It’s become a day that is celebrated far and wide. Retailers, brands, broadcasters, and marketers mark the day, helping to bring it to the forefront of mainstream media. But has its recognition turned International Women’s Day into something it was never intended to be?

Is International Women’s Day becoming little more than another opportunity to sell?

The origins and significance of International Women’s Day

I hear some of you wondering “So what”? Surely all publicity is good publicity for the day, right?

Let’s think about it.

International Women’s Day (IWD) was established over 100 years ago in 1911, during a time when women were fighting for their right to be seen as equals among men. A series of events, including the 1908 Women’s Day protest in New York laid the foundation for the day to be recognized far and wide.

Over the years, women have made incredible strides to level the playing field. Rosa Parks lit the spark that would become the civil rights movement. Frida Kahlo used art to communicate and connect with people. Althea Gibson broke the color barrier in tennis and Billie Jean King successfully advocated for equal prize money for men and women. I could go on all day listing the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, Aung San Suu Kyi, Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, and Maya Angelou who have helped break barriers and shatter the glass ceilings that have been holding women back for centuries.

Despite all these amazing, notable accomplishments, gender inequality persists. Women around the world still face issues like the wage gap, limited access to healthcare, inadequate representation in leadership roles, and gender-based violence.

To truly honor International Women’s Day, we must acknowledge how far we have come while remaining committed to addressing the challenges that persist today.

The commercialization of International Women’s Day

So are brands using International Women’s Day as an opportunity to market their products or services?

Pinkwashing, a term that has been gaining traction over recent years, refers to the practice of brands using feminist causes – like International Women’s Day – as a marketing tool without genuinely supporting the empowerment of women and equality between the sexes.

As popularity for the day has grown, there are an increasing number of companies that employ IWD messaging to boost their brand image or sell products, over genuine support.

Pinkwashing detracts from the critical conversations that need to be had and dilutes the importance of the day.

Authentic vs. sale-centric email marketing

Let’s have a look at some examples.

There’s nothing ‘wrong’ with these emails, per se. They’re beautifully designed, engaging, all-round nice emails. But what do they have to do with International Women’s Day? Absolutely nothing. They’re simply promoting their products.

On the other hand, this example from the Italian jewelry brand, Pomellato, truly promotes IWD. Its video, which features inspirational women including its female CEO discusses the issues and struggles women are experiencing every day. It’s paired with a small promotion about the brand’s charity work empowering women survivors of domestic violence.

Reclaiming the meaning of International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is an opportunity for brands to celebrate the achievements of women around the world. However, it’s important to go beyond simple gestures like “get 10% off today” and look at tangible actions that advance gender equality. Whether that’s opening up safe spaces to have important discussions or working with existing charities to make an impact, International Women’s Day is a day for action.

Moving beyond tokenism

IWD is a chance to showcase your brand’s support for women, but sadly, these one-off gestures end up feeling superficial. Companies need to adopt a sustainable approach. Thinking about IWD as a one-day affair isn’t going to make the change we need.

That’s not to say you can’t run sales or offers on the day. We’re marketers, after all, and clicks, conversions, and sales are what we’re measured on. But it’s about balance. How your brand supports and encourages women throughout the year should be a prominent story you tell alongside any sales or promotional messaging.

How brands can make International Women’s Day more than just a hashtag

So, has International Women’s Day become a sales gimmick? It can be tempting for brands to view it that way. But there’s a crucial opportunity here. By using IWD as a springboard for genuine action and year-round support for women’s equality, brands can make a real difference.

Here’s what you can do:

• Challenge yourself to move beyond tokenism. Plan initiatives that extend far beyond a single day.
• Support organizations working towards gender equality. Partner with charities or foundations that align with your brand values.
• Amplify the voices of women. Feature stories and achievements of women throughout the year, not just on IWD.

International Women’s Day can be a powerful tool. Let’s use it to celebrate the incredible achievements of women and push for a future where equality is not just a slogan, but a reality.

Harnessing AI and machine learning in web development and marketing

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is changing the game in web development and marketing. By automating some repetitive tasks, personalizing user experiences, and providing insights, these technologies are making your marketing strategies easier. 

For instance, chatbots and virtual assistants powered by AI can now better understand and address user needs, so you can focus on more important tasks. Additionally, ML algorithms can analyze huge amounts of data and identify trends and patterns that can be used to improve web designs and marketing strategies. 

David Schulhof, Director of Digital at The PHA Group says: 

“The enhancements in AI and machine learning tech have given marketers the capability to work faster and smarter with more extensive data sets. However, these tools are not magic wands. Success lies in a human-machine partnership, a hybrid approach. Marketers must adopt AI and ML tech to amplify expertise, not replace it. Define clear goals, provide high-quality data, and interpret insights critically. With this collaborative approach, marketers can remove more guesswork and have confidence in data-driven decision-making.”

Integrating user-centric design practices into marketing initiatives

The methods of communication between businesses and their customers are evolving at a fast pace. It’s important for your marketing team and web developers to stay up-to-date with these changes. Nowadays, customers expect personalized experiences, and brands should have a thorough understanding of their customers’ needs to provide such experiences.

To achieve this, your marketing and web development teams should work together. By doing so, they can create designs that work well on different devices and input modes. This collaboration ensures that the designs are responsive and accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities or the devices they use.

Josh Grant, Director of Absolute Design suggests:

“Collaborative efforts between marketing and web development teams are crucial because they ensure a seamless alignment of user-centric design principles with marketing strategies. This partnership enables the creation of responsive, accessible, and personalized digital experiences to meet diverse user needs and preferences. 

Through their joint efforts, these teams can effectively utilize data-driven insights, adapt to evolving user behaviors, and maintain an iterative approach to design, ensuring continuous improvement and relevance in the rapidly changing digital world. This collaboration enhances user engagement and drives more effective and impactful marketing outcomes.”

Leveraging data-driven insights for informed web design and marketing decisions

A data-led approach will be essential in designing attractive, functional, intuitive websites and effective marketing strategies in the coming years. A/B testing, heatmaps, and user feedback tools will become even more vital in determining the success of web designs and marketing campaigns. 

Combining data from various sources, including customer surveys, social media analytics, and website metrics, will provide valuable insights that inform design decisions and marketing efforts.

Dan Coleman, Director of Coleman Marketing says:

“Concepts such as cross-channel attribution, cross-device tracking, and connecting first & third-party data will likely become even more accessible to marketers. What’s more, AI will empower marketers to ask increasingly complex questions of the data in natural language without having to learn complex queries. This empowerment means how you design and integrate your data sources at the outset is paramount.”

The impact of emerging web technologies on marketing strategies

Emerging web technologies such as progressive web apps (PWAs), accelerated mobile pages (AMP), and Extended Reality (WebXR) are transforming the digital landscape, providing exciting new opportunities to enhance user experiences. To stay ahead of the competition, you must adapt your marketing strategy and incorporate these technologies.

PWAs offer an app-like experience through web browsers, increasing user engagement and loyalty with fast-loading content, offline access, and push notifications. AMP helps to improve site performance and reduce bounce rates by expediting content consumption on mobile devices. WebXR unlocks immersive experiences through Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR), enabling the development of creative, interactive campaigns.

