7 Ways Your Business Can Personalize for eCommerce
In the bustling digital marketplace we have, every click represents a potential transaction. For businesses, the value per click on your store has risen dramatically amidst the increased saturation of the market. As such, personalization emerges as the guide for businesses toward customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Just as a skilled chef tailors their dishes to suit the tastes of their diners, successful eCommerce personalization must understand the importance of catering to individual preferences. Here, we embark on a journey through 7 industry-proven methods to help you do so.
We think of this as a roadmap, leading you through the twists and turns of eCommerce. We hope to steer your business toward greater success and customer loyalty. So, put on your aprons as we explore eCommerce personalization.
Product Recommendation Page
Product-detail pages (PDP) or product recommendations are when a site shows a selection of product recommendations unique to the individual visitor. These recommendations are provided based on data such as the customer’s browsing history, purchase history, and demographic information. Not only that, they’re almost always provided based on a machine learning algorithm.
Imagine strolling through a well-curated boutique where every item seems tailored to your taste. Each recommendation gently nudges you towards discoveries you never knew you craved. Product recommendations operate much like the knowledgeable attendant in that store, guiding you towards items that resonate with your preferences and needs.
This is one of the most common forms of personalization.
Additionally, product recommendations allow you to leverage dynamic upselling by recommending items higher in price, but similar in style, or brand, and so on. Cross-selling on PDPs makes it easier to recommend complementary items and inspire online shoppers to increase their cart size. Even with higher margins they’re proven to convert the best.
Dynamic Content Suggestions
Dynamic content suggestions refers to website elements such as banners, pop-ups, and landing pages that change based on user behavior or preferences. By leveraging data insights and algorithms, businesses can dynamically adjust website content, promotions, and recommendations in real-time. This is to ensure that every interaction feels timely and personalized.
Whether it's showcasing trending products, highlighting exclusive offers, or presenting related content, dynamic suggestions captivate audiences by delivering the right message at the right moment.
Let’s say someone recently bought a bundle of body soaps. You could recommend any posts on holiday festivities or even holiday campaigns, or a blog post on different scents and soaps. Not only does this enrich their visit, but it can also keep them engaged longer on your platform. Platforms like YouTube often use this strategy, suggesting videos based on past viewing habits, and eCommerce sites can adopt a similar approach for blogs and articles.
Dynamic content suggestions represent a shift in the landscape of eCommerce personalization. They offer businesses the opportunity to engage customers with real-time, contextually relevant content. Dynamic content suggestions function much like the responsive ambiance of a physical store, tailoring the online experience to each visitor's unique journey.
Targeted Promotions and Discounts
Offer targeted promotions and discounts based on user behavior or purchase history to incentivize customers to make a purchase.
Let's say you identify and segment some customers who frequently browse your soap bundles. They comparatively spend a lot of time on these product pages on your site, but never make the final purchase—a limited-time discount on those sets might just seal the deal.
Targeted promotions and discounts serve as powerful tools in the land of eCommerce personalization. By harmonizing with the unique preferences and behaviors of each customer, targeted promotions deliver tailored incentives that speak directly to individual tastes and purchasing habits.
By analyzing customer data, such as past purchases and demographic information, your business can create precise promotions that resonate with specific segments of your audience. Whether it's offering discounts on favorite products, providing personalized coupon codes, or presenting limited-time offers based on recent interactions, targeted promotions capture attention and drive action.
Personalized Emails
Some eCommerce platforms often use email marketing to deliver personalized messages, promotions, and product recommendations to subscribers. These emails can be segmented based on factors like purchase history, browsing behavior, or demographic information to increase relevance and engagement.
By analyzing customer data such as purchase history and browsing behavior, businesses can craft emails that resonate with individual interests and needs. These emails may include product recommendations, birthday discounts, or exclusive offers, creating a more engaging and relevant experience for recipients. Personalized emails help businesses strengthen customer relationships and drive conversions by acknowledging and addressing the unique preferences of each recipient.
Browsing Experience
In personalization, we’re just trying to understand the perspective of our customers. The biggest and arguably most important surface they will interact with will be your website. Hence, instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all homepage, consider optimizing your site to reflect the preferences and interests of your target audience.
This doesn't mean creating different landing pages for each visitor, but rather ensuring that the elements on your homepage align with what your core audience values. For instance, your demographic may lean towards the young and quirky, or the older and mature. Showcase products or features that cater to their unique tastes.
Browsing experiences in eCommerce personalization are akin to a well-curated journey tailored to the preferences and interests of each visitor. In the digital realm, personalized browsing experiences guide users through a virtual storefront that adapts dynamically to their needs. By analyzing past interactions, such as search queries, page views, and past purchases, businesses can customize the browsing experience to your audience.
This might involve showcasing recommended products, suggesting related items, or highlighting promotions based on the user's browsing behavior. Personalized browsing experiences not only make it easier for users to discover relevant products but also enhance engagement and encourage exploration.
As users navigate through a digital landscape tailored to their preferences, they are more likely to find what they're looking for, ultimately leading to increased satisfaction and conversion rates.
Interactive quizzes and tools
Allow customers to interact with and find products that fit their specific needs or desires by embedding interactive quizzes or tools directly within product category pages or as a prominent feature on the homepage.
Imagine a "Find Your Perfect Scent" quiz where choices can help determine the style, material, and price range of the suggested products. It's fun, engaging, and incredibly personalized. Interactive quizzes and tools represent a dynamic approach to eCommerce personalization.
They offer users an engaging and interactive experience tailored to their preferences and needs. These quizzes and tools act as personalized guides, leading users through a journey of discovery that aligns with their interests and desires. By asking targeted questions and collecting valuable insights, businesses can better understand their customers' preferences and recommend products or services that meet their unique requirements.
They also build trust and confidence by providing users with personalized recommendations and solutions tailored to their individual needs. As users interact with these dynamic features, they not only discover products that resonate with them but also feel more connected to the brand, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty.
Geo-targeting
Another eCommerce personalization method is geo-targeting. Geo-location targeting is when you display your marketing messages based on the user’s physical location. This approach not only increases engagement and conversion rates but also fosters a deeper connection between the brand and its local audience.
This is particularly important for eCommerce stores that also have brick-and-mortar shops to consider.
Businesses can use geo-targeted offers to drive more foot traffic to your physical location. It gives customers an even more personalized experience as they are presented the option of visiting a physical store should they choose to do so. While a main reason for personalization is to mimic the experience of going to a physical store, this combines the two.
Even purely eCommerce sites can take advantage of geo-targeting. You can use this powerful tool to display shipping times or offer free delivery to shoppers who live in specific regions. Plus, you can also use people’s physical locations to boost attendance at regional events, improve seasonal campaigns, and more.
By leveraging location data, businesses can customize their marketing efforts to reflect local preferences, events, and trends, enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of their campaigns. Whether it's promoting a store opening in the user's vicinity, showcasing products available for local pickup, or offering region-specific deals, geo-targeting ensures that users receive personalized experiences that resonate with their immediate surroundings.
Want to learn how to set up your post-purchase survey for your brand? Read more here.
