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Social media advertising has always been a fast-paced industry and brands are forced to adapt to an ever-evolving environment or risk drowning in digital oblivion.

Advances in technology, combined with the fickle behaviour of audiences, puts businesses under constant pressure to innovate and disrupt if they want to keep up pace and build on previous successes.

Whether it’s product developments, such as the introduction of Instagram Reels, or changes to the law (remember something called GDPR?), social advertising will always exist in a state of change or what we like to call a big fluffy ball of chaos.

Social media advertising is no exception, and an effective tool to generate leads and build customer trust. But to unleash the full power of the platform personalisation has and remains key. Whilst the road to rolling out personalised campaigns has always been rocky, and 2021 doesn’t necessarily deliver new ideas, we’re starting to see more sophisticated uses emerge that benefit small and larger brands alike.

We quiz Paid Advertising Strategist, Rhiannon, on what personalisation tools brands should be thinking about right now.

Why personalisation is so important for the future of marketing

Despite some people still being afraid of sharing data with digital marketers, most consumers nowadays are happy to volunteer their information in exchange for a more personalised online experience. With the vast amounts of insights about their audiences available at their fingertips, marketers are all too happy to oblige.

Consumer behaviour such as social media activity, purchase history and link clicks increasingly informs the emails, content and products of companies. From Amazon suggesting similar products and Netflix emailing us about shows we may like to the detailed profiles Facebook and Google use to personalise our digital experience, tailored content is everywhere.

Really, it’s no wonder that social media marketing will continue to take full advantage of this trend. It’s more profitable for businesses to create social campaigns that reach the right audiences with the right content. But it’s also more convenient for users to see ads targeting their specific interests. It is really a win-win situation, and customers will likely continue to take advantage of this pro quo.

Personalisation and customer loyalty

The personalised approach to online marketing goes beyond conversion. More and more customers share that they favour companies that put personalised offers in front of them for impulse and repeat purchases alike. So, if you want to become a preferred brand, personalisation is the way to get ahead of competitors.

In fact, serving personalised offers and exclusive information tailored to their interests will entice past customers to return for more. With 50 percent of consumers surveyed by Smart Focus reporting they will utilise retailers who personalise their offering again, using personalisation to build customer loyalty is a no brainer.

Social listening

Another rapidly growing trend which is closely tied with the overarching theme of personalisation is social listening. Social monitoring describes scanning social media and the wider web for any mentions of your brand name and relevant industry keywords. From social platforms to blogs and news sites, what you are looking for is a discourse that signals consumer interest in your product or service.

In addition to acting as a reputation management tool, social listening helps improve customer service by creating a more tailored experience for customers. With social media listening, you can learn more about your clients and find new leads, which you can target with personalised ads.

These ad campaigns will have better conversion than more generic alternatives, especially if you paired them with an offering you’ve improved based on the feedback people share online. In fact, 2020 has been the year we saw marketers take up social media listening as a social selling and lead generation tool, capitalising on its ability to find social media users looking for the exact thing they offer.

In conclusion

The importance of personalisation as a tool to increase revenue is set to grow exponentially over the next couple of years.

New technological advancements and social factors alike will continue to influence marketing strategies as we make our way through the New Year. Thorough audience research and adaptability, along with the new tools that will emerge, will allow you to make the most of the opportunities these trends offer.

Get in touch with our team to learn how we can help you personalise your social media marketing.

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