# Notification Guidelines


App-to-User notifications inform players about relevant game events triggered by social interactions, user actions, or game updates.

## Core Principles

Notifications should be useful, relevant, and objective while avoiding editorializing or deceptive practices. Messages must be clear and informative without vague language.

## Quality Criteria

- **Relevance**: Include only game-related information.
- **Timeliness**: Dates must be current when delivered.
- **Character limit**: 84 characters maximum including game title.
- **Readability**: Correct spelling, casing, and grammar required.
- **Formatting**: Write in complete sentences.
- **Personalization**: Exclude recipient names; include other names only for social context.
- **Tone**: No emojis or exclamation points.
- **Emoticons**: Avoid characters that screen readers misinterpret.
- **Forbidden characters**: No asterisks, en dashes, or semicolons.
- **Repetition**: Vary messaging; repeat only for recurring events.
- **Language**: Match user's primary language.

## Best Practices

- Use active voice in the game's perspective.
- Apply sentence case, not title case.
- Leverage entry point data for appropriate game loading.
- Avoid jargon, especially for new users.
- Don't attribute notifications to Facebook.
- Avoid app store links.
- Don't cross-promote other games.
- Write clearly without specialized terminology.

## Notification Examples

| Type | Do | Don't |
|------|-----|-------|
| **Engagement** | "Game Title: Challenge your brain with a puzzle and have fun." | "Game Title: [User name], What kind of animal are you? 🐱,🐶, or 🦁?" |
| **Re-engagement** | "Game Title: Your cookie is done baking. Come back to claim your reward." | "Game Title: [User name], Your Cookie Is Done Baking, Come Back Before It Burns!" |
| **Social** | "Game Title: Your friend just completed their turn. See their results." | "OH NO! Someone misses you in the game. 🥺😢 Come back to say hi." |
| **Social Invites** | "Game Title: James sent you an invitation to play a game." | "[User name], James sent you an invitation to play a game." |
| **Events** | "Game Title: A special themed [Game] is available for the holidays." | "Come back and get the 💰 FREE Gift 💰! Please redeem by 1/1 PT." |
| **Rewards** | "Game Title: Congrats. You unlocked your first reward. Check it out." | "✨100,000 FREE COINS✨ are waiting for you!" |
| **Reminders** | "Game Title: Your streak is almost up. Keep playing today to keep it going." | "😋👉 New puzzle for you 👈😋" |

## Next Steps

- **[Notification Best Practices](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/games/retain/notifications/best-practices)** -- Consolidated best practices for frequency, personalization, targeting, and channel-specific guidance.
- **[Notifications Overview](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/games/retain/notifications/overview)** -- Compare all notification channels and their use cases.
- Review the [Quality Guidelines](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/games/launch/reviews/quality-guidelines) for game review criteria.
- Review the [Asset Design Guidelines](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/games/launch/reviews/asset-design-guidelines) for artwork-specific requirements.