Josh Grant says:

“Emerging web technologies are reshaping digital marketing. They compel marketers to think innovatively, focusing on creating more engaging, interactive, and user-friendly experiences. As these technologies become more mainstream, they will provide a competitive edge to businesses that effectively integrate them into their marketing strategies, offering new ways to connect with and captivate their audience.”

Measuring the effectiveness of an integrated web development and marketing approach

To determine the effectiveness of a coordinated web development and marketing approach, businesses must define specific key performance indicators (KPIs), monitor customer behavior, and use data to guide decision-making. Advanced analytic tools with comprehensive reporting capabilities will be essential in providing deep insights and enabling informed choices.

Dan Coleman says:

“The key to succeeding will be to ensure that web development and marketing teams have compatible & complementary KPIs regarding commercial performance. The data can tell you the adjustments you need to make; those businesses with the agility to act on the data and make incremental improvements will outperform the competition.”

To sum up

In conclusion, the fusion of marketing and web development will redefine digital experiences and unlock new possibilities in the coming years. By taking advantage of emerging technologies, adopting user-centric design practices, and leveraging data-driven insights, businesses can stay at the forefront of this transformation and deliver exceptional value to their customers.

If you want to understand more, Dotdigital is hosting a panel discussion alongside Absolute Design, Coleman Marketing, and The PHA Group to explore this further. This panel discussion is for business owners, marketing professionals, web developers, and user experience designers who are keen on staying updated with the latest trends and technologies shaping the digital landscape. 

We aim to empower these innovative minds with valuable insights that facilitate a deep understanding of the symbiotic relationship between marketing and web development, enabling them to create outstanding digital experiences for their customers and stay ahead of the competition in the ever-changing digital world.

Between the Chiefs back-to-back wins, Taylor Swift chugging her drink, Jason Kelce’s dungarees, Beyonce’s new album announcement, and Usher’s half-time show it’s fair to say this year’s Super Bowl was iconic. But were the commercials?

Let’s have a look at some of the winners and losers from this year’s offerings and see if we can learn why some made more impact than others.

The best Super Bowl commercials 2024

Watching over this year’s commercials, I noticed one distinct differentiator. Those that did well this year had a clear direction. Essentially, their storytelling was on point. Whether they decided to go kooky and weird or tug at the heartstrings, the goal was clear and the result was memorable.

Google Pixel

The importance of accessibility cannot be understated. We all want to live in a fairer world where no one feels segregated or disadvantaged. Of course, a smartphone isn’t going to solve the world’s problems, but it’s a step in the right direction.

This commercial from Google tugs at the heartstrings and forces many viewers to see the world from a completely different perspective – one where we don’t take clear vision for granted. The story was strong and heartfelt, the goal was clear and the message memorable. An all-round winner in my eyes.

REESE’S

This is a great example of a brand that knows its customer base. As a big fan of REESE’S Big Cups, I totally get the reaction, why mess with something so perfect? I know a lot of people who would agree with me too, don’t go changing something so perfect. But hold on… adding caramel, yes, please.

It’s wonderfully weird which makes it memorable. Plus, the voiceover is provided by Will Arnett. Any Arrested Development fans out there will certainly enjoy the parallels in humor.

Dove

I can’t deny that this commercial appeals to me greatly. Amid the male-dominated Super Bowl comes a poignant reminder that young girls often stop playing sports because they lack body confidence. This advert is a continuation of Dove’s campaign empowering women and promoting body positivity and acceptance. Its goal wasn’t to promote its products but to share its brand values. We love to see it.

Microsoft

Microsoft spent its Super Bowl slot promoting its AI assistant, Copilot. The beautiful thing about this commercial is how it furthers user creativity.

There is still a lot of uncertainty around AI. People are worried about AI displacing human roles, but Microsoft dedicated its 60-second slot to showcasing all the ways Copilot can be used to help people achieve their goals.

Dunkin’ Donuts

This commercial deserves a shout-out for the cast alone. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jennifer Lopez, Jack Harlow, Fat Joe, and Super Bowl Alum Tom Brady – it’s an outstanding line-up. It has widely been declared the best ad of the Super Bowl and the garish pink and orange tracksuits sold out within 19 minutes of being added to the shopdunkin.com site.

All in all, it’s a genius stroke by a marketing team who knows what will appeal it its audience.

CeraVe

For those of you like me, who love regularly checking in with all things related to celebrity gossip, you’ll have noticed strange pictures of Michael Cera lugging around bags of CeraVe around New York. Well, what was considered to be a semi-successful publicity stunt turned into a genius marketing event.

The best thing about this ad is that even if you’re not familiar with CeraVe products, they make it explicitly clear it is dermatologists, not Michael Cera behind the brand.

The worst Super Bowl commercials 2024

Conversely, the worst Super Bowl commercials of 2024 lacked any clear goal or story. Despite many of them having some truly a-list star power behind them, the actual commercial and poor.

Snap

Social media giant, Snapchat produced an ad that tries to set it apart from other photo and video-sharing apps. It is (apparently) the app for authenticity. No faking, stripping back on the inauthentic content produced by influencers, just allowing people to be themselves, however weird and wonderful that may be.

Unfortunately, it’s just a bit hard to swallow. While it may not be a channel that’s all about the ‘likes’ and is more private, the ad doesn’t sell it. It may be because I work in marketing, I see friends and family using Snapchat daily, but I don’t believe it’s a more authentic channel and the commercial does nothing to convince me otherwise.

Squarespace

Talk about disconnected – what is this commercial actually saying? The only time the Aliens capture people’s attention is when they broadcast to their phones. So, people are always connected to their phones. How does this convince anyone to use Squarespace to create their website? Every time I watch this ad (and for the purpose of this article, I have watched it more than I care to) I just left with more questions. The biggest of them all: where does Martin Scorsese fit into it all?

Homes.com

Three days ago, I would have said Dan Levy could do no wrong. Then I watched this commercial. I just don’t get it. What are the benefits of using Home.com? Why are they in a salon? Why do they remove her eyebrows? What are they even saying?

Are Super Bowl commercials still worth the money?

No matter what, there will always be winners and losers during these kinds of events. In the UK, it’s the holidays, in the US, it’s the Super Bowl, but with so many people streaming movies and series these days, is it worth a $7 million price tag?

Well, I would have to say yes. And not just because I love reviewing them after the fact. There’s an excitement around them that can’t be denied. Viewing figures are at an all-time high. Plus, if Travis and Taylor stay together, we could be watching a damn dynasty being created before our very eyes.

Temu is a prime example of how valuable these commercials are to brands. The Chinese-owned ecommerce company spent nearly $21 million on ad slots and according to Google Trends data, it may have paid off. Web searches for the brand spiked when its commercials played.

On Apple’s App Store, Temu was in the top three most downloaded free apps, alongside Copilot and Paramount+, all brands that utilized the Super Bowl commercial slots. There’s no denying the power of the Super Bowl. The price tag is hefty, and paying superstars like Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, and Lionel Messi certainly adds to the production costs, but it’s still well worth the money.

