“Personalisation is not a trend. It is a marketing tsunami”. - Avi Dan, Marketing Consultant
Social media marketers are perpetually on the hunt for the next big thing. As we move steadily towards 2019, personalised social media engagement is evolving into a compulsory strategy for businesses. As per recent research by Epsilon, 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with companies that offer a personalised experience - this is applicable to social media as well. Social media users of today’s world wish to interact with brands and businesses on a personal level and be treated as unique consumer entities. Personalized marketing is a marketing strategy wherein businesses use audience analysis and data to deliver more relevant messages to their target audience. Simply put, businesses collect and process information on audience interests and behaviours to create relevant content that add more value.
Marketing agencies that offer social media marketing services should start adopting this strategy, which has proved to be extremely successful in the past. For instance, Starbucks has managed to keep customers engaged via their gamified mobile application - by integrating the brand’s reward system with the ability to customise and place orders, Starbucks makes use of consumer information, such as purchase history, to offer deeply personalised experiences. Resultantly, post introduction of the rewards system, Starbucks witnessed a soaring revenue to $2.56 billion, while the app generated around 6 million sales per month in the United States alone.
A more recent example of personalised marketing is Coca-Cola, who replaced their logo with names of consumers, encouraging them to share the news with their friends and spread the message on social media, using the hashtag #shareacoke. Such brands understand the value of heartfelt human connections and how integrating the same with marketing can boost sales and better lives. While technology plays a vital role behind facilitating such human connections, it is crucial to take note of the fact it is social media marketers who empower such connections. Apart from churning out engaging content, success on social media platforms demands empathy, relatability, heart, and a sense of humour.
It is essential to make your consumers feel special. Hence, if there is an opportunity to make someone’s day by personalising an interaction, marketers should act upon the same. One such instance is the fairly new AI interaction app named Replika, where users can programme their ‘replica’, or mirror selves, by conditioning them via conversation patterns. Through personalised conditioning, user replikas are able to hold long conversations, even to the extent of offering emotional warmth and support. This simulated feeling of being ‘loved’, regardless of the fact that the replika is an AI, has evolved into a potent marketing strategy that drives sales and forges connections at the same time.
Social media personalisation is not solely about content or how big a budget is. Rather, it is about the way in which you choose to communicate and connect with your audience. It is human nature to crave personalisation - we want to be remembered for our individual choices, preferences, and personalities; we want to be cared for. If you can tap into this emotion and drive your business venture accordingly, you can reach your audience and expand your influence in an enduring manner. As this strategy is still on the verge of bloom, you have ample time and opportunity to get ahead of the curve. May 2019 be your year of success!
