Setting Mobile App Frequency Limits

Developers can set mobile app frequency limits for each mobile app to control the maximum number of mobile app messages a user receives per month, week, day, hour or minute. You can set frequency limits to avoid over engagement with a customer, and as a result, the possibility that the customer might uninstall the app.

About this task

Frequency limits are enforced with a rolling window and are checked at any giving point in time. Start and end dates are not involved. At the time of sending, the frequency limits are checked against the number of messages that are already sent within the past month, past week, past 24 hours, past hour, or past minute period. The message is not sent if the limit is reached on any of the limit levels set.

Use Case Example

If my app frequency limit is set to, maximum messages per month = 100 and maximum messages sent per week = 10 for my CityCool iOS app, then at any point in time the system checks if the mobile app for maximums reached in the past month and past week. For example:

On 07/04/2018, if a new message for a 4th of July Sale should be sent to my CityCool mobile app, the system checks for the maximums reached in the past month and week:

  • If 100 (monthly max) and 10 (weekly max) are reached - I will not receive the 4th of July message.
  • If 100 (monthly max) and 10 (weekly max) are not reached - I will receive the 4th of July message.
  • If 100 (monthly max) are not reached but 10 (weekly max) are reached - I will not receive the 4th of July message.

Procedure

  1. In Acoustic Campaign, go to Development > Apps > New app.
  2. Select Frequency Limits.
  3. Under Settings, choose how often you want the app to send for mobile app messages by setting a frequency limit.

    Available frequency limits settings are:

    • No frequency limits - Users can send unlimited messages.
      • 'No frequency limits' is the Default setting for any mobile app.
    • Custom limit(s) - Set the maximum number of messages that are sent per month, week, day, hour or minute.

      Rules when using Custom limit(s)

      • Users can enter more than one custom limit, such as a limit for month and another for week. However, if there is more than one custom limit, the limit values must be in descending order from month to minute. Example: The week limit cannot be greater than the month limit or the minute limit cannot be greater than the day limit. If users input the values incorrectly, the Error message Maximum messages sent per shorter period should be less than per longer period when Saving changes displays.
      • If the Minute limit (see last row) is set, you must enter a value for both the maximum number of messages and the number of minutes. If you enter a value for only 1 of the 2 fields, you see an error message when you save your changes.
      • All customer limits that are preset values should be positive numbers greater than zero. If a user enters a value that does not meet this rule, the Error message Custom frequency limits must be positive numbers displays when you Save changes.
    • Preset limits - Set Low (default), Medium, or High options to define suggested preset limits for messages that are sent per month, week, day, hour, or minute. The default for Preset Limits is set to Low, however, the user can change it to Medium or High after reviewing the limit values for each level.
  4. Select Save.
    Note:
    • As of February 27th, 2018, we added App frequency limit support to PUSH TO CONTACT API, with a separate API:channels/push/sends/useAppFrequency
    • Use this Swagger URL when sending messages via the Push to Contact API and when mobile app frequency limit(s) do NOT need to be honored or checked

      URL: https://api[your pod number].silverpop.com/restdoc/#!/channels/push_to_contacts_post_

    • Use this Swagger URL when sending messages via the Push to Contact API and when mobile app frequency limit(s) need to be honored and supported.

      URL:https://api[your pod number].silverpop.com/restdoc/#!/channels/push/sends/useAppFrequency

    • Frequency limits set for an app can be edited.
    • When you set frequency limits for a Mobile App key, inline error messages display on the Frequency Limits tab. If you do not comply with an app key frequency limit rule, an inline error message displays. The corresponding field with the error is highlighted with a red box.
    • Push to Contact Source/Segment APIs accepts mobile app frequency limits.