Following our recent ‘Maximise your digital impact: Mastering personalisation and data activation’ webinar, recording of which is available here, we’ll be publishing a series of bite-sized blog articles on the key discussion points.
First off, before we dive headfirst into all the technical stuff, let’s consider some common challenges facing digital marketers. Whether you are a seasoned Sitecore user or just exploring Customer Data Platforms (CDPs), making sense of customer data available to you through multiple channels, touchpoints and platforms is paramount for improving customer experience, and goes beyond mere technological capability.
Getting lost in the customer data maze
Let’s acknowledge it: we’re drowning in data, spread across different systems and platforms. Regardless of the size and technological maturity, most organisations face a challenge of understanding what all the data it holds actually means and how it can be used to form actionable insights to help deliver outstanding customer experiences.
With customers bouncing between multiple channels when engaging with a brand, keeping track of their journey and interactions may seem daunting. From legacy systems to contemporary CDPs, the question remains: Where does the data reside, and how can it be contextualised to draw meaningful insights? Is the data collected and structured in a manner conducive to building actionable insights? Can marketing teams seamlessly extract, analyse, and derive value from these troves of information?
And let’s not forget about the imminent changes in the data game. Third-party cookies? Yes, they’re on their way out. So, how do we adapt to this new reality in data acquisition and utilisation?
Navigating the path forward
It’s not all doom and gloom, as we navigate the uncharted post-cookie landscapes. Let’s start by embracing our own first-party data assets, cutting across the constraints of individual platforms and systems. Sprinkle in some emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), and marketers may have a potent formula to map a path towards data activation and personalisation mastery.
The cookieless future: embracing first-party data
So, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the cookieless future. It’s been causing quite a stir, and understandably, it’s got a lot of us feeling a bit uneasy.
Now, we know the thought of saying goodbye to our trusty old cookies might seem daunting. But here’s the thing: there’s a treasure trove of data right in front of us, waiting to be explored—zero-party data. It’s all about what your audience is clicking on, where their mouse is hovering, what content they’re consuming–you name it. And the best part? You own this data. It’s yours to handle.
So, let’s take a deep breath and remind ourselves: even with the cookieless future looming over us like a dark cloud, there’s still plenty of room for personalisation magic.
Harnessing the power of first-party customer data
Now, here’s where things get really exciting. First-party data isn’t just a fallback option–it’s a golden opportunity. And that’s why platforms like Sitecore’s CDP are worth consideration. It’s all about leveraging the data you already have, the data you control.
So, here’s the game plan: start by auditing your existing data. What are you already capturing? How deep is your understanding of your customers? Where is this data stored, and is it in a format that you can actually use? These are the questions we need to be asking ourselves as we gear up for the cookieless era.
Untangling the MarTech stack
Now, let’s talk about everyone’s favourite topic: MarTech stacks. We’ve all got them – a mishmash of systems and tools, each doing its own thing. But here’s the reality: they’re not always playing nice with each other. Connecting the dots between these systems, especially when it comes to data, can feel like trying to untangle a ball of yarn.
That’s why it’s crucial to audit your MarTech. What tools are you using for which parts of your customer journeys? What capabilities do they offer? And how do you connect all these systems? It is often worth reaching out to your vendors to get a thorough understanding of what your platforms can really do. Armed with this knowledge, you can start piecing together the puzzle of your digital optimisation programme.
Stay tuned for the next article, where we’ll be looking at optimising the end-to-end customer journey.
