71% of consumers expect personalization

Hey, Paige here!

Before we get into today’s best marketing research…

In today’s release: 

• What should personalization look like?

• Creating personalized content (even on a shoestring budget)

• 3 steps you can take today for personalizing your podcast, newsletter, and social accounts

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DEEP DIVE

How to leverage personalization to 120x your current ROI

It’s no secret the power of knowing your audience has. Whether you’re personalizing by using first-party data in your emails and DMs or user preferences, audiences increasingly want MORE content tailored to them. 

And it goes beyond want — recent research confirms that increased personalization has a direct (and sometimes exponential) impact on ROI, conversion, engagement and re-engagement. 

A look at the stats: 

• 75% of marketers say personalized experiences increase sales and the likelihood of creating repeat customers

• Personalizing automated messages has resulted in as high as 120x ROI increase

• Personalization can boost revenues by 5-15% and marketing ROI by 10-30%

• 71% of consumers expect personalization

• Fast-growing companies drive 40% more of their revenue with personalization than slow-growth companies

Personalization is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’. It’s critical for growth. 

But easier said than done. 

How can you personalize your content when much of the content you release isn’t sent directly to individuals? 

Let’s start with the basics — here’s what you need

➡️ First-party data

Data collection and storage can be as small or robust as you’d like. But without it, you’re stuck in 2010 with “Dear reader”.

Start small: create an opt-in survey for your newsletter, integrate content information into your CRM, and gather key data points that allow better targeting and personalization.

(we suggest starting small with the following: name, role and company, then working up to include targeted questions related to your personal goals, content and solutions). 

This data can also be used to further segment your audience — filter through companies to sort by industry, target specific roles and so much more (psst… there’s AI for that, too!)

Already ticked this level of personalization? We live in a digital world with loads of data — you can go deeper. 

On the highest level, you can integrate personalization into everything — from your AI chatbots to dynamic ads, personalized landing pages, and customized digital experiences. 

But let’s scale back a bit — let’s say you want to start with just content. No backend automation or data warehouses. 

What can you start doing in your content today to give your viewers a personalized experience?

A content perspective… 

1. Your podcast

The quickest way to personalize your podcast is to add a video component (60% of those who jumped into video podcasting in the last year did it to increase connection). 

Want a good case study? We broke down the Mover & Gonky show who built their entire show around personalization and connection.

2. Your newsletter

Newsletters are great for personalization — you’re landing in their personal inbox after all. Try some of these pro tips:

• Capture (& use) first names where you can

• Integrate polls and interactive elements

• Use targeted CTAs, surveys, and releases based on segments

• Respond to newsletter responses — bonus points for real human interaction

3. Your socials

People don’t engage on social media to chase brands with applause… they’re looking for interaction. The ability to connect with your audience on a wide scale on social is unmatched (but unfortunately for B2B, often underutilized). 

By leveraging feedback and promoting engagement, no matter what your platform of choice, you can build a sense of personalization — even without all the data and targeting tools. 

The takeaway: Personalization is vital today (and increasing in importance — the #’s don’t lie). Whether you have the ability to jump in head first with data management and micro-segmentation, or you start small with opt-in surveys and interactive content, now is the best time to start focusing on personalization.

That’s it, ya’ll! Happy creating. 

Paige Peterson
Newsletter Aficionado, Sweet Fish