Enable and Use Push Notifications for Braze

Overview

This guide walks Braze clients through enabling Push Messaging in SmarterSends and creating a reusable SmarterSends Push template. It also explains how to let campaign editors manage specific push settings via content areas or lock them as template defaults.
 

Prerequisites

• A Braze account with API access enabled
• The Email channel enabled in SmarterSends with your Braze REST API endpoint and API key
• At least one Braze application configured (iOS and/or Android)
• An API campaign setup for use for your Email channel
• SmarterSends admin access

Enable Braze Push Messaging in SmarterSends

1. In Braze, open your API Campaign and add push messages for iOS and Android as separate Message Variations.
2. Copy each platform’s Message Variation ID.
3. In SmarterSends, go to: Tenant Settings → Integrations → Mobile Push
4. Select Braze as your Push Provider
5. Enter the message variation ids created above
   1. iOS Message Variation ID
   2. Android Message Variation ID

SmarterSends uses these identifiers to send platform-appropriate push payloads to your existing Braze API Campaign.

Creating a SmarterSends Push Template

A SmarterSends Push template defines the default payload and what editors can change per campaign.

Key fields supported by SmarterSends Push:

• Core content
  • title
  • message
• Delivery and click behavior
  • click_action (none, URL, or deep link)
  • click_url (must be a valid URL when used)
  • use_webview (open the URL in an in-app webview if your app supports it)
  • click_deeplink (your app’s registered deep link)
• Media
  • ios_media
  • android_media
• Sound
  • sound (none, default, or custom sound path)
  • custom_sound (custom asset key/name)
• iOS-specific
  • interruption_level (e.g., passive, active, time-sensitive, critical)
  • relevance_score (0.0 to 1.0)
• Advanced
  • ios_json (raw JSON overrides for iOS tokens)
  • android_json (raw JSON overrides for Android tokens)

You can set defaults for any of the above in your template, and optionally expose some of them as “content areas” so campaign editors can update them when creating campaigns based on the template.

Content Areas vs Template Defaults

SmarterSends templates support “content areas,” which are editable placeholders. For Push, you can choose to:

• Lock a setting at the template level (template default)
• Expose a setting as a content area (editable per campaign)
   

Common patterns:

• Always expose title and message as content areas so editors can write copy per campaign.
• Expose click behavior fields when marketers need to change destinations per campaign:
  • click_action, click_url, use_webview, click_deeplink
• Expose media references if the creative changes per send:
  • ios_media, android_media
• Keep platform JSON overrides, interruption level, and relevance score locked—unless your team frequently adjusts them.

How it works at send time:

• When a field is marked as a content area in the template, editors will see an input for that field on the campaign compose screen.
• If a field is not a content area, the template’s default is used automatically.

Building Your Push Template (Recommended Steps)

1. Create a new template in SmarterSends designed for Push.
2. Add content areas for your core copy:
   1. Create content areas for title and message (these should almost always be editable).
3. Decide which options should be editor-controlled vs locked defaults:
   1. Editor-controlled (set as content areas): frequently-changed items like click_action, click_url, use_webview, click_deeplink, ios_media, android_media, and possibly sound/custom_sound.
   2. Locked defaults (set at template level): platform JSON overrides, device targeting, and iOS priority settings—unless you need campaign-level flexibility.
4. Save and publish the template.

Notes and validations:

• click_url must be a valid URL when used.
• If you enable sound and want a custom file, also expose or set custom_sound.
• If you mark ios_media/android_media as content areas, your editors will choose assets per campaign.

Creating a Push Campaign From Your Template

1. Go to Campaigns → Create Campaign and choose your Push template.
2. Compose your push:
   1. Fill in title and message content areas.
   2. Update any other exposed content areas (links, media, sounds, etc.).
   3. Preview: The live preview shows iPhone and Android renderings of your title and message as you type.
3. Choose audience:
   1. Select your list or segment.
4. Test send:
   1. Enter test email address associated with a push token and send a test to validate payload and rendering.
5. Send or schedule:
   1. Send Now or select a future date/time.
   2. Your organization may enforce a minimum lead time and a maximum schedule window; if violated, SmarterSends will display guidance to adjust the schedule.

Platform-Specific Tips

• iOS
  • Consider using interruption_level and relevance_score thoughtfully; lock them in the template unless editors need control.
  • ios_media enables richer lock-screen experiences; keep payload size constraints in mind.
• Android
  • android_media supports images and expands in many OEM UIs; provide safe defaults when possible.

Troubleshooting & Best Practices

• API Access Failed:
  • Recheck API Endpoint, API Key, and IP whitelisting in Braze. The integration page displays a success/failure indicator.
• No Push Device Targets:
  • Ensure your Braze users have valid device tokens and that your app SDKs are installed and configured.
• Links Not Opening In-App:
  • Use use_webview for URL click actions if your app supports in-app webviews. For deep links, confirm your app’s URI scheme/paths are registered.
• Media Not Appearing:
  • Confirm the media reference is valid, accessible, and supported on the target platform. Keep payload sizes within Braze and OS limits.
• Editor Experience:
  • If editors are overwhelmed, move rarely changed settings from content areas back to locked defaults in the template.

Summary

By configuring your Braze credentials and message variation IDs, then designing a Push template that balances locked defaults with editor-friendly content areas, SmarterSends streamlines campaign creation and ensures consistent, platform-correct push payloads are delivered via Braze.