. Because the subscriber opted in on a specific site, each subscription carries the site's source ID, which is how buyers judge quality.
How push ads work
- A visitor accepts the browser's notification prompt on a publisher site and becomes a subscriber.
- An advertiser creates a campaign with an icon, a title of up to 30 characters, a description of up to 45 and a landing URL.
- The network sends the notification to matching subscribers through the browser vendor's push service (Google, Mozilla, Apple).
- The subscriber sees it in the notification tray, with or without the browser open, and may click.
- The click is billed at the CPC bid and lands on the advertiser's page with the click ID in the URL.
Subscriber age and why it matters
A subscription is new on the day the visitor opted in and ages from there. Fresh subscribers click more, because the notification is still novel and the subscriber still remembers the site; older subscribers click less but cost less per click. Push networks therefore expose subscriber age as a targeting dimension, typically in bands such as 0 to 3 days, 4 to 10 days and older, and buyers pay a premium for the youngest band.
Push vs in-page push
Classic push depends on a subscription and on the operating system showing notifications, which iOS did not allow for web push until 2023 and still limits. In-page push is a notification-styled ad rendered inside the publisher page itself, so it needs no subscription and works on every device. The creative is the same shape, which is why advertisers run both and compare.
Who uses push ads
Advertisers whose offer fits a one-line message: mobile content subscriptions, sweepstakes, e-commerce deals, sports betting around fixtures, finance and dating. Publishers in news, entertainment and tools monetize their subscriber lists this way without placing anything on the page.
Related terms
| Term | Relation | Where defined |
|---|---|---|
| In-page push | On-page variant, no subscription | Term page |
| CPC | Pricing model | Term page |
| CTR | The metric push buyers watch first | Term page |
| Traffic source | Subscribers are grouped by source | Term page |
FAQ
Do users have to opt in to receive push ads?
Yes. A browser shows a notification only to visitors who accepted the permission prompt on the publisher's site, and the subscriber can unsubscribe at any time from browser settings.
Do push ads work on iPhones?
Web push on iOS requires Safari 16.4 or later and the site added to the Home Screen, so iOS volume is a small share of push inventory. In-page push reaches iOS users without those conditions.
How are push ads priced?
Per click. The network sets a minimum CPC per GEO and advertisers bid above it; the notification is shown to subscribers free of charge and only the click is billed.