How Do You Personalize the Customer Journey and Increase Engagement?
Martech Interviews
How Do You Personalize the Customer Journey and Increase Engagement?
We asked marketing managers and CEOs for their top tips on using personalization to increase customer engagement. From leveraging localized content to telling segment-specific stories, here are seven approaches to consider.
- Leverage Localized Content
- Know Your Audience
- Use Data-Driven Insights
- Implement Behavior-Based Email
- Place Videos Strategically
- Use Interactive Content
- Tell Segment-Specific Stories
Leverage Localized Content
One effective approach we’ve taken at Financer.com to personalize the customer journey and boost engagement is by leveraging localized content and tailored financial product recommendations. Each market has unique financial products, regulations, and customer needs, so we use data insights to provide relevant product comparisons based on a user's location, preferences, and browsing behavior.
For instance, if a user is looking for personal loans in Spain, we provide curated lists of the best loan options specifically for that region, along with customized financial tips. We also use behavioral data to suggest related products—like savings accounts or credit cards—that might interest the user based on their initial search.
This strategy has not only increased user engagement but has also led to higher conversion rates, as people feel we are truly addressing their specific financial needs.
For others looking to personalize the journey, my advice would be to focus on localization and relevance—understanding the unique needs of your audience and tailoring content accordingly is key to building trust and improving engagement.
Know Your Audience
Knowing your audience is paramount for personalizing the customer journey. I have learned to tailor content based on the platforms the content is being consumed on and the formats that the target audience engages with most in order for customers to be interested and interact with our brand. You can take this even further by updating the messaging in a way that users understand, such as using trendy keywords or phrases, or incorporating current trends into your posts to make consumers investigate more.
Consumers want to be communicated with in a normal, conversational manner, so switch up the professional tone of voice with a conversational voice that invites dialogue rather than messaging that is just like your competitors' tone of voice or style. Content should be tailored to how the customer sees and views the world, so liven it up and give them a reason to get to know your company or brand.
Use Data-Driven Insights
Using data-driven insights to tailor content and experiences. It sounds fancy, but it's really just about understanding who our customers are, what they need, and then delivering that. To do that, we start by analyzing customer data to identify patterns and preferences. This helps us create buyer personas which can then represent our ideal customers, making marketing much easier. With these personas in mind, we create content that fits directly to their needs and interests, whether it's an email campaign, targeted ads, or content on social media.
In the past, we've run campaigns where we use personalized email marketing to engage with our audience. By segmenting our email list based on browsing behavior, we could send tailored recommendations to the audience that felt like helpful advice rather than generic marketing. The result was higher open rates and increased click-through rates.
Implement Behavior-Based Email
One approach we've taken at TruBridge to personalize the customer journey and increase engagement is implementing behavior-based email marketing. Rather than sending the same message to all potential clients, we've focused on creating tailored email sequences that respond to individual actions and preferences. This allows us to provide relevant content to each user at the right time in their decision-making process.
For example, when a healthcare provider downloads a whitepaper on revenue cycle management from our website, they are automatically enrolled in a personalized email sequence. The follow-up emails are specifically designed to address the challenges related to claim denials and billing inefficiencies, topics we know are of interest based on their initial interaction. These emails gradually guide the recipient further down the sales funnel, offering case studies, tips for improving their processes, and eventually, an invitation for a personalized demo.
This personalized approach not only increases engagement but also nurtures leads more effectively. By providing relevant content based on where the user is in their journey, we've seen higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. The key is delivering value at each step of the customer journey, making the experience feel personalized and aligned with their unique challenges. This has helped us build stronger relationships with potential clients and ultimately increased our lead-to-client conversion rate.
Place Videos Strategically
One of the most effective ways we’ve found to personalize the customer journey and boost engagement is by strategically placing videos at key moments throughout the customer experience. At Growth Spurt, we see video content as not just a storytelling tool but also a versatile way to deliver highly-personalized experiences that really connect with individual customers.
Our process starts with understanding the different stages of the customer journey: awareness, consideration, decision, and post-purchase—and then creating video content that’s tailored to each phase. Here’s how we do it:
Awareness Stage: We make engaging explainer videos that introduce our clients' brands and services, focusing on the specific pain points their target audiences face. These videos are all about capturing attention and providing value right from the start.
Consideration Stage: This is where we personalize the experience by sharing testimonials, case studies, and product demos that speak directly to the viewer’s needs and concerns. These videos are often segmented based on user behavior or preferences, ensuring the content is relevant and helpful.
Decision Stage: We use videos to guide customers through the final steps of their decision-making process. This could be a personalized message from a team member, a detailed product walkthrough, or a video that highlights a special offer. These videos are key to reinforcing the customer’s confidence in their choice.
Post-Purchase Stage: To keep customers engaged and build long-term relationships, we include thank-you videos, how-to tutorials, and user-generated content that celebrates the customer’s journey with our brand. These videos add value and create opportunities for further interaction.
By integrating videos into each stage of the customer journey, we’re able to craft a more dynamic, personalized experience that speaks directly to customers' needs, preferences, and behaviors. This approach has been incredibly effective in driving higher engagement, building trust, and ultimately fostering long-term customer loyalty.
Use Interactive Content
Our approach to personalize the customer journey and increase engagement is to use interactive content across the different phases of the customer journey. Our emails and pages were replaced by quizzes and polls, which corresponded to customer journey stage. For instance, a new client could be presented with a survey about preferences and requirements at the beginning of the interaction. According to their responses, we personalize the content and products we display for them, ensuring an intimate and customized interaction with them.
It's not only a way to grab customers' attention at the start but also to capture customer insight that helps us fine-tune their experience further. If we are making our customers actively a part of their own journey, then we have more interactive and exciting experience to get them to engage more with our brand. The results have been beyond overwhelming - more time spent on our site and more conversions, proving to customers that they value a brand that responds to their demands on the fly.
Tell Segment-Specific Stories
One of the most overlooked strategies in marketing is personalizing the customer journey. At Tellwell, it's not just about reaching people—it's about making them feel heard, understood, and engaged in a meaningful way.
It all starts with truly knowing your audience. And I'm not just talking about demographics. We dive into their motivations, fears, and aspirations. What drives them? What keeps them up at night? Once we understand that, we can create personalized content that speaks directly to their experiences. This deeper understanding makes our approach to personalization authentic, not just surface-level.
We also use data to inform our decisions, but we never lose sight of the human element. One of our most successful strategies has been segment-specific storytelling. Instead of sending one broad message, we tailor our narratives to fit different customer segments, sometimes even creating multiple versions of the same campaign to resonate on a deeper level.
At each stage of the journey, storytelling takes center stage. People want to see themselves as the hero, with us as their guide. Whether we're running awareness campaigns or sending post-purchase emails, we craft messages that make people feel like the story is all about them.
One of our favorite tactics is creating 'surprise and delight' moments—small, unexpected gestures that show customers we care. For instance, sending a personalized video after a big milestone goes a long way in deepening relationships.
Finally, personalization isn't static—it's a fluid process. We're always listening, refining, and adjusting based on feedback. In the end, it's about creating relationships, not just transactions. That's what keeps people engaged and coming back.
