Unlocking the power of video personalization
Personalized videos are changing the game
Businesses are constantly searching for new ways to engage their customers and stand out from the competition. One of the most effective ways to do this is through personalized video marketing.
A powerful data-driven tactic that combines the persuasion power of video with the precision of a personal message.
This article summarizes the key benefits of employing personalization in your communication and marketing content and goes on to explore personalized video, one of the most effective and creative uses of customer data.
Table of Contents
- A brief introduction to personalization
- What are the main benefits of personalized content?
- Where can personalized content be used?
- Personalized video marketing
- Personalized video examplesWhy is personalized video so effective?
- What types of data can be used in a video?
- Can CRM-data be used to create personalized videos?
- Personalized video in the customer journey
- Frequently asked questions
- Summary
- Personalized video case studies
A brief introduction to Personalization:
From Direct Mail to Marketing Automation
Personalization has quickly become a cornerstone of modern marketing and communication, shaping the way companies and organizations engage with their target audiences.
But it is not a new phenomenon. The history of personalization can be traced back to the early days of direct mail advertising, but has evolved dramatically with the rise of digital technologies and increased access to qualitative data.
Today, a wide range of personalization technologies exists, enabling businesses to deliver targeted and relevant content to their customers and members.
More often than not, these personalizations are combined with Marketing Automation (MA), enabling companies to deliver personalized & data-driven experiences. Both at scale and automatically.
What are the main benefits of Personalized content?
Delivering a personalized experience provides significant advantages to companies and organizations, leading to improved marketing outcomes and customer satisfaction.
According to McKinsey, companies that excel at personalization generate 40% more revenue than average companies through:
- Higher engagement rates
- Increased conversion rates
- Enhanced customer or member satisfaction
- More effective use of marketing resources
Where can Personalized content be used?
There are several media that can accommodate personalization (to various degrees), including:
Personalized emails address recipients by their name, send tailored content based on their interests, and deliver targeted sales and marketing promotions according to their purchasing history, leading to higher open and click through rates.
Mobile apps
Mobile app or web-based push notifications deliver personalized messages, offers, and alerts based on user behavior, location, and preferences, leading to higher customer engagement and conversion rates.
Websites
Websites that adapt their content, layout, and design in real-time based on visitor information, such as browsing history, location, and device type, provide a personalized and relevant experience to each user.
Social Media
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn allow businesses to create personalized ads targeting specific user demographics, interests, and behaviors, increasing the likelihood of reaching an engaged audience.
Video
Personalized videos incorporate viewer-specific information, such as name, location or preferences. Such videos create a unique and engaging experience that drives higher viewer retention and engagement rates.
From here onwards we'll focus on the last of these, and demonstrate how video personalization can help deliver amazing results.
Personalized Video Marketing: the reach of video combined with the benefits of personalization.
Personalized video is a powerful tool that combines the engaging nature of video with the advantages of personalization.
By integrating tailored elements such as the viewer's name, preferences, or past interactions with a brand, the resulting videos create an immersive experience that captivates the viewer, gets their attention and increases the likelihood of them taking action.
To get a better understanding of how this technology looks in practice, check out ICA's data-driven year-in-review or how Ahlsell welcomes their new customers.
Two great examples of how data-driven video can be used to delight loyal customers that you can check out in the next section.
EXAMPLES OF Personalized Video.
Example 1: ICA's data-driven year in review
Example 2: Ahlsell's personalized welcome video
Why is Personalized video so effective?
Appeals to the viewer's sense of self
By addressing the viewer directly and including their personal preferences, personalized videos make the viewer feel seen, thereby creating a sense of relevance and connection.
Delivers a more engaging experience
Personalized video content is more likely to resonate with the viewer, holding their attention for longer periods of time.
Creates a sense of exclusivity
Viewers feel special when they receive video content that appears to be made just for them, increasing their interest and engagement.
Personalized video has the potential to greatly enhance a company's or organization's ability to engage their audiences and capture their attention.
In order to prove that potential we ran an independent A/B test which found that data-driven videos outperform generic video by a considerable margin. Results showed 3x higher conversions, a 5x increase in time spent with the brand, and a 7x increase in engagement.
By leveraging personalization technologies and harnessing the wealth of data available through their CRM or CDP-systems, businesses can create personalized videos that make a lasting impression.
Curious to see actual results of data-driven video marketing? We've got plenty of personalized video examples with actual campaign results listed on our case-studies page.
What types of data can be used in a video?
The short answer: Almost any data.
You can be just as granular as you wish in defining what sort of data goes into the personalized video campaign you aim to build.