To check out all the ads from this year’s Super Bowl (and years gone by), click here.

In this blog post, we will explore the differences between EDM marketing and email marketing to help you understand which strategy suits your needs best and when to use them to get the maximum impact.

What is EDM marketing?

Electronic direct mail (EDM) is a digital marketing strategy that marketers use to promote products or services to existing and potential customers who have opted-in to receive emails. It focuses on building and nurturing long-lasting relationships with current customers and potential leads. The primary aim of EDM marketing is to keep recipients engaged and informed, eventually driving them towards a specific action or goal, such as making a purchase, subscribing to a service, or attending an event.

What is traditional email marketing?

Email marketing is a form of digital marketing that utilizes email as a channel to distribute information and promote communication. This strategy targets a larger audience and includes newsletters, press releases, announcements, and promotional offers. The primary objective of email marketing is to acquire new customers, retain existing clients, maintain open communication with the audience, build brand awareness, and boost sales.

Understanding the key differences between EDM and traditional email marketing

While both EDM marketing and email marketing involve sending electronic messages, they cater to different objectives. Here are the most significant differences between the two strategies:

Personalization and targeting

EDM (electronic direct mail) uses data to target specific segments by delivering personalized and relevant content. This involves dividing the audience based on their interests, past behaviors, or demographic information, and tailoring the message to suit these segments.

On the other hand, traditional email marketing also uses email personalization and segmentation techniques, but the messages created are often more general to reach a larger audience. The goal is to appeal to as many recipients as possible without compromising the message’s effectiveness. 

Content strategy

EDM marketing uses customized content that forms a strong connection with the recipient. This could involve stories, insights, or exclusive offers that evoke an emotional response or provide value. 

In contrast, traditional email marketing uses content such as promotional offers, news, or updates about the brand, catering to a broader audience while still generating interest.

Metrics and measurements

The success of EDM marketing is determined by measuring engagement rate, customer retention, and the lifetime value of customers. It assesses how well the campaign builds a long-lasting relationship with the audience. 

On the other hand, traditional email marketing metrics typically focus on open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and bounce rates. This helps marketers drive immediate sales and enhance brand impact on a larger audience.

Combining EDM and email marketing for a holistic approach

Combining EDM marketing with email marketing can create an effective and all-encompassing marketing strategy. By integrating different tactics, channels, and approaches, you can create campaigns that resonate with your target audience, foster loyalty, and drive action and conversion. 

Here are some steps to help you successfully merge both strategies:

Define your objectives

It’s important to clearly outline the goals you want to achieve with your marketing campaigns. This could be increasing sales, engaging with existing customers, or expanding your audience reach. Having this clarity will enable you to make informed decisions about whether to focus on EDM marketing, email marketing, or both, depending on your current objectives.

For example, if your goal is to increase product sales while also engaging with your existing customer base, you might create an EDM marketing campaign with exclusive discounts for loyal customers. You can complement this with an email marketing campaign that promotes a site-wide sale for a broader audience.

Align your messaging

To create a consistent and memorable customer experience, it’s important to align your messaging, tone, and content across both EDM marketing and email marketing campaigns. This harmonization establishes a cohesive brand identity, making your communications easily recognizable to your audience. By aligning your messaging in both EDM marketing and email marketing, your customers can gain a clear understanding of your brand, offerings, and unique selling propositions, which sets you apart from competitors.

To achieve alignment in your messaging, it’s crucial to ensure that your brand tone of voice and style remain consistent across all communication channels employed in both EDM marketing and email marketing efforts. This consistency fosters trust and credibility with your audience, strengthens relationships, and increases the likelihood of achieving your marketing objectives, such as conversions, customer retention, or brand awareness growth.

Strategically integrate campaigns

Integrating your EDM marketing and email marketing campaigns can be extremely beneficial. By incorporating targeted content into your email newsletters, you can increase engagement. You can also use email marketing campaigns to create interest and drive engagement for exclusive offers or events.

For instance, if you are organizing an exclusive event for a small group and want to generate more interest and engagement, you can send an invitation to the rest of your contacts to join a waitlist to gain access to the event. 

This tactic not only grabs their attention but encourages them to opt-in for future communications and builds your email marketing list. You can categorize this audience based on their interests and keep engaging and targeting them in the future with relevant content.

Keep the cadence in check

To maintain a consistent and impactful presence in your audience’s inbox, it’s essential to strike the right balance between EDM marketing and traditional email marketing campaigns in your marketing calendar. 

To ensure that your audience is engaged and not overwhelmed, we suggest using a combination of EDM marketing and traditional email marketing campaigns. For example, you could send a monthly newsletter featuring personalized content and customized offers for the recipient.

Alongside this, you could send weekly email marketing updates that showcase general promotions, industry news, or company announcements. This way, you can maintain a comfortable pace for your audience and keep them up-to-date with your latest offerings.

The bottom line

In conclusion, while both EDM marketing and email marketing have their unique advantages, a successful digital marketing strategy requires a balanced and adaptive approach. By understanding the differences between these two approaches and knowing when to use each, you can optimize your marketing efforts and achieve your desired results. 

So, it’s important to assess your marketing objectives, target audience, and budget before deciding which approach to choose. By doing so, you can tailor your marketing efforts to effectively reach and engage your audience, and ultimately drive conversions and revenue.

This year’s Black Friday was influenced by a range of economic factors and channel developments, which emphasizes how essential it is to be aware of the evolving landscape. These factors included:

• High interest rates: As shoppers face financial pressures that impact their spending habits, you need to adapt to these challenges and recognize the increasing popularity of buy now, pay later (BNPL) and loyalty rewards options.
• Heavy discounting: Throughout the year, brands have adopted a more aggressive discount strategy than ever before. Encouraging customers to shop when they have already enjoyed many sales this year is a significant challenge.
• The Apple impact: Seasonal email marketing is now even more complicated thanks to Apple’s Mail Privacy Policy (MPP) and Link Tracking Protection (LTP). Not only does it make targeting more challenging, it makes measuring the success of your campaigns harder.
• ‘The fifth quarter’: Post-holiday promotions and seasonal clearances are more significant now as budget-conscious consumers seek deals and redeem holiday gift cards. This new ‘fifth quarter’ is another important avenue to capture additional sales.

With all that in mind, let’s explore some of the top trends we saw this year, dive into the numbers, and see what we can take away from the sales this year.

Black Friday trends 2023

1. The extended shopping period

The most prominent trend in 2023 was the extension of Black Friday deals. In the past couple of years we’ve seen a gradual extension beyond the traditional 24-hour sale window. But this year, even we were surprised to see brands beginning their Black Friday sales on November 1. Even more so that they continued them to the end of the month, six days after Black Friday.

Early access to sales is a tactic we promote to foster loyalty and engagement among your existing customers, but did brands go too early?

Normally, early access gives customers ample opportunity to peruse and plan their shopping activities. However, going too early can have the opposite effect. Rather than inspiring spontaneous action with limited-time offers, an extended sales period gives customers the time to talk themselves out of making a purchase.

