How’s that Personalization Going?

Marketers constantly strive to provide cohesive and tailored experiences to consumers. But recent data from Infogroup shows that many still miss the mark.

Of the US internet users surveyed, 93% said they weren’t getting any relevant marketing communications, and almost as many (90%) were annoyed by irrelevant messaging.

More importantly, 44% of respondents said they would switch to other brands that did a better job of personalizing the content they saw.

The Infogroup study is just one of many that illustrates the ongoing struggles companies face when delivering experiences consumers have come to expect. According to January 2019 research from The Harris Poll, nearly three-quarters of consumers in North America felt that brands struggle to create more personalized and individual experiences, thanks in large part to rising expectations.

“In an era of information overload, consumers appreciate brands that give them signal rather than noise,” said Andrew Lipsman, eMarketer principal analyst. “But few brands have enough first-party data to consistently deliver the personalized experience that most consumers crave. Many will need to up their game or risk turning away their customers over time.”

And marketers are working to get there. A third of companies worldwide surveyed in May 2019 by Forbes Insights said they place a “high priority” on delivering personalized customer experiences, and 57% said they place “somewhat of a priority.”

They’re also investing in the technology, too.

More than half of companies worldwide said they plan to increase their spending on personalization, according to May 2019 data from SoDA, in partnership with Sitecore. Roughly a third (32%) said they plan to significantly increase their budget.