Re-engaging users through in-app notification
Designed an A/B test for an in-app activity feed notification on Instagram to re-engage users who installed Threads through the app but never opened it. Increased app open rates through approachable messaging.
Context
Over 100,000 users per month install Threads through an Instagram upsell or entry point but never open it. The notification had to feel like a helpful nudge, not a marketing push.
Objective
Get passive installs to open Threads. Determine which tone drives opens without feeling intrusive.
Approach
I consulted Content Designers who wrote for Instagram and Threads to ensure consistent voice and tone and collaborated with a developer and PM to understand constraints and design the A/B test timing trigger. I landed on two content styles and tested timing (8h vs. 48h after install):
- Informative: Direct and factual
- Conversational: Warmer, more human (winner)
How I used AI in this project
I used AI to do internal research on similar experiments and generated tone directions I might not have explored.
Impact
- Users responded better to approachable content.
- Achieved higher re-engagement, increased overall app openings, and successfully shipped to production.
Note: Specific internal metrics and proprietary data have been omitted or generalized to comply with NDA and legal agreements.
Visuals
A/B test variants
Conversational: “Threads is ready to use. Join the conversation on the app.” — the winning variant.