Around 73% of B2B marketers and 70% of B2C marketers have a mainstay in their overall marketing strategy - content marketing. Transforming those social media scrollers into genuine leads comes down to the quality of your content and its ability to shape your audience's journey toward becoming loyal customers.

The maze of content marketing funnels becomes less daunting when you break down the basics, craft an effective strategy, and understand why content reigns supreme in the marketing kingdom.  

Understanding the Content Marketing Funnel

Whether you are looking to start a social media marketing agency or run the social strategy for your own business, effectively capturing the interest of well-defined target audiences is key. Keeping audiences engaged is all about having a strategic content funnel. This funnel is like a conveyor belt of valuable content—blogs, social media updates, videos—aimed at existing and potential customers. It's not about hard-selling your product or endlessly promoting your business. Instead, the focus is on becoming an authority in your industry, the go-to source for all things relevant. By raising brand awareness and offering helpful content, you gradually steer customers towards choosing your service or product.

This is what a journey through the social media marketing funnel should look like:

Stage 1: Awareness

Goal: Attracting and engaging prospects

The journey starts at the top of the funnel, where potential customers become aware of your product. By sharing eye-catching content on social media, businesses can capture attention and draw new followers and potential customers into the fold. 

Since these potential customers are not yet aware of your company or the solutions you provide, the top-of-funnel content must educate them. This can include shareable blog posts, infographics, YouTube videos, e-books, and podcasts.

Key metrics to measure success: Time on page, followers gained, number of shares, bounce rate.

Stage #2: Evaluation

Goal: Building trust and authority

As prospects journey through the middle of the funnel, they're considering your product, but crave more information. This is where your content needs to build trust and authority. Repetitively drawing people’s attention to the benefits they can get from your product or service is crucial, or they’ll likely lose interest and drift away. Target them with ads that contain middle-of-funnel content.

Middle-of-the-funnel content showcases why they should choose your offering. You can use case studies, white papers, useful resources/downloads, or events and webinars here.

Key metrics to measure success: Downloads, registrations, engagements, demo request forms… whatever indicates a new lead to your business.

Stage #3: Conversion

Goal: Guiding prospects toward the sale

At the bottom of the funnel, leads are primed and ready to purchase. Here, targeted paid social ads addressing their specific needs can nudge prospects toward the finish line. With proper tracking in place, you'll have tracked the prospect's journey through the funnel and gained an understanding of what elements of your product appeal to them most. Double down on those value ads with targeting messaging.

Boost prospects' confidence with content like customer reviews, demos, competitor comparisons, and, of course, free trials! Ensure you have a clear call to action, a simplified purchase process, and personalized content here.

Key metrics: Sales!

Crafting Compelling Content for Social Media

If your your organic and paid social content isn't engaging or relevant, your audience won't hesitate to scroll past it in search of something more captivating.

But it's not just about what you say—it's also about how you say it. Each post is a new lead magnet. Text posts can deliver concise, informative messages, while images can capture attention in an instant. And then there's video—the undisputed heavyweight champion—which allows you to tell compelling stories, demonstrate products, and provide in-depth tutorials.

Live streams are a great way to deliver marketing content, especially for companies with a substantial following on TikTok or Instagram. One of the key benefits of live streaming is the capacity for live selling. You can use it to promote your eBook, podcast, YouTube channel, blog, products, or services, directing potential customers into your funnel.

When live streaming, keep the following tips in mind:

• Have a clear plan and goal for your live stream to ensure it's purposeful
• Be authentic and avoid over-rehearsing or reading from scripts
• Control your environment to minimize distractions and disruptions
• Boldly communicate the topic of your live stream to attract and retain viewers
• Schedule and promote your streams in advance to maximize audience attendance
• Save and share your livestreams to extend their reach
• Provide valuable content that encourages audience engagement and discussion
• Remember to enjoy the interaction with your viewers and have fun hosting the livestream

There's one often-overlooked aspect of content creation that can make or break your social media game: audio quality. Poor audio quality can quickly turn off your audience and undermine your message, whether recording a podcast, filming a live stream, or adding background music to your Instagram story. So, invest in good microphones, the best audio editing software, and soundproofing equipment to ensure your content sounds as polished as it looks.

Converting Followers into Leads

Once you've crafted your lead magnet, it's time to create an irresistible opt-in offer that encourages your audience to take action. This opt-in offer takes them from social media followers to real leads, often by getting them to join your email list. By running contests, initiating interesting conversations, and interacting with followers in meaningful ways, you can create a sense of community that goes beyond transactional relationships. For example, you could try giving away small prizes via email campaigns, not as bribes to join your email list, but as tokens of appreciation for your audience’s active participation and engagement. Or, you could try creating a newsletter that contains valuable industry updates and is delivered weekly via email. All your social media followers have to do to access these great opportunities is join your email list!

Whether it's a compelling call-to-action (CTA), a visually appealing landing page, or an exclusive bonus offer delivered via a personalized email, make sure that your opt-in entices your audience and communicates the value they'll receive by subscribing.

Don't overlook the importance of segmentation and personalizing the user experience. Segment your leads using categories like interests, behaviors, or demographics, and tailor your follow-up communication accordingly. Targeted content that speaks to each segment of your audience enhances engagement, builds rapport, and drives conversions.

