More than six in ten UK marketers admit to not using any personalisation techniques in their content marketing campaigns despite research showing that these methods can “drastically increase” content effectiveness. A new State of Digital Commerce report published by Episerver highlights a general lack of understanding of customers during the buying cycle.
Just 38 per cent of marketers said that personalisation is an important component of their current promotional approach, and that figure drops to around ten per cent for micro and small enterprises with a turnover of £100,000 or less. The report noted that even the most basic personalisation techniques are being overlooked.
Personalised marketing is a strategy where brands and businesses leverage digital tech and data analysis to provide bespoke messages to prospective customers. Common techniques include sending triggered emails when a user abandons a shopping cart, geo-targeting and A/B testing of web pages to determine which performs better in terms of conversions.
“In 2017, personalised content and recommendations should be an integral part of any marketing initiative, and it’s surprising to see so few marketers incorporating personalisation into their approach,” Episerver’s Head of Product Marketing, Joey Moore, said. “As it stands, there are more marketers promoting their brand through print catalogues than there are using basic personalisation techniques.”
The report found that 92 per cent of marketers are using written website content in campaigns, which is arguably the most important means to engaging readers, but only 31 per cent are A/B testing and just one in five are making use of geo-targeting. Surprisingly, marketers are using traditional outlets such as print catalogues (33 per cent) more than some online endeavours that can benefit both the retailer and consumer.
Episerver included two case studies in its report to show the effectiveness of incorporating personalisation into emails and landing pages. Its client Cath Kidston registered a 53 per cent uptick in click-through rates and a substantial rise in conversions, and the Irish Greyhound Board saw a 30 per cent increase in online revenue and a 200 per cent surge in conversion rates.
Moore added: “When it comes to online retailing in particular, if brands are going to compete with the likes of Amazon, they must look to generate a higher quality of customer experiences. By incorporating personalised content, marketers can drastically shorten the sales cycle, providing customers with the products they require quickly and without the need to shop around.”
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