Unlocking the power of Personalized Video Marketing
Personalized content is 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 personalized content.
This article summarizes the key benefits of employing personalized content in marketing and communication efforts, and goes on to explore personalized video, one of the most effective and creative uses of customer data.
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 it 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?
Personalized content and experiences 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:
- Email
Personalized email campaigns address recipients by their name, send tailored content based on their interests, and deliver targeted 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 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 video content incorporates viewer-specific information, such as their name, location or preferences, creating a unique and engaging experience that drives higher viewer retention and engagement rates.
From here onwards we'll focus on the last of these points, and demonstrate how putting video at the core of your company or organization's personalization efforts can help deliver amazing results.
Personalized Video Marketing: the reach of video combined with the benefits of personalized content
Personalized video marketing is a powerful tool that combines the engaging nature of video content 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, captures 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 and see if you can spot what data that goes into it:
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 captivating and tailored video experiences that make a lasting impression.
Curious to see actual results of data-driven video marketing? Head over to our case-studies.
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, data-driven video experience you aim to build.
As with any data-driven marketing & communication 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 a personalized video?
Yes! CRMs & CDPs are an invaluable source for businesses and organisations looking to create any sort of personalized content and experiences. Making use of the data from your own system in the creation and distribution of video content 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 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 technology, 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 the distribution of your films.
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 personalized videos are delivered to the right audience at the right time, maximizing the impact of your content.
Listed below are a few key use-cases for the customer journey:
- Lead generation
Personalized videos 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 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 customer's preferences. - Win-back campaigns
For customers who have become inactive or disengaged, personalized videos 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, businesses can increase the chances of winning back lost customers.
By including data-driven & personalized video into the customer journey, businesses can deliver highly relevant and engaging experiences that resonate 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 customer service and 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 content that speaks directly to the needs and interests of their audience. By using data and analytics to understand the preferences and behaviors of their customers, businesses 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 video content 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 content that is more engaging and more effective at driving conversions. By tailoring the content and messaging to the specific needs and interests of the viewer, businesses can increase engagement, build stronger relationships with their customers, and ultimately drive more sales.
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 video content can easily be included in the scope of a regular video production, allowing businesses to cost-effectively maximize the potential uses of the video content they are planning to produce.
You can find more information about personalized video production in our production guide
SUMMARY
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'll be happy to show you more.