The Role of Paid Ads in the Funnel

Paid ads are critical if you want to deliver mid and bottom funnel targeted content on social media due to their retargeting abilities. Additionally, they help you collect data you can use to map and measure every stage of the customer's journey, identifying potential bottlenecks or shortcomings in your marketing strategy. This level of insight is invaluable for refining your approach and maximizing effectiveness, particularly in the upper stages of the funnel, where the primary objective is to boost brand visibility and attract new customers. If your top-of-funnel ads aren't engaging, you won't build an audience to retarget with mid-and-bottom-funnel content.

By leveraging a paid media advertising funnel, you gain insights into your audience's actual purchasing intent, especially during the consideration stage. Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as click-through rates, bounce rates, and engagement metrics can help you gauge the effectiveness of your sales strategy and tailor your messaging accordingly. 

Implementing a Tracking System

To effectively navigate the intricacies of a multi-stage marketing funnel, you need a solution that enables you to track multiple events seamlessly. From clicks on social posts to email signups to sales, every micro-conversion in the funnel needs to be tracked across all your different organic and paid marketing channels. Aim for something equipped with built-in optimization tools designed to illuminate the critical stages of your buying cycle. When you unify your campaign data with sales outcomes, you glean actionable insights and make informed, data-driven marketing decisions. 

Building a Company Culture for Nurturing Leads for Conversion

Getting your whole team on board with nurturing leads for conversion is crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of personalized communication strategies. With a group coaching approach, ensure everyone on your team understands the importance of consistent messaging across all touch points. 

Consistent messaging and communication are essential for building trust and credibility and must be a collaborative effort across departments. You never want your marketing team to be promoting something that your sales team can't actually deliver. Involving sales, customer service, and marketing in the lead nurturing process will ensure that leads receive a unified customer experience, which increases the likelihood of conversion.

Always remember the ultimate goal of your marketing campaign

It's easy to get caught up in metrics like likes, shares, and comments. While engagement is undeniably important for building brand awareness and fostering relationships with your audience, sales are typically the main goal of marketing campaigns.

After all, they directly impact your bottom line and drive tangible results for your business. So, concentrate on strategies that prompt your audience to take action. Plan your marketing strategies to go beyond simply generating likes or shares and ultimately inspire followers to move down the sales funnel and make a purchase. If you can do this, you'll watch your social media campaigns drive real business growth.

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Digital marketing is a dynamic canvas painted with the strokes of user interactions, insights, and behaviors. As marketers, we revel in the vast data reservoirs at our fingertips, but it is not without responsibility. Beyond optimizing click-through rates and conversion funnels are the obligations accompanying the processing of user data. According to a SAS study, 73% of consumers have grown more concerned about their data privacy over the last few years. Data privacy is not merely a legal checkbox; it is the cornerstone upon which trust is built. 

Building trust with your audience is certainly a noble pursuit, but it's also a strategic imperative. Skepticism about online privacy is rampant, so a commitment to safeguarding visitor data is a must. It's not just about compliance with data privacy laws; it's about creating an environment where users willingly share their information, knowing it will be handled with the utmost care.

Removing personal information from the Internet

Online fraud accounts for a staggering 42% of over 4 million reported crimes in the US during the first three quarters of 2023. Safeguarding personal information is a necessity for everyone, especially marketers. Should you find yourself in a position where you must reclaim your or a client's digital privacy, follow these steps:

1. Identify and opt out of data broker sites and people search platforms. These sites often aggregate and sell personal information.
2. Regularly review and manage the information associated with your Google account. Adjust privacy settings and explore the option to remove outdated or sensitive details.
3. Periodically clear your browser's cache, cookies, and browsing history. This helps in minimizing the footprint of your online activities.
4. Audit your social media accounts. Consider deleting or making private any accounts that you no longer actively use. 
5. Evaluate the apps on your devices. Delete any you no longer need or use, as they may collect and store your personal data.
6. Identify and close online accounts that you no longer use. This reduces the potential exposure of your personal information.
7. Delete email accounts that are no longer in use. This not only tidies up your digital presence but also prevents unauthorized access.

Understanding the regulatory landscape

The regulatory framework surrounding data privacy has become paramount for marketers and businesses. These regulations protect the rights and privacy of everyone in an age where personal data has become a valuable commodity. 

Here are some key data privacy laws and their implications for digital marketers worldwide.

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

Enforced by the European Union (EU), the GDPR is one of the most comprehensive and influential data protection regulations globally. 

Key provisions:

• Provides individuals with greater control over their personal data.
• Requires explicit consent for data processing.
• Mandates the appointment of Data Protection Officers for certain organizations.
• Imposes strict notification requirements for data breaches.

Impact on Digital Marketing:

• Marketers must obtain clear and affirmative consent before processing personal data.
• Enhanced transparency and accountability in data processing practices.
• Individuals have the right to request the deletion of their data.

CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)

Enacted in California, the CCPA focuses on enhancing California residents' privacy rights and consumer protection.