Overall, Dotdigital experienced a 6% increase in emails sent over the whole month of November compared to 2022. Black Friday itself saw an 8% increase in email sends and the weekend as a whole increased by 2.5%.

2. Black Friday sales figures are strong

Merchants across the globe enjoyed all-round growth over Black Friday weekend, generating an 8.5% increase in revenue. This is an incredible feat, and during a time of financial uncertainty is something to be celebrated. Congratulations to all our ecommerce merchants who created engaging marketing campaigns that appeal to today’s savvy shoppers.

It’s even more impressive when we compared it to results reported by Barclays Bank which noted that transactions were down 0.63% compared to BFCM 2022. The same report also cited that the number of shoppers had fallen by 1.6%.

3. Email engagement increases

With shoppers looking for a great deal over Black Friday weekend, it’s no surprise that people of engaging with your marketing emails over this period. There has, however, been a lot of talk and speculation about Black Friday fatigue.

Customers are bored of getting the same messages over and over again (especially if you’re running your sales for a whole month). But, looking at the numbers, this doesn’t appear to be the case.

This year there was a marked increase in unique email open rates. Up by 11%, it’s clear that shoppers spent Black Friday 2023 perusing their inboxes looking for the best deal. The average open rate throughout the sales period, from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, was an incredible 31%.
In contrast, we did note a decline in click-through rates, down 13% to 3.6%. Don’t worry, though. 2023 saw the launch of another privacy update from Apple, also known as Link Tracking Protection. While its impact on Dotdigital users is minimal, it’s important to be aware of it as you report on your 2023 Black Friday results.

4. Abandoned carts drive sales across the line

It comes as no surprise to us at Dotdigital that merchants are increasingly adopting abandoned cart programs. After all, a personalized abandoned cart campaign can increase sales by 31% and average order value by 16%.

Over Black Friday, we saw a 47% increase in the number of cart abandonment emails being delivered compared to 2022. This growth can be attributed to increased awareness among merchants about the benefits of implementing this automation program, as well as the continual improvements in Dotdigital that make it easier than ever to deploy personalized campaigns in real-time.

In the US, this marked increase in abandoned cart sends generated a 28% increase in revenue. This further emphasizes the cost-efficiency and effectiveness of this strategy. Brands that embrace abandoned cart automation are not only recovering potentially lost sales but are also experiencing a positive impact on their bottom line by boosting customer lifetime value and fostering stronger customer relationships.

5. SMS is an action-packed channel

SMS sends increased 19% month-on-month, indicating that early adopters are really beginning to understand the channel.

Text message marketing is a strategy designed to cut through the noise. There isn’t a noisier time of year than Black Friday and the ensuing holiday season. The uplift in SMS sends over the whole month of November is a clear indication that marketers see significant benefit from adding SMS to their marketing strategy.

There was a significant increase in the number of brands offering new subscribers discounts when they signed up for SMS. It’s a brilliantly smart tactic. SMS messages are fast to build and concise, perfect for communicating flash sales and exclusive discounts to loyal customers. Plus, offering discounts at the point of sign-up is a strong list-building tactic, encouraging shoppers to turn to SMS as a form of communicating with their favorite brands

What can we learn from Black Friday 2023?

Despite an extended shopping period and potential customer fatigue, merchants still experienced impressive sales figures, increased email engagement, and reaped the benefits of implementing effective cart abandonment programs this Black Friday.

As competition to capture customers’ attention intensifies each year, brands should focus on crafting innovative campaigns that stand out from the crowd and appeal to increasingly savvy shoppers. Real-time, moments-based marketing, like cart abandonment campaigns, is vital during these busy periods. The significant value of this approach is already evident, with increased revenue generated from these campaigns during Black Friday.

Black Friday 2023 has re-emphasized the need for brands to be proactive and adaptable, leveraging the power of personalization and real-time marketing strategies to maximize customer engagement and drive sales. By focusing on the whole customer experience, and paying close attention to consumer behavior and trends, you will be better equipped to create compelling campaigns.

Black Friday 2023 in numbers

• Global email sends increased by 6%
• Emails sent on the day of Black Friday increased by 8%
• The open rate for Black Friday weekend was 31.2%
• Open rates increased year-on-year by 11%
• The click-through rate (CTR) for Black Friday weekend was 3.6%
• CTR rates declined by 13% year-on-year
• Revenue generated over Black Friday 2023 increased by 8.5%
• The number of cart abandonment campaigns increased by 47%
• Overall revenue generated by abandoned cart campaigns increased by 4.5%
• SMS sends grew 19% month-on-month

Methodology

Figures for this Black Friday debrief came from data pulled from the Dotdigital platform. Comparative data (2023 vs. 2022) was pulled from a pool of Dotdigital users who were active during both time frames. We define active as using the Dotdigital platform to send email, SMS, or other marketing activity.

2023 Black Friday figures were based on activity from 00:00 Friday 24 November to 23:59 Monday 27 November across our three core regions: Australia, the UK, and the USA. They were compared against figures pulled from 00:00 Friday 25 November 2022 to 23:59 Monday 28 November 2022 across the same regions.

We’ve selected ten email and SMS examples from this year’s Black Friday marketing frenzy. These examples demonstrate how marketers can effectively engage their target audience, create a sense of urgency, and entice customers with time-sensitive deals. So let’s dive in.

1. Make your Black Friday email promotions pop with countdown timers

During Black Friday, customers receive a lot of promotional emails. To stand out from the crowd, marketers need to find ways to quickly capture their customers’ attention. One effective method is to use visuals and images to make emails more appealing. By incorporating visually attractive countdown clocks in emails, readers are more likely to engage with the content. These clocks help in keeping the message fresh in the minds of the readers which makes it harder for them to forget about it.

Virgin Atlantic’s Black Friday email provides a prime example of how to effectively leverage a countdown timer in an email marketing campaign. They ingeniously combined an animated countdown timer with a boarding pass, a visually attractive approach that made the brand’s email stand out from the competition.

This strategic use of a countdown timer significantly increased Virgin Atlantic’s email click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate, as customers were visually reminded of the fleeting nature of the exclusive Black Friday deals. When customers see the countdown timer ticking away and that an offer is ending soon, they are more likely to feel motivated to grab the discount before time runs out.

2. Use engaging and captivating MMS campaigns

During the Black Friday sales period, MMS messages can be a powerful tool to engage customers. With MMS, you can integrate images, audio, and video into your text messages, providing a more immersive experience that goes beyond plain text.

Starface is an expert in using MMS for Black Friday promotions. They create a sense of urgency by offering limited-time deals that are valid only from the message’s delivery until midnight. With discounts of 25% on patches, 50% on skincare products, and a buy-one-get-one offer, Starface creates an irresistible value proposition that grabs customers’ attention and encourages them to act quickly.

3. Give your Black Friday promotion a heartwarming twist

During Black Friday promotions, it’s easy to only showcase attractive discounts and deals. However, by incorporating a creative and heartwarming twist to your Black Friday promotions, you can truly capture the hearts of your customers. Such promotions go beyond mere financial incentives and tap into the emotions and values of the target audience, solidifying customer loyalty for the long haul.

