Push Notifications

Send push notifications to church members directly from the WordPress dashboard.

Overview

Push notifications are managed entirely from WordPress — no need to access Firebase Console or Apple Developer portal for day-to-day operations. The app registers device tokens on install, and the WordPress backend handles delivery through Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) for both iOS and Android.

Sending Notifications (WordPress Dashboard)

Compose a Notification

1. Go to Digital Church → Native App → Push Notifications in wp-admin
2. Click New Notification
3. Fill in:
   • Title: Headline of the notification (50 chars recommended)
   • Message: Body text (150 chars recommended for full visibility)
   • Link: Optional deep link or URL to open when tapped
4. Choose delivery:
   • Send Now — Immediate delivery
   • Schedule — Set date and time for future delivery
5. Click Send or Schedule

Notification Best Practices

Do	Don't
Keep titles under 50 characters	Use ALL CAPS (feels like shouting)
Send at reasonable hours (9am-8pm)	Send more than 2-3 per week
Include clear call-to-action	Send without a purpose
Test on your own device first	Assume everyone wants every update

Deep Linking

Notifications can open specific screens in the app:

Link Type	Format	Example
Home	/	Opens home tab
Sermon	/sermons/[id]	Opens specific sermon
Event	/events/[id]	Opens event details
External URL	https://...	Opens in-app browser

Configure deep link in the Link field when composing.

Technical Setup

Firebase Configuration

The app uses Firebase Cloud Messaging for both platforms. Setup is done once per app:

1. Create project in Firebase Console
2. Add iOS and Android apps with matching bundle IDs
3. Download config files:
   • google-services.json (Android)
   • GoogleService-Info.plist (iOS)
4. Add to Expo project or EAS secrets

iOS Push Certificate

For iOS notifications, you need an APNs key:

1. Go to Apple Developer → Keys
2. Create a new key with Apple Push Notifications service (APNs)
3. Download the .p8 file
4. Upload to Firebase Console → Project Settings → Cloud Messaging → APNs Authentication Key

WordPress Configuration

Store Firebase credentials in WordPress:

1. Go to Digital Church → Native App → Settings
2. Enter Firebase Server Key (from Firebase Console → Project Settings → Cloud Messaging)
3. Save changes

Targeting & Segments

Available Segments

Segment	Description
All Users	Everyone with the app installed
iOS Only	Apple device users
Android Only	Android device users
Active Users	Users who opened app in last 30 days

Custom Topics (Future)

Planned feature: Allow users to subscribe to notification topics (e.g., Youth Ministry, Worship Team) from within the app.

Notification Analytics

Track notification performance in WordPress:

• Sent: Total notifications delivered to FCM
• Delivered: Confirmed deliveries (Android only)
• Opened: Users who tapped the notification

Troubleshooting

Notifications Not Received

Issue	Solution
iOS device not receiving	Check APNs key is uploaded to Firebase
Android not receiving	Verify google-services.json is correct
No devices registered	User must grant notification permission in app
Scheduled notification didn't send	Check WordPress cron is running

Testing Notifications

1. Install development build on your device
2. Grant notification permission when prompted
3. Send test notification from WordPress
4. Check device within 30 seconds

Debug Device Registration

In the app, check if the device is registered:

import * as Notifications from 'expo-notifications';

const token = await Notifications.getExpoPushTokenAsync();
console.log('Push token:', token.data);

The token should appear in WordPress under Digital Church → Native App → Devices.