Key provisions:

• Grants consumers the right to know what personal information is collected and how it's used.
• Provides the right to opt out of the sale of personal information.
• Allows consumers to request data deletion.
• Imposes restrictions on the sale of minors' personal information.

Impact on Digital Marketing:

• Companies collecting personal data from California residents must comply, regardless of their physical location.
• Requires clear disclosures on data collection practices.
• Affords consumers greater control over the use and sale of their personal information.

ePrivacy Directive

The ePrivacy Directive focuses specifically on electronic communications and the processing of personal data in the digital realm.

Key Provisions:

• Requires consent for the use of cookies and similar tracking technologies.
• Sets rules for unsolicited electronic communications (spam).
• Applies to various online communication services.

Impact on Digital Marketing:

• Marketers must obtain consent before deploying cookies.
• Direct marketing communications are subject to specific opt-in requirements.
• Impacts how marketers engage with users through electronic communications.

Creating relevant data security measures

Implementing best practices is imperative to foster trust and uphold ethical standards. Consent is the bedrock of ethical data collection. Website owners can implement user-friendly consent mechanisms, clearly outlining the purpose and scope of data collection, especially when performing cold outreach on platforms like LinkedIn.

Clearly communicating how personal data will be collected, used, and shared helps users make informed decisions about sharing their information. Craft clear and concise privacy notices that are easily accessible on your website. Use simple language and avoid legal jargon to ensure visitors can comprehend the information without confusion.

Visitors should have control over their data, including the ability to access, correct, and delete it. Additionally, they should be able to opt out of data usage for marketing purposes. User account dashboards where visitors can manage their data preferences provide easy-to-use tools for data modification and ensure that opting out of marketing communications is straightforward.

Google's anticipated deprecation of third-party cookies on Chrome 

Google's latest move, affecting approximately 30 million users in its initial phase, departs from the conventional tracking methods that have been a cornerstone of online user behavior analysis for decades.

Google has set the ambitious goal of phasing out third-party cookies for 100% of Chrome users by Q3 2024. For digital advertising professionals, this development underscores the need for a paradigm shift in tracking and utilizing user data.

The future blueprint for marketers sees a need to invest in first-party data strategies. First-party cookies remain unaffected and are considered a safe and valuable resource, so obtaining explicit user consent and strategically leveraging the data collected directly from your audience keeps you safe.

You can also collaborate with first-party data partners, such as publishers or platforms with direct user relationships. Building alliances that provide access to verified user data can be a strategic advantage. It seems like it's time to create a digital business card and start introducing yourself to some allies in Google's cookie-less eutopia!

Always have user rights front of mind

Always consider how you transparently inform users about collecting, using, and sharing their data and obtaining explicit and voluntary agreements. To obtain user consent, use clear and concise methods such as opt-in forms, checkboxes, or pop-ups. Ensure that these mechanisms are compliant with regulations and easily understandable.

Empowering users involves:

• Providing them with clear avenues to exercise their rights, such as withdrawing consent.
• Giving them access to their data.
• Allowing them to file complaints.

Data minimization is also worth considering. This involves collecting only what is necessary and relevant for digital marketing purposes, avoiding unnecessary data retention, and refraining from collecting sensitive information without legitimate reasons. Conduct regular audits of data collection practices. Only collect information essential for your marketing objectives and establish clear guidelines on data retention. 

Always avoid collecting sensitive data as part of your marketing process unless there is a lawful and justified need. It's also important to remember that you can take further control of your marketing strategies with Marin's AI-powered solutions. Learn more about us today.

Your website is important. We don't really need to tell you that, but with 252,000 new websites being created daily, we do need to tell you that yours needs to be something special to stand out. One way to do this is to collect behavioral data that will allow you to create a website that shows distinct content to different users—also known as a dynamic site.

Imagine using analytics tools, cookies, or other tracking mechanisms to gather data on user behavior and letting that dictate specific interactive features and content to ensure your site caters to their needs. It's possible and even necessary in the modern competitive digital landscape.

Prioritizing the needs and preferences of the end-users

User-centered design results in sites that are highly usable, accessible, and satisfying for those who visit them. Behavioral data, including feedback, plays a crucial role in the iterative and data-driven nature of user-centered design.

As a result, the role of user-centered design in modern web development cannot be understated. It places the needs, preferences, and experiences of users at the forefront of the design and development process, and since we're all users at some point, this concept benefits everyone.

How to get started

Have you heard about Dynamic Facebook ads? They are product ads that target potential customers and existing shoppers based on specific user data, intending to increase the chance of a sale. We are taking this fundamental idea and stretching it out over your whole website. To do this, you can start by analyzing your collected data to understand user behavior patterns and preferences.

Step #1: Analyzing user behavior and installing tracking mechanisms

Collecting data to understand user behavior patterns can be done by adding a tracking pixel to your site to track user interactions. You can use this Pixel to collect data on page views, add to cart, purchases, and other relevant events. We recommend:

• Looking at age, gender, location, and other demographic information to identify trends in user engagement.
• If you advertise on Facebook, leverage Facebook Insights to understand user interests and analyze the performance of ads based on the interests of the target audience.
• Monitoring social media metrics such as likes, shares, and comments to see which content generates the most engagement.
• Creating custom audiences and analyzing their behavior to refine your targeting.

