How to Use Personalization on Your Site

Today’s consumer is looking for deeper engagement with businesses. They don’t want offers that could have been created for anybody — they want offers that are tailored to their specific needs. Consumers are looking for a personalized experience, and your website is the best place to provide it.

Personalization increases customer loyalty, which boosts sales and revenues. According to a study by eConsultancy, personalized websites increase ROI by 19 percent. In other words, the secret to a successful marketing campaign is to make it personal.

Here’s how.

Say Their Names

Direct mail pieces often incorporated first names into form letters to turn a generic message into something more meaningful. It worked then, and it works now on the Internet. Use first names and other identifying information to personalize web pages, emails and other content. A note that begins with, “Dear John” or “Hi Mary” sounds better than one that starts with, “Dear Subscriber.” Plus, the increased engagement increases loyalty, which boosts the chance of a sale or conversion.

Localize Content and Offers

A compelling offer transcends geography — to a point. Customers come from all over the world, and they may not have time to figure out where they can take advantage of special discounts, or even buy your merchandise. Make it easier for them by customizing content to reflect their towns, regions or neighborhoods.

If your product is available in multiple locations, or if your business has multiple locations, list the closest locations or feature them on an interactive map. Customize web content to highlight reviews and other comments from nearby customers. Show them how convenient it is to engage with the business, and they will.

Personalize Product Recommendations

Amazon, Spotify and other big web names are doing this, and so should you. If a consumer has bought from you in the past, he or she may be interested in similar products in the future. Other people may search for interesting products on your site. All of this data can be used to customize product recommendations to each individual visitor.

Start with products they’ve viewed during past visits, or those that match the search terms they used in a past search. Feature these recommendations on the home page, on product pages and even on shopping cart pages. The effort will increase revenue and enhance the user experience of an already loyal and happy customer.

Publish Content That Matches Their Interests

Consumers prefer visiting websites that offer relevant content. Your customers may be interested in some of your content but not the rest. Keep them all happy by highlighting blogs, videos and other content that matches each visitor’s specific preferences. A newspaper, for instance, would showcase political news stories and blogs among political junkies and ensure fashionistas are reading about the newest collections from top designers. Both readers get the information they want and stay on the site longer.

Base Calls to Action on the Buying Stage

There’s more to the buying cycle than just the purchase. There’s also the initial inquiry and the research. The cycle can take days or months, depending on the size and complexity of the purchase. In either case, your chances of generating a sale will improve if the visitor is reading the right call to action.

What is the right call to action? It’s the one that brings people to the next step of the process — not the final sale. Those who have just been made aware of a product would be invited to request more information, while those who are researching features and benefits would be led to product reviews from past customers.

People want personalized experiences, so they’ll go to sites that provide it. Make sure yours is one of them. Implement personalization into your marketing strategy and turn every customer interaction into a unique user experience!