Consumer demand for more seamless experiences is driving increased adoption of personalization strategies. However, only 45% of marketers agree that they’re getting personalization right. This is according to new research from Evergage which also indicated that personalization channels and experiences remain limited.
According to the research, the majority of experiences that marketers are personalizing include email campaigns (65%), home pages (58%), and recommendations (58%).
Companies are making advancements in this area. Last year, research by Econsultancy and RedEye study noted that only 1 in 4 company marketers were personalizing websites.
Marketers are using a variety of criteria for targeting visitors, according to Evergage’s study. These include location (60%), demographics (56%), pages/content viewed (54%), persona (46%) and stage of customer journey (42%). Seven in 10 are also using marketing tools, and one-third are using machine learning.
Companies are continuing to invest in strategies to personalize experiences. Three-quarters believe that personalization should be a higher priority in their organization and almost half (46%) will increase their personalization budget and spending this year.
With the availability of more data and more types of data, 2016 saw a big shift towards prioritization of personalized customer experiences. 55% of U.S. chief marketing officers plan to implement new solutions for growing the customer relationship in 2017 and 57% of U.S. digital marketers expect to increase spending on loyalty programs. To be successful, 75% of global marketers agree that a singular view of each customer is essential to reaching their marketing goals.
Marketers will need to focus on using their first-party data in more innovative ways, and then supplementing this with more diverse sets of third-party data enhancement. Marketers must also think beyond a purely campaign mentality and embrace more customer-centric programs that align marketing, product and service. A data-driven culture across the entire organization must be first and foremost in which the customer is placed at the center of business decisions.
First-Party Data
First-party data is the most valuable data a company can collect. This is the information that a company owns and that is collected from a CRM, website, customer feedback, mobile app, in-store beacons, contact center communications, and more. Econsultancy surveyed 302 marketers working at the management level or higher and found 81% of respondents reported strong return on investment by using 1st party data.
However, first-party data has its limitations. There are often gaps in information and the information that is collected is only about a known universe of consumers – those who have already interacted with your brand. By adding 3rd party data, brands can gain a more complete picture of their customers’ habits, demographics, and preferences as well as insights into millions of users that have never interacted with your brand.
Types of Third-Party Data
With digital channels and devices becoming more commonplace, marketers have a wealth of more and more types of data from which to choose. A report by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) compiled a comprehensive list of the multitudes of data points available.
Examples include:
Identifying Data
- Name
- Previously Used Names
- Address
- Address History
- Longitude and Latitude
- Phone Numbers
- Email Address
Demographic Data
- Age
- Gender
- Race & Ethnicity
- Country of Origin
- Language
- Marital Status
- Presence of Elderly Parent
- Presence of Children in Household
- Education Level
- Occupation
- Demographic Characteristics of Family Members in Household
Social Media and Technology Data
- Electronics Purchases
- Friend Connections
- Level of Usage
- Heavy Facebook User
- Heavy Twitter User
- Twitter User with 250+ Friends
- Is a Member of over 5 Social Networks
Home and Neighborhood Data
- Census Tract Data
- Address Coded as Public/Government Housing
- Dwelling Type
- Home Equity
- Home Loan Amount and Interest Rate
- Home Size
- Lender Type
- Length of Residence
- Listing Price
- Market Value
- Move Date
General Interest Data
- Apparel Preferences
- Attendance at Sporting Events
- Charitable Giving
- Gambling – Casinos
- Life Events (e.g., Retirement, Newlywed, Expectant Parent)
- Magazine and Catalog Subscriptions
- Media Channels Used
- Participation in Outdoor Activities (e.g., Golf, Motorcycling, Skiing, Camping)
Vehicle Data
- Brand Preferences
- Make & Model
- Vehicles Owned
- Vehicle Identification Numbers
- Vehicle Value Index
- Propensity to Purchase a New or Used Vehicle
Personalized marketing isn’t a new idea but brands need to remember just how much of an impact a personalized experience can have on revenue, brand loyalty, and customer acquisition and retention. This is where the future is headed – brands will compete and win based on who delivers the most relevant and personalized customer experiences.
Learn how Porch Group Media can help you get to know your customers better and reach them across channels to boost your marketing success. Contact us to get started!