Some behavioral patterns to look out for are users who add products to the cart but don’t complete the purchase or those who regularly engage with your content. You can also identify seasonal buying patterns or see how users switch between devices during the buying process.

Step 2: Create user segments

Once you have this data, you can identify key metrics and determine the most relevant to your website's goals and user experience. From there, create user segments based on similar behaviors, demographics, or preferences, like users who frequently visit certain pages, make specific purchases, or abandon their shopping carts.

Step #3: Implement dynamic content based on user segments

When dealing with a lot of data, it's essential to ensure data integration and synchronization processes that simplify your life. When you understand your data, it's easier to use it to create a dynamic website.

This can include everything from having your website make personalized recommendations to using algorithms to suggest content or products based on users' past behaviors and preferences.

This data is fundamental when segmenting your audience and setting up your dynamic website for your segments’ behaviors. In fact, it can help you make decisions by suggesting the variables you need to take into account.

You can set up a database to store the data and activate recommendation algorithms such as collaborative filtering, content-based filtering, and hybrid models to do things like recommend items based on the preferences of users with similar tastes. You can adjust your recommendation algorithms to account for seasonality and changing trends, for example, promoting seasonal products or trending items based on user behavior and preferences.

Pro tip: A/B test different versions of your site to see which leads to better user engagement or even conversions, and analyze user journeys to identify potential friction points.

Examples of different types of dynamic content

Dynamic content transforms static web pages into personalized and engaging landscapes. From tailored product recommendations to real-time updates, the versatility of dynamic content enhances user experiences, captivates audiences, and adapts to the unique preferences of each visitor. 

Real-time responses 

Your website has to simplify things for the user, and the clever way to go about this is by making decisions based on user behavior. For example, suppose you have a pop-up offer that appears when a user spends a certain amount of time on a page or displays a targeted message after a specific action. In that case, you increase the chance of controlling their behavior toward your preferred action.

Take, for example, this pop-up that appears on the Pure Plant Protein website:

This appears after the user has scrolled halfway down the home page, spending a total of 30 seconds reading what has come before it. It offers a discount code for the products they are currently considering, helping to nudge them towards a sale, while also collecting their contact details to help the site build its mailing list.

Responsive design

As a result of the above, adjusting the website experience during a user's session based on their current behavior can help bring about the actions you hope the user will take. Adapt the site layout, content, or features so both you and your customers can reap the benefits. Everyone wins!

Pro tip: When looking for ways to integrate your data into actionable insights, you might want to make it as simple as possible. A SaaS integration solution is a tool to simplify cloud data integration challenges. This will help you maximize the value of on-demand applications by improving access to critical business information (such as behavioral data) and allowing you to move data into and out of hosted applications efficiently with cloud deployments.

Using retargeting ads or emails 

Retargeting can trim down cart abandonment by 6.5%. When you tailor your communications based on a user's history, such as sending personalized newsletters or alerts, you position your campaigns for success.

Just be sure to adhere to privacy regulations and other ethical standards when collecting and using behavioral data by clearly communicating your data usage policies to users.

Understanding user journeys and optimizing touchpoints 

Google Analytics provides powerful tools, like Multi-Channel Funnels and Top Conversion Paths reports, to help you identify key touchpoints and assets ripe for personalization. This is a simple way to gather learnings that can be applied to your dynamic site. For example, Multi-Channel Funnels offer a panoramic view of users' diverse pathways before converting. These are insights about the various channels, sources, and mediums contributing to conversion over time. By delving into this report, you can comprehensively understand the complexity inherent in your user journeys.

The Top Conversion Paths report in Google Analytics is another option that looks at the specific sequences of interactions that lead to conversions. This report is invaluable for identifying the channels and assets that play pivotal roles in driving successful outcomes.

Armed with these insights, you can design a user experience transcending the entire customer journey on your new dynamic site. Remember that the key is to create a cohesive and seamless experience that caters to user needs at each stage.

Developing dynamic web pages: Pros and cons

Dynamic web pages require a more intricate development process, complex software, and additional scripting languages. They connect to databases and external applications. The downside of this is an increased risk to security. On the flip side, they offer a range of advantages that cater to the evolving needs of modern online experiences.

For example, dynamic websites simplify the maintenance process for developers. Automatic updates can be applied to multiple pages simultaneously. You can then utilize AI marketing tools and streamline content management across the site. Users can register accounts, create posts, and engage with the site in ways that static websites cannot facilitate, and because dynamic websites empower developers to easily integrate search engine optimization tools, keeping content optimized for search engines is much more straightforward. 

Sell more with the ultimate performance marketing platform

You can make your new dynamic website even more powerful with a tool that takes your performance marketing to the next level. That tool is Marin Software, the easiest way to collect, understand, and share marketing data in your organization. Take your performance marketing to a new level with our help.

2024 promises to be marked by technological breakthroughs redefining the e-commerce landscape. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning should be a primary focus, enabling personalized shopping experiences that cater to individual preferences and needs. Backed by advanced AI algorithms, chatbots, and virtual shopping assistants will engage customers in real-time, providing instant solutions and recommendations. 

