Today: the tiny icon most beginners ignore

Today: the tiny icon most beginners ignore

A push notification has two images: the big banner and a small round icon (the little circle, like an app logo). Most beginners obsess over the banner and slap anything in the icon.

One buyer tested the icon on its own:
— Version A: a generic logo in the icon
— Version B: a close-up human face in the icon
— Same banner and headline on both

Version B won, lifting CTR from 0.7% to 1.0%. On a small screen, a human face draws the eye instantly — we're wired to notice faces, even tiny ones.

The icon is small, but it sits right next to your words. Free real estate.

Try this: look at your current notifications and ask, "What's in the little circle?" If the answer is "I don't know," you just found an easy improvement. Sharp eye.