What is Personalized Video?

Find out what personalized video is, and how it helps businesses and organizations deliver greater satisfaction, loyalty, and profitability.

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Man holding a pink envelope labeled 'Jeff' in a store.
Man with 'I ♥ YOU' post-it on forehead.
Flybuys 2023 wrap-up graphic.
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Man smiling near a table of candies.
Man holding a pink envelope labeled 'Jeff' in a store.
Man with 'I ♥ YOU' post-it on forehead.
Flybuys 2023 wrap-up graphic.
Mug with Croatian flag next to a laptop.

The Power Of Video Personalization

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 engaging nature of video with the precision of a personal message.

On this page you'll find out the key benefits of including personalization in your video communication, and what you need to get started.

What is Personalized Video?

"Personalized Video" refers to the process of personalizing a video to meet the needs, preferences, or expectations of its individual viewer. This customization uses information or data about the individual to improve relevancy and has the power to increase attention and engagement across multiple touch-points.

A Video Introduction To Personalized Video & SEEN

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Man with 'I ♥ YOU' post-it on forehead.

Your Video Coupled With The Benefits of Personalization

Personalized video is a powerful marketing tool that combines the engaging nature of video with the well-documented advantages of personalization.

By integrating 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.

Keep scrolling to find out how this technology looks in practice, or skip ahead and experience it yourself.

A Video Introduction To Personalized Video & SEEN

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Man holding a pink envelope labeled 'Jeff' in a store.
ICA’s Personalized Year In Review (2023)
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Woman pointing up with a Nespresso Boutique Athens logo.
Nespresso’s Personalized Anniversary Video
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Ahlsell’s Personalized Welcome Video

Experience the magic of data driven video first hand.

Why is Personalized Video So Effective?

It appeals to the viewer’s sense of self

By addressing the viewer directly and incorporating their personal information, personalized videos make the viewer feel seen, thereby creating a sense of relevance and connection.

It delivers a more engaging experience

Compared to traditional video marketing, Personalized video content is much more likely to resonate with the viewer, holding their attention for longer periods of time.

It creates a sense of exclusivity

Viewers feel special when they receive video content that has been made just for them, increasing both their interest and engagement whilst building long-term loyalty.

Personalized video has the potential to greatly enhance a company's or organization's ability to engage their audiences and capture their attention.

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 deciding what sort of data should be included in the personalized video campaign you aim to build.

As with all data-driven communication & marketing efforts keep in mind that you need to ensure 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 Personalized Data

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Name
Woman pointing up with a Nespresso Boutique Athens logo.
Location
Woman holding a birthday cake with lit candles, surrounded by people holding signs.
Age
Man standing in the produce section of a grocery store.
Custom data
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Recent order
Man standing in a grocery store holding a basket of fruits and vegetables.
Purchase history
Personal offers & coupons

Using Your Customer Data To Create Personalized Videos

CRMs & CDPs are an invaluable source for businesses and organisations looking to turn customer data into effective personalized communication.

Once your video has been set up, making use of your own customer data to create and send personalized video is just as simple as it would be to personalize a newsletter.

How SEEN Works Alongside Your CRM, CDP or MA software to Create Data-driven Videos at Scale

Step 1: Initiating a 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.

Step 2: Sending personalization data 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, initiating the creation of a custom video.

Step 3: 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.

Step 4: Receival 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. Allowing you to serve your audience with data-driven, engaging and relevant content at the right time.

In the case that you want to simplify things even further, SEEN is also able to help with the distribution of your personalized videos.

Personalized Video In The Customer Journey

Personalized video can be utilized effectively at multiple touch points throughout the customer journey, enhancing engagement and driving conversions – far outperforming more traditional approaches.

But that's not all. 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.

Examples of Customer Journey Stages Where Personalized Video Can Be Used

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Frequently asked questions

Can’t find the answer you are looking for? Get in touch.

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.