Additionally, integrating augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies will bridge the gap between online and offline shopping experiences. Shoppers will be able to try on clothes virtually, visualize items in their living spaces, and make more informed purchase decisions.

In this rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape, staying ahead of the game cannot be overstated. The competition is significant, and consumer expectations are growing unprecedentedly. Businesses that fail to adapt risk becoming obsolete or losing their market share to more innovative players. To help, we've identified some key e-commerce trends you should be aware of for 2024.

Utilizing descriptive research

Data-driven insights and strategic decision-making are vital for e-commerce businesses, and descriptive research is a powerful tool to help navigate the intricacies of the digital marketplace. Comparable to its usage in diverse fields like social sciences, linguistics, and academia, descriptive research offers a structured investigatory model that can significantly benefit e-commerce enterprises.

Descriptive research, a well-established investigatory approach, empowers e-commerce businesses to comprehend their operating environment holistically. Whether it's deciphering consumer behaviors, market trends, or product preferences, this method enables online stores to dive deep into the "who, what, and where" aspects of their target audience. AI stat findings on customer service and sales roles show some interesting findings. For example, did you know that 84% of customer service/sales professionals in the U.S. don’t have an A.I. policy in their company? This can unlock new ideas and drive new actions. Companies can unveil critical insights that guide their strategies and initiatives by amassing comprehensive knowledge about these dimensions.

Translation for e-commerce

For online businesses seeking to tap into global markets, localization has emerged as a pivotal strategy for success. At the heart of this strategy lies e-commerce translation–a powerful tool that bridges language gaps and transcends cultural barriers to create a deeply personalized and resonant experience for consumers worldwide.

E-commerce translation is more than just converting words from one language to another. It encompasses a holistic approach beyond linguistics, diving into the heart of cultural nuances and preferences. A localized experience, in this context, signifies a meticulous adaptation of content, products, and services to align with a specific market's unique needs and expectations.

Showcasing reviews on your site

In e-commerce, digital interactions replace physical touchpoints. As a result, trust and credibility are incredibly important. With customers unable to physically inspect products or gauge the authenticity of a brand, the need for assurance is paramount. This is where the strategic display of showcasing reviews on your e-commerce website becomes not just a choice but a crucial element in building customer confidence and driving conversions.

Humans are inherently social creatures who seek validation from their peers before making decisions. Reviews provide this validation, offering prospective customers insights into the real-life experiences of others who have interacted with your products or services. When customers encounter positive reviews from their fellow consumers, it creates a sense of trust and authenticity around your brand.

Positive reviews act as social proof, reassuring potential buyers that they are making a sound choice by considering your offerings. In a crowded online marketplace, where options are abundant and competition is fierce, showcasing reviews becomes a way to differentiate your brand as a trustworthy and reliable choice.

Leveraging AI and machine learning

The true e-commerce game-changer in 2024: artificial intelligence (AI) driven personalization. To stand out and forge lasting connections, businesses are harnessing AI to curate tailored consumer experiences that cater to individual preferences and needs.

The age of mass marketing and generic customer interactions is waning. Consumers today seek more than just products; they crave meaningful engagements that resonate with their unique identities. Let's say you want to start a wax melt business, which means operating in a very competitive field. To stand out from the crowd, you'll need to truly capture the hearts of your customers, speaking directly to their desires, aspirations, and preferences.

At the heart of AI-powered personalization lies customer data–a treasure trove of insights waiting to be unlocked. Businesses gain valuable insights into individual behaviors, purchase histories, browsing patterns, and more by collecting and analyzing data from various touchpoints. This data forms the foundation upon which personalized experiences are built.

Machine learning algorithms, a subset of AI, excel at uncovering intricate patterns within these vast datasets. By recognizing subtle correlations and predicting future actions, these algorithms enable businesses to tailor recommendations, content, and offerings to each customer's unique profile. This dynamic interplay between data and algorithms facilitates a level of personalization that was once inconceivable.

Why you need brand awareness

As we've mentioned above, countless brands are vying for your customers’ attention. Brand awareness–the measure of a brand's visibility and familiarity among its intended audience, encapsulates the extent to which a brand is recognized via its name, logo, or products. This familiarity isn't merely a superficial badge of recognition; it's a powerful psychological association influencing consumer perceptions, decisions, and loyalties.

The expansiveness of the online marketplace brings forth an inundation of options, rendering consumers spoilt for choice. Amid this abundance, your brand awareness strategy becomes a guiding light, helping consumers confidently navigate the digital landscape. A strong brand presence ensures that your brand stands out in the sea of options as a reliable and recognizable choice. It's a beacon directing consumers toward familiar territory, enabling them to make secure choices.

Control your marketing with AI power

Along with these important 2024 trends, consider how Marin can help you sell more via a platform that unifies the fragmented world of performance marketing. We offer everything you need to take your performance marketing to the next level, so let us help you today.

Balancing personalized experiences and consumer privacy has become incredibly complex.. As a result, retailers are constantly looking for ways to engage, retarget, and personalize consumer experiences while complying with the ever-growing list of privacy laws.

One study showed that consumers were more open to explore beyond their usual products during the pandemic, with up to 75% trying new categories and 40% switching to new brands.

