In digital marketing, ‘personalisation’ has become quite a misused word. We often see ads, emails and recommendations that seem tailored for us. It is like brands know what we want, sometimes before we even realise it ourselves. Our devices seem to eavesdrop on our conversations and even thoughts sometimes! While this can be very helpful, it can also feel creepy. It may feel like brands know a little too much and are trying to encroach personal space.

So how to strike the right balance? How can brands personalise their content without invading people’s privacy? Why is personalisation important and how can brands do it right?

Why Personalised Content?

Customer Experience

Which email are you more likely to open? One that starts with your name or one that addresses you as a customer? Which one is more likely to grab your attention? When brands personalise their content, it feels more direct and relatable, as if the brand is talking to you specifically. This makes customers feel valued, an important step towards building loyalty.

Time and Effort

When people see content that is tailored to their interests, they don’t have to go through irrelevant information. For example, if someone wants to buy books and gets recommendations for a new book release or a book sale, that is useful. But if they get ads for say gardening tools when they have no garden, it will just be annoying. Personalised content makes interactions with brands more efficient.

Engagement and Sales

Personalised content definitely leads to higher engagement. When people see content that resonates with them, they’re more likely to interact with it. This could mean clicking on an ad, reading a blog post or making a purchase.

How to Personalise Without Invading Privacy

Permission to Collect Information

One of the simplest ways to respect privacy is to ask for consent before collecting personal information. For example, when people sign up for newsletters or services, brands can ask if they are okay with receiving personalised content. This ensures that people are aware of what they’re signing up for and it also builds trust.

Transparency

It’s essential for brands to be open about what data they are collecting and why. Customers should know how their information is being used. If a company collects data like browsing habits or shopping preferences, it should explain how that data will improve the customer experience. Being honest and clear about data collection helps customers feel more comfortable.

Responsible Use of Data

Just because brands can collect certain data doesn’t mean they should. Brands need to limit the data they gather to what’s necessary. For example, if a clothing company is offering style recommendations, it doesn’t need to know the customer’s entire browsing history. Sticking to relevant information is necessary.

Avoid Over-Personalisation

There is also a thing as too much personalisation. If a brand starts using highly specific details- like where someone lives or their exact browsing history, it can feel intrusive. A little personalisation, like addressing someone by name or offering suggestions based on past purchases can go a long way. But going overboard with specifics can make people uncomfortable and feel like they are being watched.

Provide Options

It is important to give customers control over their personalisation preferences. This could mean offering them the option to opt out of certain types of personalised content. Some people might enjoy receiving personalised product recommendations, while others might prefer more general suggestions. By providing options, brands can respect individual preferences.

Secure Customer Data

No matter how much personalisation a brand uses, it’s crucial to keep customer data safe. Brands must invest in strong cybersecurity measures to protect the personal information they collect. Data breaches can lead to significant trust issues and once that trust is broken, it can be challenging to regain. Therefore, security should always be a top priority when handling personal data.

How Much Personalisation Is Too Much?

Context

Personalisation should always make sense within the context of the brand-customer relationship. For example, an online bookstore should recommend books based on previous purchases. However, if the same bookstore starts suggesting unrelated products like travel packages, it may feel out of place. Always keep the focus on what is relevant to the customer.

Don’t Get Too Personal

There is a fine line between helpful personalisation and getting too personal. For example, using a customer’s name in an email is a common practice that most people are comfortable with. But if a brand starts referencing specific details about someone that weren’t voluntarily shared, it can come off as invasive. For example, if a customer visits a website once and then starts getting ads that refer to the exact items they looked at, it may feel like the brand is tracking their every move.

Test and Adjust

Brands should test their personalised content and gather feedback from customers to see how it’s being received. Are customers engaging with the content or do they feel like their privacy is being invaded? Based on this feedback, brands can adjust their personalisation strategies to ensure they’re striking the right balance.

The Risks of Over-Personalisation

Over-personalisation makes customers feel uncomfortable as well as hurts a brand’s reputation.

When customers feel like a brand is invading their privacy, they lose trust in that brand. This can lead to customers unsubscribing from mailing lists, avoiding the brand and giving a negative review. Trust is the foundation of any customer relationship and once it is lost, it is hard to regain.

If personalisation feels too invasive, customers may stop engaging with a brand altogether. They may ignore personalised emails or avoid clicking on targeted ads. In some cases, over-personalisation can backfire, leading to less engagement rather than more.

Personalisation is a powerful tool that can help brands connect with their audience, increase engagement and boost sales. However, it is essential to find the right balance between personalisation and privacy. Brands must be transparent, respectful and cautious about how much data they collect and use. By doing so, they can provide a personalised experience that enhances the customer journey without crossing the line into invading privacy.