OPB showcases its best storytelling with mobile and web notifications

78

%

long-term retention rate for web notification subscribers

2.7

x

higher open rate for notifications vs. email

OPB is a public broadcasting network that reaches over 1.5 million viewers across Oregon and southern Washington. The network manages three TV stations and 20 radio stations and has produced several PBS hits.

Overview

OPB’s product is its award-winning content. Reaching an audience across multiple platforms — including mobile and web — is critical to growing memberships and keeping the public media organization alive. Both app and web users can listen to live streams from OPB Radio, replay the latest local news from OPB Morning Edition, and stay up to date with the latest headlines and stories from the Northwest, the U.S., and the world.

Challenge

OPB is transforming digital from a broadcast companion into an important channel in its own right. Push and web notifications are a key part of its strategy to reach people on the right platform at the right time.

The public media organization’s objectives include:

  • Providing an experience that keeps mobile and web users engaged
  • Showcasing its best content to continuously prove its value
  • Getting a pulse on what messaging approach gets the best response

Results

Using Airship has helped OPB grow audience engagement, leading to greater retention and membership growth. Airship notifications influence 2% of total online traffic (surpassing Twitter) and have nearly 3x greater open rates than email.

The platform is super solid, and the account teams have been fantastic. I’ve been in the business a really long time — and Airship is one of the best vendors I’ve ever worked with.

Jan Boyd
Director of Digital Strategy & Community Engagement

Solution

Growing memberships by cultivating relationships

Informing from the lock screen

OPB treats each push notification as a piece of content in and of itself. Alerts are crafted in such a way that people do not need to venture beyond their lock screens to understand the basis of the story.

Reaching a wider audience online

Web notifications allow OPB to connect with people in an unobtrusive way while putting valuable content in front of a larger audience.