Online retailers must reassess how they target shoppers, as half (50%) of UK consumers say the digital content they receive from retailers is “irrelevant.” New research from Optimizely, a leading digital experience platform (DXP), revealed this ahead of this year’s Opticon event in London.
The study, which surveyed 100 marketers and 1,000 consumers in the UK, highlighted a widening gap between customer expectations and the digital experiences they receive. In 2023, 48% of consumers felt the content they received was aligned with their interests; by 2024, that number has dropped to just 42%.
Consumers are also noticing a lack of effective targeting and personalisation across various channels. Only 54% now believe email marketing campaigns are tailored to them, a decrease from 63% in 2023. Similarly, only 59% feel website content is customised, down from 71% last year. Social media content feels personalised to just 55% of consumers, compared to 69% in 2023.
To address these issues, Optimizely’s report urges brands to experiment with new approaches to personalisation. According to the data, 75% of UK marketers believe experimentation is essential for delivering truly personalised content. Additionally, 40% of marketers are leveraging artificial intelligence to create more targeted and customised campaigns.
To better understand user engagement and refine personalization, tools like heatmaps can offer valuable insights into where users interact most, helping retailers focus on content that resonates and discard what’s irrelevant.
Optimizely’s findings emphasize the importance of refining personalisation strategies and investing in experimentation. By doing so, marketers can discover new methods to improve targeting and increase the relevance of their digital communications.
“Personalisation is a powerful tool for retailers, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach,” said Shafqat Islam, President of Optimizely. “Most brands use some form of personalisation technology, but they aren’t evolving fast enough to meet rising customer expectations. Marketers need to focus on optimising their personalisation efforts by investing in experimentation to find new ways to enhance targeting and maximise relevance.”
Optimizely offers robust testing, AI-driven optimisation, and customer data tools to help marketers create and deliver personalised experiences that boost revenue and brand loyalty. For more information about the upcoming Opticon London event, visit optimizely.com/opticon.