As with all data-driven communication & marketing efforts keep in mind that you need to make sure that the data you are using is of high quality, that your messaging is customer centric and brings value to each individual recipient, and that you have the proper consent to be using it.
Examples of personalization data include:
- Name
- Location
- Age
- Custom segments
- Purchase history
- Past interactions
Can CRM-Data be used to create personalized videos?
Yes! CRMs & CDPs are an invaluable source for businesses and organisations looking to create any sort of personalized experience.
Making use of the data from your own system to create and send personalized video is just as simple as it would be to personalize a newsletter.
Outlined below is a step-by-step summary of how a marketing automation flow initiated in your CRM, CDP or MA software could be working together with SEEN's API to deliver personalized videos automatically, and at scale:
- Initiate your request
A predefined trigger in your CRM system or Marketing Automation setup fires, indicating the need for a personalized video. This trigger could be new sign-ups, specific customer behavior, milestones or other predetermined criteria. - Personalization data is sent to SEEN's API
Upon trigger activation, only the personalization data necessary to create the film is passed from your CRM system to SEEN's API, which initiates the creation of a video. - Callback is sent to your CRM
Once the video has been successfully created, SEEN's API sends a callback to your CRM system, containing the essentials for distribution such as the customer id, video URL, landing page URL & personalized video thumbnail. - Recieval and distribution
Your CRM system receives the callback, matches it to the relevant contact, and initiates a predefined workflow to distribute or serve the personalized video through the appropriate channels.
By combining your CRM or CDP with SEEN's video personalization software, you can efficiently automate the creation and distribution of personalized videos. This allows you to serve your audience with data-driven, engaging and relevant content at the right time.
In the case that if you want to simplify things even further, SEEN is also able to help with sending personalized videos.
Want to get more technical? Check out our API-documentation!
Personalized video in the Customer Journey
Personalized video can be utilized effectively at various touchpoints throughout the customer journey, enhancing engagement and driving conversions - far outperforming more traditional approaches.
The entire process can be automated through the use of triggers and logic defined within your own CRM.
This always-on approach ensures that your personalized videos are delivered to the right audience at the right time, maximizing the impact of your content.
Listed below are a few examples from different stages of the customer journey:
Lead generation
A personalized video message can be used to capture the interest of potential customers, offering tailored content based on their online behavior or preferences. By creating a unique and engaging experience, businesses can increase the likelihood of leads converting into new customers.
Onboarding and welcome
When a new customer or member joins, personalized videos can be used to welcome them and introduce the brand, products, or services. This creates a positive first impression and helps build a strong connection with the customer from the start.
Product recommendations
Personalized videos can showcase product recommendations based on a customer's purchase history or browsing behavior. By providing tailored suggestions, businesses can encourage repeat purchases and increase customer satisfaction.
Upselling and cross-selling
Personalized videos can be used to promote additional products or services that complement a customer's existing purchases. By highlighting the benefits of these offerings in a personalized context, businesses can drive upselling and cross-selling opportunities.
Customer retention and loyalty
Personalized videos can be used to nurture customer relationships and encourage brand loyalty. This can be achieved through anniversary or birthday videos, milestone celebrations, or special offers tailored to the existing customers preferences.
Win-back campaigns
For customers who have become inactive or disengaged, video personalization can be used to rekindle their interest and entice them to re-engage with the brand. By acknowledging their past interactions and offering relevant incentives, a personalized video message can help win back more customers.
By including data-driven & personalized video into the customer journey, businesses can deliver a highly relevant and engaging customer experience that resonates with their audience. The 'always-on' nature of these campaigns ensure that videos are sent in a timely and efficient manner, maximizing their effectiveness and driving tangible CX-results for each touchpoint.
Want to see how personalized video performs in the customer journey? Make your way to our case-studies page and use the category and industry filters to refine your search.
Is the traditional customer journey broken?
Download our whitepaper to find out how data-driven and personalized video can help fix a broken customer journey, and how to make use of every touchpoint to earn unmatched engagement and attention.
Frequently asked questions
What is a personalized video?
At its core it is simply a video that has been customized to meet the needs and preferences of a specific individual or audience. This can take many forms, from including the viewer's name and other personal details in the video itself, to tailoring the content and messaging to the specific needs and interests of the viewer.
Personalized videos are often used in marketing and advertising campaigns to increase engagement and conversions, or as an integral part of the customer journey, but they can also be used in a variety of other contexts, from education and training to personalized customer support
What is personalized video marketing?