To execute these promotions successfully, marketers need to understand what resonates with their audience and align it with the company’s core values. A heartwarming twist can mean supporting a charitable cause, giving back to the community, or providing exclusive, emotionally engaging content. The possibilities are endless, yet the objective remains the same: to forge a deeper connection with customers and inspire them to advocate for the brand.

Thortful, a card marketplace, added a unique twist to its Black Friday campaign. From November 24 to 27, they introduced “Thortsgiving”—a celebration that gives back to its creators. This unique take on a Black Friday message sends a powerful message to customers: Thortful is not just a place to buy meaningful cards—they are a tight-knit community that stands by its creators and supports small businesses.

By taking this approach, Thortful skillfully establishes an emotional connection with its customers. The campaign is an excellent example of how marketers can leverage holiday promotions to not only drive sales but also cultivate deeper connections while remaining true to its core values.

4. Create memorable copy

Writing memorable copy is important during the holiday rush. With so many messages fighting for attention, your goal should be to create copy that stands out and leaves a lasting impression. Use persuasive language to stimulate your subscribers’ curiosity and emotions, and create a sense of urgency that encourages them to take action. 

For instance, Coach was able to successfully target its SMS subscribers during Black Friday by weaving a sense of urgency into its message. They emphasized that it was the final chance for customers to save big on their purchases before the deals disappeared. The brand urged customers to act quickly and provided a convenient link to access Coach’s exclusive offers.

5. Creating a sense of exclusivity with VIP deals

A highly effective way to ensure customer retention and drive sales is by cultivating a sense of exclusivity through special offers just for VIPs or members. Providing your most valued customers with exclusive access to limited-edition products, discounts, or early shopping access can foster a sense of loyalty and privilege.

One noteworthy example comes from BH Cosmetics, who expertly crafted a Black Friday email designed exclusively for its valued members. The email promised BH Cosmetics’ VIP members an exclusive golden ticket, securing their spot on the priority waitlist ahead of other customers. This members-only campaign not only offered exceptional deals but also made its customers feel they were part of a special group, granting them special access to these incredible Black Friday offers.

6. Embrace conciseness and clarity

On Black Friday, shoppers are eager to find deals from their favorite brands quickly and effortlessly. With SMS messages having a limited character count, crafting concise yet informative content is essential. To optimize your Black Friday SMS marketing campaigns, focus on capturing the essence of your promotion clearly while delivering all the necessary information to your target audience.

BCBG’s SMS campaign demonstrates the power of brevity and clarity. During its Black Friday promotion, BCBG sent out a simple and clear SMS message to subscribers that provided all the essential information about the offer without overwhelming recipients with unnecessary details.

In just a few words, the message conveys the nature of the promotion (40% OFF EVERYTHING), the limited-time aspect of the offer, and a strong call to action (Shop now). Furthermore, by including a convenient link to access the sale, BCBG encourages recipients to click through and explore its website, thus increasing the likelihood of sales conversions.

7. Put your best graphics forward

One way to leave a lasting impression during the Black Friday email scramble is to avoid using basic, overused design templates. By creating a unique and cohesive design that stands out from generic email layouts, you can set your brand apart and draw attention to the content within.

Van’s Black Friday email campaign is an excellent example of how to merge innovative design with an engaging concept. Van’s email features a ski and mountain scene that seamlessly integrates a playful interactive game, neatly organized gift selections by price range, and a holiday playlist for recipients to enjoy.

Van’s embraces the Black Friday theme by incorporating unique black elements, such as the font and mountain illustrations, within its email design. This playful, clever approach celebrates the essence of Black Friday while preserving the brand’s distinct design aesthetics.

8. Enhance your campaigns with emojis

Emojis have become an indispensable part of modern communication, adding emotion and personality to text-based messages. If you incorporate emojis in your Black Friday SMS marketing campaigns, it can help create a more conversational and relatable tone, which can help differentiate your brand from the competition. 

For instance, Youth To The People used emojis cleverly to enhance its Black Friday SMS promotion. Youth To The People’s message added an element of excitement and visual appeal, making the content more eye-catching and memorable. 

The incorporation of the clock emoji not only delivers the sale information in a more visually engaging way but also adds an element of fun to the campaign. The emojis help reinforce the excitement surrounding the offer while also boosting the readability and impact of the SMS message.

When incorporating emojis into your SMS marketing campaigns, it’s essential to remember that moderation is key. Using too many emojis can overwhelm your audience, diminishing the impact of your core message and potentially leading to confusion or disinterest. Striking the right balance between visuals and text is crucial to ensure that your marketing communication remains clear and effective.

To achieve this harmony, consider limiting the emojis in your message to one or two highly relevant symbols that complement your text and reflect the sentiment you want to evoke. Place the emojis strategically within the message to emphasize crucial points or provide a visual break without cluttering the overall content.

9. Prioritize mobile optimization

With a staggering 76% of all Cyber Week ecommerce traffic in 2022 originating from mobile devices, marketers need to optimize their Black Friday email campaigns for mobile users. Ensuring that your promotional emails are responsive and displayed appropriately on a variety of devices will significantly enhance user experience and increase the likelihood of engagement, conversions, and success.

One great example of a mobile-friendly email campaign is MunchPak’s. It’s highly effective, with two prominent promo codes seamlessly integrated. The campaign also includes specific details about the offer’s expiration, ensuring customers don’t miss out on these exclusive deals.

10. Leverage last-minute reminders for increased action

Last-minute reminders are an effective way to make the most of the Black Friday hype and encourage customers who haven’t yet taken advantage of your promotion to act. By reminding them of the approaching deadline, you create a sense of urgency that prompts hesitating or last-minute shoppers to act before the offer expires.

For example, Nuts, a popular brand for nuts and snacks, used a last-minute reminder in its Black Friday SMS campaign. In this message, Nuts effectively communicated that it was the last chance to participate in its Black Friday sale. The use of a loudspeaker emoji further emphasized the need for prompt action.

When incorporating last-minute reminders into your SMS campaigns, make it clear that the offer is about to expire, creating a sense of urgency that prompts recipients to act immediately or risk missing out. This approach not only boosts engagement but also helps to capture sales from those who may have forgotten or overlooked your initial promotion.

Summary

To wrap up, the Black Friday promotions showcased in this blog post captivated our attention and stood out among the rest. You can take these outstanding examples as a springboard for inspiration when designing your upcoming email and SMS campaigns. In doing so, you’ll be better equipped to create captivating and engaging experiences for your customers during future Black Friday events.

1. Supercharge brainstorming with AI

Brainstorming sessions can be made more productive by integrating generative AI tools. Dotdigital’s WinstonAI can quickly sift through data to uncover trends and insights that can spark creative thinking in your team. This can help to overcome writer’s block and lead to discussions that generate fresh ideas. Be sure to make your prompts consistent and don’t hesitate to put your tool of choice to the test by asking it to deliver more creative ideas than previously. 

