How to personalize content for first-party PII

A study by Demand Metric found that 78% of consumers believe that personalized content leads to a better overall experience, while 74% say that they are more likely to buy from a site that offers personalized content.

It’s clear that customers want personalized content—but how do you personalize content in an era of constantly increasing privacy?

The death of third-party tracking… and the rise of first-party data

The death of third-party tracking has left a void when it comes to understanding customer behavior. In the past, businesses relied on cookies and other forms of third-party tracking to follow customers around the web and collect data on their behavior.

However, with the rise of privacy-conscious browser plugins like Ghostery and AdBlock, as well as the impending death of third-party cookies from mobile devices and browsers, this method of data collection is no longer viable.

First-party data is the solution to this problem. By definition, first-party data is data that is collected by a business directly from its customers. This can include data collected from website visitors, app users, loyalty program members, and even offline interactions.

While first-party data has always been valuable, it is now more important than ever for businesses to understand how to collect and utilize this data to create personalized content.

Collecting and consolidating first-party PII (Personal Identifiable Information)

There are a few different ways that businesses can collect first-party data:

• Website forms and surveys. Businesses can collect data from website visitors by using forms and surveys. This data can be used to segment visitors into different groups for targeted content.
• Email signups. By requiring an email address to access certain content or features, businesses can segment users based on their level of engagement.
• Loyalty programs. By offering rewards for customers who make repeated purchases, businesses can encourage customer loyalty and collect valuable data on customer behavior.
• In-person interactions. Finally, businesses can also collect first-party data through in-person interactions, such as customer service interactions or trade shows.

However, this often leaves the organization with an issue—how to actually consolidate this data and glean actionable insights from it.

How does an organization connect its email signups to its loyalty programs? How does an organization manage its website data and its in-person interactions? How will an organization identify duplicates within this system—and how will they connect disparate information silos?

How to use first-party data to personalize content

Once businesses have collected first-party data, they need to understand how to use that data to personalize content. Here are a few tips:

• Create customer segments. One of the most important things businesses can do with first-party data is to create customer segments. By grouping customers together based on shared characteristics, businesses can better understand how to target each group with personalized content.
• Use data to inform content strategy. In addition to segmenting customers, businesses should also use first-party data to inform their content strategy. By understanding which pieces of content are most popular with which segments, businesses can ensure that they are creating content that is relevant and engaging for their audience.
• Consolidate and transform. As mentioned earlier, businesses often struggle with the issue of data consolidation. There are a few different ways to approach this problem, but one solution is to use a data transformation tool like Lytics. This tool can help businesses transform their data into a format that is more manageable, consistent, and easier to analyze.

By following these tips, businesses can both collect and utilize their first-party data.

The value of customized messaging through first-party PII

Personalized content is not a new concept. For years, businesses have been using customer data to customize their marketing messages in an attempt to improve customer engagement and conversions. However, with the shift toward first-party data, businesses now need to be positioned to both collect and analyze data themselves—rather than relying upon third-party solutions.

Customized messaging conveys many advantages:

• Builds rapport with the customer
• Establishes trust
• Makes customers feel special/important
• Increases customer engagement
• Leads to conversions

These are advantages that no one wants to lose simply because they can no longer rely upon their third-party systems.

If you’re ready to start collecting, analyzing, and utilizing first-party PII, you’re ready for Lytics. Lytics is the leading data transformation platform, helping businesses of all sizes collect, consolidate, and utilize their first-party marketing data.