To help you navigate this tricky situation, we've put together some tips on how to tread the fine line between providing the personalized experience consumers crave and safeguarding your customers’ privacy. This balance is a delicate one that retailers must learn to strike if they hope to remain competitive.

The difference between personalization and privacy

E-commerce personalization should be all about delivering something relevant to your users. Try to also make it something they will relate to, as this will help build a strong connection with them. In turn, it will also start the process of forming a successful relationship. In the modern digital age, personalized and relevant content is essential if you want to keep your consumers engaged and interested in your products and services. However, this approach doesn't mean you should resort to over-tracking and collecting your users' personally identifiable information.

Instead, focus on understanding user intent to create relevant content that meets their needs. This approach allows you to deliver an exceptional experience without compromising your customers' privacy. As a bonus, you'll ensure they follow through with their purchase after abandoning their shopping cart.

Collect relevant data only

While data is essential for personalization, only collect the data you need to create a personalized experience. Businesses should avoid accumulating too much data or data that customers are not willing to share, as this can damage trust and discourage future engagement.

To strike the right balance, businesses should focus on collecting the most relevant data to the customer journey. This data might include basic demographic information, purchase history, and browsing behavior. By collecting only the necessary data, you can create personalized experiences that feel relevant and valuable to customers without compromising their privacy.

Personalize the experience for brand-new customers

As online traffic grows, most visitors remain anonymous, limiting the potential for personalization in the retail industry. However, there are ways to address this challenge. Consumers will often move on to the next best solution if they don't receive a personalized experience. Therefore, it is important to strategically navigate these changing times and not lose the opportunity to serve your customers.

Personalization is about providing a relatable experience to the user on a session-by-session basis. Losing that first opportunity to engage your visitors is not an option. Try using quizzes or surveys for first-time visitors. By asking questions and gathering consent-based reference data, you can gain valuable insights into your customers' wants and needs without invading their privacy.

By capturing the user and understanding their intent through consent-based reference data, you can obtain valuable customer data while respecting their privacy. When creating these strategies, consider that many new customers use their mobile devices to access your content, so you should account for a mobile app marketing option.

Machine-Learning and AI tech can help understand consumer behavior

To provide an exceptional customer experience, it is crucial to gather customer data based on their consent. Focus on omnichannel approaches that track visitors and consumers without compromising their privacy. There are conversational AI tools that can lessen the work of your team in this regard.

Personalization means delivering what customers want at the right moment; this strategy doesn't necessarily involve collecting and tracking their personal information. It's essential to remember that Gen Z consumers are particularly cautious about sharing their identities.

Aim to collect customer first-party data, ensuring it is based on their consent, then use it to personalize the customer experience. Find influencers people trust to communicate your message, then target your chosen audience with relevant content, offers, or products. It's essential to recognize that different customers have different preferences; some might respond to discounts, while others might appreciate informative content or product knowledge. A lightweight solution that helps to convert customers within the session is the way to go.

Communicate data policies clearly

To continue building trust with customers while encouraging them to share their data, you must communicate your data and privacy policies clearly and transparently. This transparency includes clearly explaining how you will use their data, who you’ll share it with, and how you will protect it.

To achieve this clarity, you should provide options for customers to opt out of data sharing and have their data deleted. We also recommend displaying security badges on your website to show customers that you protect their data and privacy. By breaking down their privacy policies in an easy-to-understand manner using FAQ-style language and infographics, you can help customers feel more comfortable sharing their data.

Branding and building trust 

Everything you do is a branding exercise, even down to the Amazon Custom Shortlinks you use. Educate your team on the importance of privacy in creating a positive customer experience across every business element.

With the constantly evolving landscape of data privacy laws, it's important to stay informed and up to date on the regulations in the countries and territories where you do business. This approach ensures you are always compliant and avoid legal issues that could damage your reputation.

Supercharge your E-commerce advertising

Happy customers equal good business, and toggling the line between personalization and privacy with the tips above is one of the many ways you can ensure it. We also recommend harnessing the power of MarinOne Insights to identify opportunities in your digital marketing programs automatically. Work smarter, not harder, with our expert help.

Creating high-quality content that resonates with your audience is more important than ever in 2023. The amount of content produced and shared online is staggering, and you need to find ways to stand out from the crowd.

Marketers also need to be consistent, so finding ways to make your content creation more efficient, impactful, and memorable should be a priority. To help, we've put together 10 fresh ideas for efficient content creation in 2023 that will help you connect with your audience, drive engagement, and reach your content marketing goals. 

From beginners to those who wish to revamp an existing content strategy, these tips will make things easier for you this year, and beyond.

Tip #1: Plan and organize your content

To ensure you create content efficiently, you must have a clear plan and strategy. A content calendar is a great way to accomplish this strategy while also guaranteeing that you publish relevant and engaging content regularly. Always prioritize your tasks based on audience demand and your content goals, and use a mockup generator with pre-designed templates to provide an idea of the look and feel of your content.

With a content plan, you can ensure your content focuses on your current products, releases, services, and business happenings while aligning with the overall marketing strategy. Your content plan should be a roadmap for creating, publishing, and ensuring that you achieve a better return on investment (ROI) for your content marketing efforts. 

