Alhan Keser says, “Personalization in the digital space is just like sex in high school. Everyone is talking about it, but few are doing it. While the technology has been accessible for years, strategy has been slow to catch up. Let’s find out why. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past three years, you’ve heard that personalization is the “must-have” strategy for any serious online business. And the intent to adopt it is certainly there: According to a study by Clearhead published in December 2016, over 60 percent of online retailers have the technology to perform... [...]

Anjali Yakkundi says, “Has the topic of personalization come up within your organization recently? Chances are that personalization not only comes up, it’s also a foremost priority: 68% of the firms we surveyed in our Q1 2016 Digital Experience Delivery Online Survey said personalization was one of the most important initiatives for their business today. Why? Because personalization is one of the best ways to contextually engage with customers across a variety of touch points. But many organizations we speak with today struggle to get initiatives off the ground and struggle to prove the... [...]

Barry Levine says, ““Campaigns of one” are a common refrain today among digital marketers, replacing mass market campaigns with highly pinpointed orchestrations of content, offers, ads and more directed at individuals. But that pinpoint keeps getting sharper and sharper, driven by a massive influx of new types of data and by increasingly intelligent platforms. At some point, do we reach over-personalization, when the messaging has crossed the line into creepy? And, if so, is there a way to deal with it at scale? There are signs everywhere that over-personalization is approaching. For... [...]

Assaf Dudai says, “Digital publishers (and in the age of online content, marketers are exactly that) have found themselves in the middle of the most crowded market imaginable—online content. The proliferation of online content has been overwhelming for publishers and readers alike: For publishers, it presents the daunting task of breaking through the noise; for readers, the no-less-daunting task is self-curation of content. The very best shot that marketers have at attracting audiences and maintaining them is to be champions of relevancy. And the foundation of relevancy is personalization. You... [...]

Nikki Gilliland says, “Missguided might be a relatively young brand, but over the past few years it has garnered a reputation as one of the most impressive and innovative ecommerce companies out there. Mark Leach, Head of Ecommerce at Missguided, spoke at the Festival of Marketing this week on the subject of personalisation. Focusing on how the retailer is constantly adapting to fit the desires of its target consumer, here’s a summary of what he said: Diversifying into new channels Mark began his talk by emphasising the ever-changing nature of technology. In future, it is predicted that... [...]

Jeff Rajeck says, “Personalisation is one of the hottest topics in marketing; the promise of segmenting customers into ‘markets of one’ is alluring for any brand. But the pushback from consumers is almost as strong. That feeling of being ‘watched’ may be enough for consumers to abandon a website or leave a store. So what can marketers do to get the benefits of personalisation without the backlash? To find out, Econsultancy held a roundtable event, Understanding the Customer Journey: Optimising Engagement Levels for Greater Customer Acquisition & Loyalty in Melbourne,... [...]

Jeff Rajeck says, “Personalisation is an exciting topic for marketers these days. In a 2016 Econsultancy survey, Customer Experience Maturity in Australia and New Zealand, more than two in three (69%) regional marketers said that ‘personalising customer interactions’ was ‘very important’. And in our global 2016 Digital Trends report, ‘targeting and personalization’ was the most popular response when marketers were asked about top priorities for their organisation. But what’s the reality? How much are marketers actually using personalisation? In... [...]

Nikki Gilliland says, “For the average shopper, supermarket loyalty is a thing of the past. With price and proximity being two of the most important factors in where people shop, it’s usually a case of whatever makes life easier. Waitrose, a supermarket well known for its middle class ‘essentials’, is attempting to change this attitude with a new focus on digital personalisation. Creating incentives Last year the company delved into patterns of consumer behaviour, discovering that if a customer shops online five times, their loyalty is more likely to be retained long-term. Using... [...]

Fiona Adler says, “A few weeks ago, I learned that my credit card number was part of a large data breach and that I needed to cancel it immediately. My first thought? Panic and trepidation – what if someone already charged my card? What about the companies I have recurring payments with – will they reject them and charge me fees? How do I remember all the companies with which I even have recurring payments? As all these questions entered my mind and I started questioning my loyalty to Capital One, I received the following email (pictured) explaining what I needed to do as a customer,... [...]

David Griffith-Jones says, “This article explores the difference between personalisation and contextualisation and assesses the risks and benefits. Which one is right for your business? It’s become increasingly common for brands to personalise or contextualise the digital customer experience. By optimising the online messaging for a specific audience or context, businesses avoid broadcasting the same message to ‘one and all’, making the experience more targeted and increasing sales. But which to choose? Being able to personalise or contextualise depends on the availability and use... [...]