2. Embrace moments-based messaging

Moments-based messaging is a highly personalized approach to customer engagement, using AI technology to identify and capitalize on real-time micro-moments throughout the customer journey. By utilizing this method, you can ensure that your marketing campaigns consistently address the demands and desires of your customers, ultimately driving conversions and brand loyalty.

Here’s how you can make the most out of moments-based messaging in 2024: 

Use smarter segmentation

One effective way to optimize your marketing strategy is to use AI-powered segmentation tactics such as eRFM. By analyzing customer engagement levels, as well as the recency and frequency of their interactions with your brand, you can group customers into distinct segments. This helps you better understand their unique characteristics and preferences, allowing you to provide seamless customer experiences that resonate with your target audience on every channel.

Anticipate micro-moments with predictive analytics

AI-powered predictive analytics can reveal key micro-moments throughout the customer journey. These analytics can be used to categorize customers based on their probability of churning or their most likely date of next purchase. With this foresight, your marketing campaigns can proactively address a potential pain point or fulfill a need before your customer even realizes it. By utilizing predictive analytics, you can make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of the curve.

Employ dynamic content

By using AI-powered dynamic content blocks, you can display catalog items that are based on your customer’s shopping and browsing behavior. This will make your emails and product pages feel extra special to the viewer. The dynamic content is generated in real-time, so the experience adapts and updates every time a customer returns to your site or email. This will help increase engagement and drive conversions.

3. Elevate your email content using generative AI

Generative AI can be a game-changer when it comes to creating email content that engages your audience. WinstonAI offers valuable insights to improve the tone of your emails, identify areas that may require additional information, and highlight opportunities to take your email campaign to the next level.

But that’s not all, WinstonAI helps you optimize your email subject lines. By analyzing data from your 25 most recent email sends, it provides three alternative subject lines that are tailored to your brand and campaign style. This personalized approach ensures that your emails stand out and increase your open rates.

4. Upgrade customer support with live chat and AI

Live chat has come a long way in recent years and its capabilities go beyond simple customer service inquiries. Now you can solve customer problems in real-time with live-chat widgets that you can add directly to your website. 

Live chat can customize responses based on customer profiles, history, preferences, and their past interactions. This not only improves the customer experience but also saves valuable time, and resources for marketers and removes the barriers to purchase. 

5. Craft timely connections with triggered messages

Using triggered messages can help you deliver a more timely, personalized, and efficient approach to engaging your audience. These messages, sent in response to specific user actions or behaviors, strengthen customer relationships by providing relevant and valuable content or offers at just the right moment.

For example, consider a customer who adds a product to their online shopping cart but leaves without completing the purchase. An automated message—triggered by cart abandonment—could be sent a few hours later, reminding the customer of their unfinished transaction, offering assistance, or even providing a limited-time discount to incentivize the purchase. This personalized approach not only enhances the customer experience but also drives conversions and fosters brand loyalty.

6. Optimize send times for maximum impact

Are you looking for ways to improve your email marketing campaigns in 2024? If so, you might want to consider send time optimization. The time you send your email could be the difference between someone reading and engaging with your email and someone ignoring it. 

Send time optimization is a strategy that can help you maximize engagement rates by automatically sending emails at the most opportune moments. This AI-powered technology analyzes your contacts’ historical click behavior and finds the best time to send your emails to ensure they are seen and opened. This means you can tailor your send times to specific segments within your contact database, ensuring that your message reaches your audience members when they are most likely to engage. 

By automating your email sends, you can save time and resources that would otherwise be spent on manual scheduling, and this will help you achieve consistently high engagement rates across your campaigns. 

Embrace AI and automation for a winning 2024 marketing strategy

As get closer to 2024, it’s more important than ever to harness the power of AI and marketing automation to stay ahead of the competition. With the help of these cutting-edge technologies, you can streamline your marketing efforts and improve engagement, leading to continued growth and success for your brand. So why wait? Start exploring the possibilities of AI and marketing automation today.

SMS marketing has become a game-changer for businesses looking to engage with their target audience effectively. From high open rates to quick response times, SMS marketing has proven to be a powerful tool. 

So, if you’re looking for a reliable marketing channel that delivers results, keep reading to find out why SMS marketing is shaping up to be the channel of the future.

The growth of mobile usage

According to a report by We Are Social, over two-thirds of the global population now own a mobile phone, and more than half of those are smartphones. With internet access at their fingertips, people are now spending more time on mobile devices than ever before. Statista reports that in 2021, the average time spent on mobile internet was approximately 155 minutes per day.

This widespread adoption of mobile devices has transformed consumer behavior and expectations. Smartphone users have come to rely on their devices for virtually everything – from communication to shopping and entertainment. The always-on nature of mobile phones has conditioned users to expect information to be available instantly.

With more and more people relying on their mobile devices, there has been a shift towards mobile marketing strategies. From SMS marketing to social media campaigns, brands are using mobile marketing to cut through the noise and reach their target audiences on the go. 

6 reasons why SMS marketing is the channel of the future

Let’s explore the six key reasons why SMS marketing is ready to dominate the marketing landscape and become the top choice channel for brands worldwide.

1. High open rates and instant delivery

SMS messaging has proven to be an effective way of reaching out to your target audience. Unlike emails that can get lost in the inbox or even be marked as spam, text messages get immediate attention. Research shows that 98% of SMS messages are opened and read within minutes of being received. This is significantly higher than email marketing, where open rates are usually around 20-30%.

One reason why SMS is so effective is that people have their phones with them at all times. Studies indicate that the average person checks their phone up to 150 times a day. Therefore, when you send an SMS campaign, you’re almost guaranteed to reach your target audience.

Another factor contributing to high open rates is the sense of urgency created by text messages. Unlike emails that can be ignored or deleted without being opened, text messages pop up on the user’s screen immediately and demand attention.

2. Tailored messaging for personalized connection

When it comes to marketing, nothing beats personalization and convenience. With SMS marketing, you can create messages that cater to your customers’ individual preferences and needs, making them feel special and unique.

By collecting customer first and zero-party data such as names, birthdays, and purchase history, you can create SMS messages that truly resonate with your audience. This level of personalization can help you build a strong one-to-one connection with your customers, boosting their loyalty and trust in your brand.

And that’s not all. SMS is one of the most accessible and convenient communication channels out there. No need for an internet connection – your customers can simply receive, read, and reply to your messages by texting back directly. This seamless communication experience bridges the gap between your brand and your audience, making it easier for you to engage with them and drive results.

3. Enhanced customer engagement with SMS and marketing automation

Marketers can significantly improve customer engagement by combining SMS with marketing automation. With automation, you can send timely campaigns to your audience, triggered by customer behavior or actions. For example, if a customer abandons their shopping cart on your website, you can automatically send them an SMS reminder with a special offer to entice them back.

Another way of incorporating SMS into your automation programs is by using ‘resends.’ If a customer hasn’t opened an email within 24 hours, you can switch the channel and trigger an SMS message instead. This increases your touchpoints and the likelihood that your message will be seen. Features like Dotdigital’s one-click SMS tool help marketers save time while giving their carefully crafted campaigns increased exposure.