Tip #2: Repurpose and upcycle old content

Instead of starting from scratch every time you create new content, consider repurposing and updating existing content. For example, you could turn a blog post into an infographic or use it to create a podcast. This approach saves time and ensures that you're making the most of the content you've already created; no one is scanning back through your feed to see what you posted a year ago, and if they do, they likely won't point out a double-up.

Take your existing content and modify it in new and innovative ways to speak to new audiences, drive engagement, and above all, save time. Extending the lifespan of your content by turning a blog post into a video, for example, also means you'll see more value from all content efforts while building brand recognition and creating a strong, consistent brand image. 

Tip #3: Collaborate with micro-influencers and crowdsource ideas

Collaborating with other departments, influencers, or subject matter experts can help create better content. Use crowdsourcing techniques, such as surveys, to gather feedback and understand what types of content your audience wants to see.

This strategy will help point your content creation in the right direction, whether it be a social post or a high-converting blog. You can also leverage the audiences of the people or organizations you collaborate with to see higher reach to new audiences, who are potential customers. For example, micro-influencers, individuals with a relatively small but dedicated social following, can be a great way to generate sales. 

Some benefits of working with micro-influencers include:

• Higher engagement rates: Micro-influencers often have higher engagement rates than more significant influencers, as they have a more dedicated and engaged following. Your brand message has a better chance of reaching and resonating with your target audience.
• More authentic relationships: Micro-influencers often have personal relationships with their followers. This connection means their endorsement is more authentic and trustworthy.
• Cost-effective: Micro-influencers typically charge less for their services, making them a cost-effective option.
• Niche reach: You can target a specific niche or area of expertise, which can help your brand reach a targeted audience. 
• Long-term relationships: Micro-influencers are often open to forming long-term relationships with brands, which can help build brand recognition and credibility over time.

Tip #4: Use storytelling and other visual elements

Make your content more engaging and memorable with images, videos, and other data visualization to understand complex information. Where possible, try to tell a story about your brand, the products, or whatever your content is focusing on. People want to be entertained and interested by the content they see; if you can achieve this, your content will perform much better.

To weave storytelling into your content, consider the following tips:

1. Identify your story: Determine the main story you want to tell and ensure that it aligns with your brand and messaging.
2. Use relatable characters: Help audiences personally connect with your story, either with relatable fictional characters or real people such as customers or employees.
3. Create a strong emotional connection: Use emotional appeals such as humor, excitement, or heartache to create an emotional connection with your audience.
4. Use vivid imagery: Descriptive language, images, and video help bring your story to life.
5. Make it relevant: Ensure that your story is relevant by tying it to your customer's needs, wants, and interests.
6. Keep it concise: A focused story is good; avoid unnecessary details that can distract from the main message.

These storytelling tips apply to everything from social posts to sales promotion examples and landing pages. Great visuals and interesting stories go hand in hand with other SEO tactics. If you run a Shopify store for your business, some of the best Shopify apps can help you combine all of these elements seamlessly.

Tip #5: Inform your content with data

Data is a powerful tool that can inform your content strategy and help you create stories that resonate with your audience. By using analytics and metrics, you can track the performance of your content and make data-driven decisions to improve its effectiveness.

If you build a scalable content marketing campaign, you can easily pivot as you receive new data about content performance. From the types of people reacting to your content to the most popular pages of your website, data helps you understand what your audience wants, which is the key to successful content creation.

Tip #6: Incorporate voice and audio content

Voice-activated and audio content, such as podcasts, are increasingly popular. These formats allow you to reach new audiences and create more immersive experiences, making them a great way to diversify your content and engage with your audience in new ways.

You can also think about voice-activated video content designed for voice assistants and triggered by voice commands. This strategy can be a great lead magnet if your video content is engaging and informative.

Tip #7: Create interactive and immersive content

Engage your audience by encouraging them to take action. This can be done with interactive quizzes, 360-degree videos, or augmented reality experiences. These formats help you create a deeper connection while driving higher engagement and conversion rates.

Consider elements such as user input, which encourages audience engagement and involvement as they build a deeper connection with your brand. Immersive content can also help users to better understand complex concepts. For example, imagine a 360-degree view of a product or VR experience demonstrating how a service works.

Tip #8: Use higher quality video content

Video content is a powerful tool for engaging and building a deeper connection with your audience. However, whether it is live video or animation, it needs to be of a certain level of quality to help bring your content to life in a more impactful way. 

Invest in high-quality video editing and production to help maintain your audience's attention and show the value of your products and services. Poor-quality video can create a negative effect, reflecting poorly on your business and lowering the perceived quality of your products and services. Once completed, enlist the help of tools that ensure quality and secure uploads for efficient content processing with large video files.

Tip #9: Specific content tailored for social media 

While you can use social media to distribute and promote any of your content, it is important to think about specific content built for designated platforms. This content can be short and humorous videos for TikTok, industry-relevant opinion pieces for LinkedIn, and carousel posts or reels for Instagram. Craft content that suits the platform, then engage with your audience in real-time. 

