Brands’ attempts to woo consumers with personalised content appear to be wide of the mark, amid claims that most Brits not only find targeted content boring and unhelpful, even more are frustrated the marketing they receive is not relevant to their personal interests.
That is according to new research from digital experience platform provider Optimizely, which reveals that while personalisation holds great potential for boosting customer loyalty, the reliance on assumptions and outdated technology remain major obstacles.
Based on a comprehensive study of 1,000 UK consumers and 100 UK marketing leaders, the Personalised to Personal report reveals over half (51%) of Brits find the targeted content they receive online is often tedious while nearly three-quarters (70%) of bemoan the irrelevance of that the marketing they receive.
Worryingly, more than four-fifths (83%) of UK marketers admit that their own personalisation efforts heavily rely on assumptions about customers rather than high-quality insights, with nearly three-quarters (71%) also acknowledging that generalisations still form the foundation of too many personalisation campaigns.
This, the report concludes, points to a significant gap between the personalised experiences consumers desire and the campaigns brands currently run.
The study also sheds light on how outdated technologies hinder effective personalisation; only a third (33%) of marketers claim to possess the necessary technology to deliver hyper-personalised experiences tailored to individual customers.
These shortcomings largely stem from outdated technology, with three-quarters (74%) of marketers admitting their current personalisation tools are no longer adequate.
However, the report does highlight the huge potential of personalisation to foster customer loyalty, with nearly two-thirds (65%) of consumers saying they are more loyal to a brand that has taken the time to understand them on a deeper, more personal level.
The report highlights that by investing in modern, data-driven technologies, such as web experimentation, brands can optimise their personalisation efforts and forge deeper connections with their customers.
Brands must also focus on making their content engaging. By simplifying content creation – using a content marketing platform and providing a dedicated workspace where teams can organise workflows, collaborate on content, and efficiently run campaigns – marketers can dedicate more time to crafting and refining content and less time on administrative tasks.
Optimizely chief marketing officer Shafqat Islam said: “In 2023, delivering truly personalised content is absolutely essential to meet individuals’ interests and needs, as well as to foster brand loyalty.
“But when the vast majority of marketers are using outdated technology, it’s nearly impossible for them to regularly meet these expectations, leading them to miss out on the strong growth opportunities that a data-led personalisation strategy provides.”
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