Most business owners understand the importance of collecting, analysing, and acting upon the data that surrounds their businesses. They know that data-backed marketing performs higher, but they struggle to know where to start.
Data can feel complicated and overwhelming, and these days – because of the technology we use in marketing – there’s a whole lot of it.
In this article, we’re homing in on the 3 key trends you need to focus on in 2019. We can’t promise you this is simple, but we can reassure you that it’s worth your time. Let 2019 be the year you start making data work for you.
(1) Use customer data to drive content marketing
A recent study found that improving customer experience is a top priority for 80% of businesses in 2019, with 81% also focusing on customer loyalty.
Content marketing continues to be a critical technique for improving the customer experience. These days, consumers expect to find the information they’re looking for in a matter of clicks. Companies who do a better job at educating, informing, entertaining, or inspiring their audiences lead the way.
To continue to satisfy customer experience goals, forward-thinking companies need to play on the power of data, using analysis to inform creative from the start.
What does this mean for you?
Having more than a basic grasp of the numbers is key. If you’re not clued up, educate yourself. And if you outsource your marketing, make sure a thorough analysis is being performed and considered alongside creative ideas.
(2) Get personal with email marketing and automation
Personalisation has a become a bit of a buzzword in recent months, leaving many business owners scratching their heads over what it actually means.
Personalisation in marketing is the use of data and automation to provide a tailored experience to each customer. In email marketing, that could mean using segmentation to target a specific group based on the way they’ve interacted with the company previously.
For larger organisations, investments in AI and machine learning mean exciting developments, but there’s plenty the smaller business can do to get personal themselves.
What does this mean for you?
Dig into the data around your email campaigns. What can it teach you about customer behaviour, and how can you use that data to refine future campaigns?
Remember that privacy laws play a big part here, in particular, the 2018 General Data Protection Regulation act (GDPR).
(3) Improve the customer’s online experience
Customer experience management (CXM) will be a big focus in 2019, with tech-savvy companies using real-time data to produce immediate, automatic responses to a customer’s behaviour online.
There’s a big cost involved in using data this way, so smaller businesses will need to look for other opportunities to improve the customer’s online experience.
Through AB testing and constant measuring and refining, businesses can take advantage of website data to work on conversion rate optimisation.
The key here is to adopt an agile approach. The more slimline your marketing systems are, the easier you’ll find it to adapt quickly to changing trends and data. And when you can adapt quickly, your conversion rates will benefit.
What does this mean for you?
Your website should never be finished. Understand the data that tells you how visitors to your site are behaving, and use analysis to make tweaks that will improve results.
To get off to the best possible start, seek support from an experienced web company that understand the importance of creating a smooth, satisfying customer experience.
Ready to start making data work for you?
To get help collecting, analysing, and acting on the data surrounding your business, contact us today.
