21 Dec 2020
AI-powered content personalization: How will it empower ecommerce stores in 2021?
Shireesh Gupta
Shireesh Gupta
Marketing Specialist
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There is a lot of buzz about "personalization," but what does the term mean?

'Personalization' was one of the top-mentioned topics in data and marketing in 2017, and, according to Marketing Profs, 68% of firms have made personalization a top priority. But where does AI personalization sit in 2021? How does it work, and how is it being effectively used?

What is AI content personalization?

One of the first questions in conversations about personalization with executives is, what is AI content personalization? In reality, it's much simpler than most people think. In the simplest terms, AI content personalization is tailoring your website based on data you have about an individual. This data may be geolocation, the source of where they are linked to your site (email, search, social, paid ad, referring site), the device they are using, or any other number of data points a company may have on the individual coming to their site.

AI content personalization is tailoring your website's content to an individual's preferences. Content personalization is being used by ecommerce stores such as Goldspot Pens and ecommerce giants like Amazon to increase their conversion rate and bottom-line revenue substantially.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of content personalization?

The benefits are clear. AI content personalization increases revenue by 15% on average, and customers report feeling more satisfied post-purchase and prefer companies who personalize their product offerings. As a result, AI content personalization is a significant step to take for ecommerce, enterprise B2B, and other industries in 2021.

  • Increases conversion rate and revenue.

  • Increases customer satisfaction.

  • Distinguish yourself as a brand with the same resources as Amazon.

But what are the drawbacks to implementing personalization on your website? The major disadvantage of personalization is implementation. It can be difficult for business owners to implement a personalization strategy, primarily if they are attempting to get into the trenches with the technical side of personalization. Do not attempt this alone! AI content personalization can be complicated to get right.

As a business owner, you must identify an easy-to-use, comprehensive tool to personalize your website. As an ecommerce store CEO, you can look into software for personalized site searches, personalized category pages, and intelligent recommendations.

How does AI content personalization work in 2021?

Personalized artificial intelligence can be complex, but we will make it simple. Content personalization works primarily through third-party tools that collect data (or use data you already have) and customize parts of your site utilizing the data collected. Previously, companies needed to hire an expensive expert developer to attempt to custom-code things like this. Luckily, in 2021 and beyond, businesses appear to help automate and simplify this process. Furthermore, AI content personalization isn’t just for Amazon anymore. Many small business owners are implementing personalization on their websites right now.

Content personalization works by utilizing data such as:

  • Geolocation

  • Source (email, search, paid, social, referral site, etc.)

  • Device (Android, iPhone, Google Pixel, etc.)

  • B2B Information (industry, company, revenue, employee count, etc.)

  • Number of site visits

  • Time of day

  • Purchase history

  • Behavior on site

  • Email opens and clicks

  • Notification of click-through or dismissal

Brainstorm about using these different data points to customize what appears to your customers. This will improve your conversion rate while making your end customer happier with their purchase and your brand. AI content personalization simply uses software to implement campaigns that intelligently use data to enhance revenue and customer satisfaction. This is so business owners don’t have to guess anymore.

AI personalization can be used with the following:

  • Ecommerce stores

  • Websites

  • Emails

  • Ads

  • Cloud apps

  • Mobile apps

  • Online chats

And more examples are waiting to be found by entrepreneurs looking to create innovative companies in 2021.

More examples of AI content personalization

If you are considering implementing AI content personalization for your ecommerce store, it’s brilliant to look at how other companies are implementing it. Companies ranging from the Fortune 500 to small businesses use personalization to succeed. So, if you keep looking keenly enough, you may find that the sites you frequent the most use creative personalization.

Fashionista AI recommendation

Fashionista is a top ecommerce brand and magazine operating in the fashion space that has been making historic highs with its conversion rate and repeat purchases. So how are they doing this? A substantial part of their success is owing to the intelligent AI recommendations they offer to their users based on their shopping habits.

Faishoninsta recommendation

This personalization uses previous orders, buyer persona profiles, and browsing history to create a clear call to action for any of their customers.

This has been done by Amazon, which has made AI recommendations an art form. Their site provides tailored advice based on your previous purchases, your interests, and what similar buyers purchase.

Abandoned cart popup by Park City lodging

A very effective personalization campaign by Park City L focused on sending personalized exit popups to people interested in properties but didn’t convert. Using this campaign in online stores and other brands is not difficult to imagine.

ParkCity lodging

An email campaign reminded them to check out their favorite properties so they would remember which ones they were considering staying at on holiday.

Ecommerce professionals can use this technique to notify people about products they were interested in earlier but didn't purchase for some reason.

Personalized upsell from Walmart

One of the easiest ways to increase your store's profit is to personalize your upsell recommendations. We will look at one of the biggest ecommerce brands that do this.

Perosnalized upsell by Walmart

Walmart makes personalized recommendations based on visitor profiles that determine similar products likely to interest the user. You are missing out if you aren't customizing your upsells and cross-sells since so many professional brands do this effectively. Here is a typical upsell utilizing AI personalization:

Shoe upsell

The product you are interested in or just added to your cart has recommendations below it that are designed to convert individual users. The importance of intelligent cross-selling cannot be overstated.

Someone is searching for skinny-fit jeans, and the AI personalizes other outfit pieces that generally go with that piece (skinny jeans, in this case). Boosting your store's revenue is fast and easy by cross-selling and upselling.

Conclusion: Should you use AI personalization?

Isn't this the million-dollar question? Thousands of brands have increased their revenue with content personalization, but is it right for you? A site's customer profile and product catalog will determine your answer. Consider these examples and more, along with the specified data points. Then, identify ways to maximize your profits in 2021 by leveraging AI personalization. Finally, please contact us and discuss creative personalization campaigns that might suit you.