Online shoppers have more options than any other consumer group, but how do brands stand out in such a competitive environment? Marketing personalization isn’t a new strategy. Every real-world store uses it to create meaningful one-on-one interactions with customers.

But digital marketing takes it one step further. Automation makes it easier to scale those interactions without losing the human touch. Done right, personalized marketing can deliver unique value to every shopper while replicating the results. 

So how do you personalize your digital brand in a way that’s easy to scale too?

Customer segmentation

Marketing automation needs three things to work:

  • Clearly defined personas
  • Relevant content
  • Well-timed engagement

Customer segmentation is the key to having all three. Even if all your customers want the same product, they won’t shop for it the same way. Segmenting an audience creates groups with identifiable preferences, needs, and expectations. This makes it easier to automate messages based on what each group responds to best, or where they are in the marketing funnel.

Behavioural data

Without data-driven insights, it’s impossible to personalize marketing. Behavioural data presents the customer journey in a way that highlights trends for automation. It’s not about tracking web traffic — it’s about providing value based on real-time interactions.

Website visits, time spent on–page, and past purchases are just a few insights that identify where that value is. Netflix, for example, uses viewing history to personalize messages and recommend the most relevant content.

Behavioural data doesn’t always need to be tracked, either. Customers will happily volunteer information that makes their lives easier. Digital forms and chatbots give customers a way to personalize their shopping by inputting their preferences. 

Using a content management system (CMS), brands can automate responses to these inputs for better customer support and marketing communication. These data-driven points only need to be set up once, but they prioritize each customer’s needs equally.

The ultimate marketing question

To generate leads, drive sales, and grow a loyal customer base, every brand must answer the same question: how are we helping our customers? Digital marketing understands that being helpful isn’t about selling a product, it’s about addressing a pain point.

Behavioural data tells you what that pain point is, and identifies the best way to personalize the solution.  Customer segmentation scales that solution to a whole group while valuing the individuals within it.

When digital brands pair the two, they answer the question in two meaningful ways:

  • They respond to customer needs with valuable, relevant solutions
  • They can cater to each customer equally and at the same time

Whether traditional or digital, brands can’t fully define themselves. Each one is shaped by how its audience views it. A brand is just the sum of all customer experiences – and that’s what makes marketing personalization such a powerful tool.

It gives people the tools to shape their online shopping. Personalized marketing helps brands align with their customer’s expectations by letting them define the terms. Automation filters out standard queries too, freeing up customer support for when human interaction is needed.

Scaling your brand the right way

Brands that automate their marketing funnel need fewer resources to scale effectively. They don’t need more marketing material, just an ability to deliver the right content at the right time. Instead of hiring double the support roles, they can automate responses to halve communication needs.

The secret to growth is that most of the work happens before you’re ready to scale. Setting up data management systems, mapping the sales funnel, and creating content for automated triggers helps you scale at your pace. Contact us today to see how our marketing solutions can take your digital brand to the next level.