Personalized video marketing takes the concept of personalization a step further, using data and analytics to create videos that are specifically designed to appeal to the target audience. This can include everything from customizing the messaging and branding to using targeted calls to action and other marketing tactics to increase engagement and conversions.
One of the key benefits of personalized video marketing (or data-driven video, as it is also called) is that it allows businesses to create personalized experiences that speak directly to the needs and interests of their audience. By using qualitative data and analytics to understand the preferences and behaviors of their customers when personalizing videos, companies can create videos that are more engaging, more effective, and more likely to result in conversions.
How does personalized content work?
Personalized content works by using data and analytics to understand the preferences and behaviors of a specific individual or audience. This data is then used to customize the content and messaging to meet the needs and interests of the viewer.
For example, a retail website might use data on a customer's past purchases and browsing history to recommend products that are relevant to their interests. Or, a technology company could make use of personalized videos to onboard new customers - giving them the guidance they need when they start using the platform.
The key to effective personalized content is collecting and analyzing the right data. By understanding what their customers are interested in and how they behave, businesses can create content that is more engaging, more effective, and more likely to result in conversions.
Why is personalized marketing important?
Personalized marketing is important for several reasons. First and foremost, it allows businesses to create a personal connection. Resulting in higher customer engagement and more effective at driving conversions. By tailoring the content and messaging to the specific needs and interests of each individual customer, you're on the right path to build long lasting customer relationships.
Additionally, personalized marketing can help businesses stand out from the competition. With so many brands and products vying for consumers' attention, personalized marketing can help businesses cut through the noise and connect with their audience on a more personal level.
Finally, personalized marketing is important because it is what consumers have come to expect. In today's digital world, consumers are used to receiving personalized content and recommendations based on their interests and behaviors. By not offering personalized marketing, businesses risk falling behind the competition and losing customers to more innovative and customer-focused brands.
What CRM and Marketing Automation software supports personalized video?
Assuming that you are planning to use SEEN the answer is quite easy: Most, if not all, CRM and Marketing Automation software will support personalized video projects, through our easy-to-use API.
In the past we've worked with SAP, Hubspot, Lime, Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Intercom and countless other CRM, CDP and Marketing Automation softwares. In addition to that we've also helped realize projects through middleware such as Zapier, Make and n8n.
If you are curious to find out if our video personalization platform has worked with your particular system (or systems) in the past - be sure to reach out! Chances are our customer success-team has plenty of experience to share.
How are personalized videos produced?
Personalized video production may seem like a complex and time-consuming process at first glance, but it is surprisingly similar to producing a regular video. The primary differences are in the planning and scriptwriting stages, where the variations are identified and conceptualized. The actual filming and editing remains largely the same.
Personalized videos can easily be included in the scope of a regular video production, allowing businesses to cost-effectively maximize the potential uses of the video they are planning to produce.
You can find more information about personalized video production in our production guide
Can an existing video be personalized?
Technically yes, but chances are that the script and storyline of your video may simply not be suited for video personalization.
One workaround is by making a simple on-brand video template that allows you to include elements such as a personalized direct message, a company logo, a company name or other personal details. Template video is generally the easiest route when personalizing existing videos as readapting the original camera footage can become expensive and time consuming due to the need of "after the fact" VFX, tracking and post production.
If you are planning to use personalized video by adding on templated elements to an existing film, keep in mind to introduce the personalizations in the video thumbnail and early on in the film as this will help capture and retain the viewer's attention.
How do I send personalized videos?
In order to send personalized videos you need two core components: A video platform like SEEN to create the personalized videos, and a suitable media to distribute at scale.
An easy way to send personalized videos is via email. Chances are that you can make use of the same service you already use for newsletters, sales outreach - or other forms of email campaigns. Many, if not all, such services also offer personalized emails (e.g the functionality to adjust text or image-based content to suit each specific person on the recieving end).
If you're working actively with marketing automation in your customer journey, chances are that your distribution system can also make use of triggers that you've set up for different stages of the customer journey.
SUMMARY
Whether you scrolled all the way down here right away to see if there was something exciting at the very bottom of the page, or if you've read the entire article – we've found that a summary is always a helpful way to round things off.
As personalization technology continues to grow in popularity, companies and organizations that adopt it as a strategy to engage their customers or members will be better positioned to cut through the noise and stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Delivering bespoke video content that truly resonates with each individual viewer fosters stronger connections, drives conversions, and ultimately helps achieve marketing and communication goals.
If you are interested in finding out more about data-driven, personalized video or explore the potential use-cases for your own company or organization, just send us a message – We'd be happy to show you more!