4. Dynamic and interactive campaigns

Whether you’re looking to drive immediate sales, grow your subscriber list, or promote an event, you can adapt your SMS marketing to your campaign’s goal. From limited-time offers and flash sales to conducting polls and surveys, SMS campaigns allow you to engage your audience directly and interactively, driving desired actions from your customers.

You could even integrate multimedia messaging service (MMS) into your strategy. This will allow you to incorporate visual messages along with text messages. MMS enables brands to create more engaging, attention-grabbing, and vibrant messages compared to standard SMS messages, making a lasting impression on your audience and enhancing their overall experience.

5. Targeted opt-in messaging

SMS marketing is based on the concept of opt-in marketing, meaning your messages are only sent to customers who have given their explicit consent. This ensures targeted communication, eliminates wasted efforts on uninterested users, and enhances your brand’s reputation by respecting customers’ privacy.

While it’s essential to focus on your opted-in customers, it’s equally vital to provide an easy opt-out process for those who no longer wish to receive communications. This demonstrates respect for customer preferences and contributes to a positive brand perception and customer satisfaction.

6. Sky-high ROI with SMS marketing

Achieving exceptional results is the primary objective of any marketing campaign, and this is where SMS marketing truly outshines the competition. SMS marketing consistently provides an impressive return on investment (ROI) for brands, making it increasingly popular among marketing professionals.

One significant factor contributing to its attractiveness is the low cost per text message sent, making SMS marketing an affordable option for businesses of all sizes. Additionally, the ability to track analytics with ease ensures that marketers can monitor the success of their campaigns and adjust strategies as needed.

Future-proof your campaigns with SMS marketing

SMS marketing has become a popular marketing channel for many reasons. It has high open rates, provides personalization, seamlessly integrates with marketing automation, offers dynamic campaign capabilities, allows for targeted opt-in messaging, and boasts an impressive ROI. As a result, it’s quickly becoming the future of marketing. By embracing the potential of SMS marketing, marketers can establish a direct and personal approach to communication and establish a genuine connection with their customers.

Personalization: who, what, when, where, why

Customers nowadays are extremely aware of traditional marketing and sales tactics. Generic batch and blast messaging should be considered a thing of the past with personalization strategies now producing the best results. Personalization can apply to several different areas in your marketing plans. This may include utilizing dynamic content in your messages based on specific data points about your contacts or creating fully customized strategies for distinct customer persona groups.

It’s important to analyze your customers and subscribers to fully understand their wants, needs, preferences, and interests to effectively communicate with them and deliver the right message at the right time to the right person.

Listen to your contacts’ interests and anticipate their needs by using dynamic content based on zero–party data they’ve provided or order data to showcase content they’re interested in such as product types, categories, and attributes. For example, let’s say you sell clothing and shoes online. You can segment your customers by climate regions based on first-party order data and promote products that pertain to their current climate. 

Customers who live in a warm, coastal climate most likely aren’t going to be regularly interested in apparel and shoes such as winter jackets and snow boots. The relevancy of your marketing content is key to boosting engagement and return on investment (ROI) over time. 

An important step in strategizing your marketing plans is determining who you want to target to receive the messages you are sending. Using subscriber data is key to implementing a personalized approach to your marketing activities in Dotdigital. 

Create and send to segments based on the data you have stored such as age, geolocation, customer persona characteristics, purchasing frequency, purchase location (in-store, online, social commerce), predicted churn rate, expressed preferences, survey response data, the list could go on and on. The personalization possibilities are endless and can be very simple to implement into your current and future marketing strategies.

Using artificial intelligence to achieve business goals

Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t anything new, and it’s definitely not going away anytime soon. So, it’s important to understand the practical applications of AI tools you have at your fingertips that can help you achieve business goals, boost conversions, and operational efficiencies. 

Dotdigital’s WinstonAI is a fantastic example of cutting-edge marketing intelligence. We’ve integrated predictive algorithms, state-of-the-art machine learning models, generative AI, persona analysis, data enrichment and more within the platform to empower marketers with AI-powered insights and analytics, captivating content creation, and optimized communications. 

Utilizing AI-powered insights and analytics in your marketing plans and sending strategy can be crucial in the goal of sending the right message at the right time to the right person. Our predictive analytics segmentation tools give you real-time data to create segments and trigger messages based on churn probability, predicted customer lifetime value (CLV), predicted number of upcoming purchases, and predicted next order date. These segmentation tools make it quick and easy to understand where your customers are in the customer lifecycle, target customers with high churn risk and give an attractive offer, reward predicted VIP brand loyalists, and more. 

Generative AI can be beneficial in many ways, a big one being operational efficiency. WinstonAI’s subject line and email campaign assistant helps marketers unleash their creativity by offering subject line and campaign suggestions to create content that is engaging and drives conversions.

WinstonAI offers comprehensive assistance in your copywriting process, providing accurate grammar and spelling checks. This ensures that your marketing campaign’s copy is error-free and frees up time that would otherwise be spent on manual content review processes. With all of these tools combined, you can be confident in your marketing effectiveness, experience increased team autonomy, and let the data-driven results do all the talking. 

AI tools can be extremely helpful in streamlining processes and assisting in idea generation but it’s important to note the constant need for human review. Training generative AI tools, like our subject line and campaign assistant, is an important step in using this type of technology. Generative AI learns from and adapts to the information you feed it so the more feedback you give it, the better it will understand your prompted needs going forward. 

Shifts in consumer expectations

The direct-to-consumer (DTC) playbook of the past 5-10 years has completely shifted. We now have numerous communication channels, and various paths to purchase, and consumers now have more information at their fingertips than ever before, significantly increasing the level of competition. That’s why it’s important that you understand your consumer’s preferences at every point in the customer lifecycle to create an exceptional customer experience. 

Dotdigital’s Marketing Strategist, Brianna Martinez, spoke on a panel with other marketing experts about digital and cross-channel strategies to amplify your brand where they discussed the importance of analyzing your customer base in order to successfully market your brand.

To produce the best experience, you must fully understand who your customers are. Dive deep into your analytical platforms and pull information that you can use to personify and envision your customers or groups of customers to better communicate and provide an experience that they enjoy. Then, dive into researching consumer shopping habits and online behavior characteristics on those persona groupings to begin learning about how they shop and interact with brands before making a purchase.

By building your marketing plans with your brand’s customer personas in mind, you can create an enjoyable, seamless, personalized, cross-channel experience. Here are 6 analytical data points to look for when beginning to develop your customer personas:

1. Demographical analytics

It’s important to examine your audience’s age in depth to gain a better understanding of their behavior. By dividing demographics into generations, you can investigate online shopping patterns that vary by age group. Additionally, analyzing gender-specific data can provide a more comprehensive understanding of your target audience’s interest in the product categories offered by your brand.

2. Location-based data

Location-based data refers to information gathered about a customer’s location, such as their city, state, or zip code. This data plays an important role in developing effective marketing strategies that cater to the specific needs of customers in each region. By understanding their unique climate and location, businesses can tailor their products and services to meet the needs of their customers better. Analyzing location-based data on a country level can also help businesses identify preferred languages, cultural values, and regional expectations, which can further enhance their marketing approach.