To do this successfully, you will need to understand the unique strengths and weaknesses of each platform. As some social media sites reward users who post regularly, use an AI Content Creation Platform to get a head-start on your social media-specific content and create in advance.

Tip #10: Benefit from personalization and targeting

Personalization and targeting are essential for creating content that speaks directly to your audience. Be it personalized email campaigns or targeted eCommerce ads, this method allows you to work smarter as opposed to harder with your content marketing. 

Ensure that your content reaches the right people at the right time to see higher engagement and conversion rates. This strategy is a cost-efficient way to spend your marketing budget and will likely yield greater results as your attention and effort are focused on people who are somewhat already interested in the products or services you offer.

Focus on these areas to enjoy quality results

These efficient content creation ideas will help you make sure you provide quality output for your audience in 2023. Always remember that the key to success is understanding your audience, goals, and whatever makes your content stand out. 

Experiment with these ideas and find the ones that work best for you and your audience, then lean into them and reap the rewards. We also recommend supercharging your paid search, social, and e-commerce advertising with MarinOne, and maximizing the return on every single marketing dollar you spend.

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Luke Carlino is a guest contributor to Marin Software.

There are plenty of online shoppers in this day and age, but there is also increased competition! If you are looking for a way to stand out from the crowd, increase engagement, and say thank you to your customers, get into the spirit of giving with competitions and giveaways.

Here are our top four favorite competition strategies to incentivize shoppers to get involved with your digital communications, boosting sales in the process.

Competition idea #1: Video submissions

Improve your brand awareness with a themed video contest that asks customers to perform a specific task or show off forms of customer appreciation via video. User-generated content is a great way to spread the word about your products or services.

Some popular video contest ideas include:

• Sing your favorite trending song
• Show off your best product idea
• Demonstrate how fast you can perform a certain task relating to your product (speediest submission wins)
• Send some before/after shots of an area of your home the product improved

Always set a time limit for the video submission, and be sure to share the user-submitted videos and tag your customer's social media accounts (with their permission). You can choose the winner by the highest customer votes; be sure to follow a strict deadline and shout out the winner on your website as well as your social channels. 

Competition idea #2: Refer a friend

There are plenty of ways to get your content in front of people who do not already follow you, such as hashtag marketing and refer-a-friend competitions, which both work in a similar fashion. An effective way to cut through the competitive noise is by getting recommendations people will trust; and who better than their personal friends.

Get in front of new customers by running a referral contest and generate organic word-of-mouth while boosting brand awareness and minimizing customer acquisition costs. This approach can also help to retain existing customers by offering a discount for the person doing the referring.

Some referral contest best practices to consider include:

• Offering a reward to the person who refers, and their referral
• Setting a purchase limit to earn the referral reward
• Ensuring you have social sharing buttons available to share the referral link
• Providing a dynamic referral link for individual customers
• Setting a contest deadline 

When promoting your competition, don't forget about using offline channels, especially if your business has a physical presence. Make your storefront a feature with posters, props, or other forms of visual communication that grab the attention of new shoppers.

Competition idea #3: Run a sweepstakes contest

A sweepstakes contest is a little different from a standard contest, but is still a valuable engagement-boosting activity. As all participants receive some form of prize, people are more likely to enter as they are not off-put by high odds. Prepare to receive a high number of entrants, all of whom require a prize, so keep your prize budget in mind when choosing rewards. The lowest level prize can be as simple as a small discount off the next purchase (encouraging purchases in the process).

As sweepstakes have many winners, these can all be selected by chance, like in a lottery. This is a great way to acquire valuable information which you can use for future business marketing strategies and growth with data mapping. Think about the type of data you would like to gain about your customers, and use these as question prompts to enter the sweepstakes.

Sweepstakes are very easy to run, as all you need is a simple landing page that collects email addresses for people to enter. The key with sweepstakes is promotion, and it is important to consider the following before running one:

• Ensure you have enticing visuals and prizes to grab attention
• Make it easy for people to enter
• Set a predefined probability for choosing the winner
• Include attractive social sharing buttons
• Give bonus entries to people who complete short surveys

Competition idea #4: Gamification 

If you can make your competition fun, you'll likely get more participation. This is where a gamification contest can be an effective tool; simply play a game to win a prize! Incentivize unique actions and then reward customers, gaining their business and loyalty in the process.

Gamification contests can include any of the following:

• Spin the wheel
• Scratch and win
• Enter a quiz or raffle
• Scavenger hunt
• Play trivia

Make sure the theme of the game is relevant to the season and that it is easy and fun to navigate. Promote the game on your site's homepage and social channels, and keep the prizes a surprise to increase interest.

Creating fans of your brand

People who enjoy your brand’s output are more likely to become repeat customers. Rewarding followers for their loyalty is a great way to keep them coming back to your business. Consider the cost of your competition, how much the prize you are offering is worth, and if the cost is viable when considering the potential spend of a new, loyal customer. The marketing return of a contest should also come into consideration, as the exposure it gives you to new segments can often be more cost-effective than some other marketing methods. MarinOne can also help with this by supercharging your paid search, social, and e-commerce advertising, so reach out to meet with one of our expert consultants today.

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Luke Carlino is a guest contributor for Marin Software.

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