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Expert Advice on How to Personalize Your Content and Audience Segmentation

Although personalization and segmentation are closely related, they are not the same.

They all have the same goal in mind (to deliver content that reflects what the reader, viewer, or listener wants). However, each technique takes a different approach.

Personalization, segmentation, or both may be used in your content marketing program at different times for different reasons.  Here are some explanations and advice.

Personalize for Delivery by Segmenting During the Planning

You would gather segmentation data in order to plan the content calendar, narrow the target, and comprehend the audience's complexities. Personalization entails delivering contextually relevant content based on segmentation and other data.

You won't be able to get personalization right unless you understand audience segmentation. Netflix, for example, uses machine learning algorithms to segment its customer base and then personalizes content delivery by showing recommended content based on the assumption that if you liked X, you'll probably like Y. The system assumes you'll enjoy Y because other people in your segment enjoyed both X and Y.

To Avoid Manual Overload, Use Rules, and Tagging

Segmentation occurs during the creation of marketing assets, such as the go-to-market strategy, distribution channels, and, finally, the destinations or experiences to which the audience will be directed.

For the buyer, the personalization element is where it all starts to come together. When that happens, you can use personalization in a variety of ways, from knowing their first name to delivering the content they're looking for at that precise moment.

It's difficult to imagine manually personalizing for each and every buyer. That is why segmentation rules are required. When you've figured out how to use content tags to apply them, you can start thinking about how to tie everything together.

Invest in Infrastructure to Enable Content Reuse at a Large Scale for Effective Personalization

The need for more and more content to satisfy the ever-increasing desire for a customer's attention is the same issue that both personalizing content and scaling content marketing face. Content reuse is the answer.

To effectively and efficiently reuse content, you must:

• Break down long-form content into small, nimble, reusable components that are format-free.
• Make new content with small, nimble, and reusable components that are format-free.
• Components should be written in a way that allows them to be reused.
• Organize and tag your content to make it more accessible.
• Mix and match your components to create as many information assets as you need.
• At the time of publication, apply a format to your information assets.

You'll also need a platform that allows for component-based authoring and single-sourcing. Repurposing content for new and different deliverables saves time and money while also allowing you to personalize and scale content.

Employees are Fantastic at Personalizing Things

Personalization entails sending marketing communications from other real people to real people. Personalization isn't some cynical attempt to appear as if you care about your customers.

As a result, we believe that employee activation is the marketing strategy of the future. Encourage your employees to use social media to engage with real people, create content, share what they know, and connect with others. That is the only way to achieve personalization that will help your company attract the best employees and new customers.

A Segment to Resonant – and Track the Results

Only 56% of marketers claimed to have created personalized content based on specific audience personas. This figure is alarmingly low. When creating content, you must keep a specific persona in mind if you want to succeed.

You must have a thorough understanding of your target audience. Talk to them about their problems, needs, and opportunities. And, ideally, you should use a content marketing platform that allows you to tag each piece of content by persona, track how well it performs against each target group, and adjust your program accordingly.

ABM Success Requires Personalization

For an account-based marketing program, a hyper-personalized strategy can be a game-changer. The person should feel as if they are getting all of the answers they require, almost as if they have their own personal shopper. They should have the impression that you are with them throughout their journey.

Companies must, however, avoid going down the dark, creepy path. It's not about demonstrating that you recognize them if they're on your site and you haven't spoken to them before. It's all about recognizing and acting on the right signals, as well as providing them with personalized value.

Make Dynamic Personalization a Priority, but Don't Overcomplicate It.

When personalization and segmentation are dynamic and responsive to the customer journey, they shine. It's worthwhile to do some static segmentation, such as creating and distributing content by persona (especially if personas are robust and up to date). Real-time personalization based on customer behavior, on the other hand, will be even more effective in the long run because it is timely, individualized, and hyper-relevant to what the person is looking for at the time.

The temptation to become overly complex is a potential pitfall of both personalization and segmentation. Content marketing initiatives can become hyper-personalized as a result of the seemingly endless ways to slice and dice audience data, muddying the waters in determining which personalization is most effective. It's best to start simple and concentrate on the most important one or two criteria.

Both are Required

The biggest mistake people make with personalization and segmentation is not using them. If brands aren't focused on personalizing or segmenting audiences, they're missing out on important customer insights and optimization (and scaling those efforts.)

Segmentation is useful because it groups customers together based on similar identifiable characteristics, such as demographic data or digital behavioral patterns. Brands can make recommendations for "customers like you" while also assisting in the optimization of marketing campaigns. Brands can use segmentation to learn more about their target audiences so that their messages and outreach can be better tailored to their needs.

Personalization adds value by ensuring that customers receive the most relevant and optimized experiences and messages for their specific needs. Personalization can help ensure that a customer's questions are answered by presenting the appropriate information for where they are in their journey with a brand. Personalization also aids conversions, customer retention, and the development of customer-brand trust.

PS:

Personalization and segmentation strategies are essential for success. Yes, your audience wants content that is tailored to their specific requirements. Collecting collective intelligence on groups within your audience is also a good idea.