3. Device usage

It’s important to keep track of how your audience uses different devices such as mobiles, tablets, and desktops. This helps ensure that your website and digital marketing designs cater to all users. Analyzing this breakdown can significantly improve the overall user experience (UX), making it an essential component of your marketing strategy.

4. Conversion rate data by channel

In today’s customer journey, there are numerous paths to purchase, ranging from email and SMS to social commerce, direct website, or in-app checkout experiences. It’s important to understand where your customers are buying from your brand, how valuable those commerce channels are to your business, and the experience that goes along with them. By doing so, you can improve your strategy by identifying and promoting the preferred paths to purchase and providing relevant communication based on those channels at the right times.

5. Traffic sources

By monitoring the channels driving traffic to your website, you can identify new points of acquisition and understand what communication channels your consumers prefer. Additionally, taking note of other websites and social media sources that direct traffic to your brand can provide valuable insights into your target audience’s interests, preferences, and behaviors.

6. Google Analytics “interests” or“affinity categories

Google Analytics (GA4) offers a user interests section that provides valuable information on your website visitors based on their online journeys and purchasing activities. This data encompasses hobbies, entertainment preferences, and other interest categories like banking, outdoor activities, shopping, DIY, news, politics, and more. By utilizing these insights, you can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the content that will resonate best with your audience.

A personalized cross-channel approach is an important strategy because the everyday consumer is extremely aware of typical marketing and sales tactics. Batch and blast messages are a thing of the past and generic content is irrelevant to most consumers. With this personified, 360-degree view of your customers, you can tailor your marketing to deliver the right message (containing the right content), to the right person at the right time. 

Reflecting on the 2023 Chicago Retail Summit

The 2023 Chicago Retail Summit provided valuable insights and takeaways for retail professionals who want to stay ahead in today’s competitive market. By participating in events like these and engaging in conversations, our team members are better equipped with the latest news, trends, and insights. This knowledge empowers us to assist marketers using the Dotdigital platform and ensure continuous growth and success in the ever-evolving retail industry.

As a result, it would be safe to assume that marketing budgets are reflecting this opportunity. Unfortunately, not. Marketing budgets have shrunk as businesses tighten their purse strings. The average share of a company’s revenue that’s spent on marketing declined to just over 6% in 2021. 

What is customer retention?

Customer retention is an important part of any successful business strategy. It involves building and maintaining positive relationships with your existing customers to keep them coming back. 

What is customer acquisition?

Customer acquisition is the process of acquiring new customers for your company. The goal of customer acquisition is to convert your customers into paying customers who will generate revenue for your company.

Customer acquisition or customer retention?

The rise of marketing opportunities online may make it feel like acquiring new customers and growing your marketing database is the answer to business growth. If there are more customers online looking to discover new brands, then you have a better chance of converting them, right? Not necessarily.  

While the acquisition is still a big priority for a lot of brands, competition is rife. You’re not the only brand to see the revenue opportunities offered by the new increased activity online. Brands like Google, Facebook, and TikTok want to keep users on their channels and clicking on revenue-generating paid ads rather than surfacing new brands organically.  

That means big brands with bigger budgets are the ones succeeding in converting customers. 

It’s also important to note that customer acquisition can be more costly and time-consuming than customer retention – so it’s good to focus on both strategies simultaneously.

The benefits of customer retention

Investing in customer retention is a smart move for any company looking to achieve long-term growth and success. Improving your customer retention has many benefits: 

Reduces rising customer acquisition costs

Research carried out by Profitwell found that customer acquisition costs (CAC) had increased by 60% in the half-decade from 2014 to 2019.  

During the recent pandemic, when online demand for goods first surged, ecommerce giants like Amazon and supermarkets ramped up their tactics, investing massively in paid search and delivery fulfillment. With 74% of online searches starting on Amazon nowadays, it’s been made nearly impossible for brands to compete with these industry leaders for new customer acquisitions.  

Lowers churn rate

When customers leave because they’re unhappy with their experience, it costs businesses money each time they lose one — not only because they have less revenue coming in but also because they have to spend money on marketing campaigns aimed at acquiring new leads (which usually don’t work as well as retaining existing ones).

How to improve customer retention

To retain customers, marketers need to shift their focus from acquisition to retention. The most effective way to do this is by using customer data. Customer data can be used for personalization, improving customer experience, and making data-driven decisions.

Harness your customer data to segment

Your data literally holds all the answers. Want to set your marketing team’s KPIs clearly? Check out your data. Want to know what products or services to develop? Your data will tell you. Want to know which customers are of the highest value? The answer is in your data.  

You can calculate your customer lifetime value (CLV) to help you increase sales and profit as well as boost customer loyalty. It can help identify segments that will generate the most revenue over time, enabling you to justify spending on your marketing campaigns. 

Thankfully, improved data capture, understanding of the importance of first-party data, and better access to predictive analytics tools mean that CLV can be forecast with greater accuracy.  

A great example of this is Dotdigital’s RFM customer modeling tool. By pulling in customer data from across your marketing stack, it intuitively groups customers based on the recency, frequency, and monetary value of their interactions with you. You can then build segments to target high-value and loyal customers or even customers who need nurturing.  

The end goal is to never let a customer go after you have invested in their initial acquisition.  

Whether through CLV, RFM, lead scoring, or NPS, you need to harness your customer data to target the right customer with the right message at the most optimal stage of their journey.  

Personalize your marketing for memorable experiences

Personalization is about more than addressing your email subscribers by their first names. Truly personalized messages and content take user behavior as they interact across your digital touchpoints into account, as do user preferences such as specific product recommendations, choices, and interests. 

This ensures that customers are seeing deals, promotions, and content that is relevant to them, on the channels, and at the frequency, they want to see it.  

Recent research found that customers are 80% more likely to make repeat purchases when brands create personalized experiences. These experiences can be anything from relevant product recommendations, to location-based updates. Overall, personalized communication on your website or in your email marketing campaigns can increase brand loyalty —particularly among millennials—by around 28%.  

Personalized experiences help you nurture your customer relationship by being useful, informative, and relevant to their specific stage in the journey. This will keep customers returning to your brand time and time again, leading to higher retention rates.

The long-term value of customer retention

Marketers must understand the long-term value of customer retention. Nurturing your existing customers is just as vital to your business’ success as acquiring new ones. Not only is it cost-effective, but the likelihood of converting an existing customer is 60–70%, whereas you only have a 5-20% chance of converting new prospects. 

The results will not be immediate, unlike measuring the growth of your marketing list. You need to ask yourself how you can improve the customer experience to keep customers coming back and turning into brand advocates. 

Calculating and tracking CLV and customer behavior will help you identify high-value segments and where you need to direct your marketing resources. In turn, this will ensure you’re getting a higher ROI for your marketing campaigns. Additionally, ongoing data analysis can help you identify trends and set clear KPIs for your marketing team.

Customers want and value personalized experiences. Using your customer data and intent signals, you can segment and target existing customers with experiences tailored to their needs and desires. With a strong core customer base of loyal customers, you will ultimately see customer acquisition rates improve, as they turn into brand advocates and spread the word about your business.