What difference does a personalised website make?

Incessant mobile phone usage might be hindering interpersonal communication, but the way in which we use website technology has shifted to the point where a personalised experience is now preferred – and expected – by the user.

A personalised website is one which tailors content to specific visitors so that every visitor’s needs are met at the right time.

A Infosys report states that 74% of customers feel frustrated if website content is not personalised, and that percentage is only likely to increase. We all want to feel special. We all want to be treated as an individual, as a human being, even when browsing an e-commerce site. This is the nub of the answer to the question: what difference does a personalised website make? To the website users of today, it makes all the difference in the world.

When a user visits a website, there is often a ‘what’s in it for me’ mentality. People lead busy lives; the time they spend online is limited. When browsing a website, a user wants to be directed to their goal straightaway and without complication. A personalised website will help to make the user feel special, feel appreciated, while smoothing the path to conversion.

Every business needs a website, and every business needs to present their customers with a personalised website – one which appears bespoke to every visitor. A website that delivers a personalised experience is important to the user – but also to the business itself.

Why website personalisation is important for your business

According to Gartner, ​personalisation engines will allow online businesses to boost their profits by 15%. For a business, establishing your point of difference and standing out from the crowd of competition is becoming increasingly challenging, so a personalised website is key.

A personalised website will:

• Improve customer retention – the value of repeat business and customer loyalty must never be underestimated. Repeat business is just as valuable as new business. A personalised website will help you foster strong relationships with visitors and customers, and build a good reputation in the eyes of visitors.
• Increase conversions – personalised content and personalised customer journeys have been shown to increase conversions. If you catch a visitor at the right stage of the lifecycle and present them with the right message, they are more likely to convert. The human-to-human touch is crucial to achieve high conversion rates.
• Boost engagement – if a visitor is presented with information which chimes with their interests, they will be more likely to remain on your site, and therefore more likely to engage. Engagement can mean anything from signing up to receive a newsletter to downloading a free guide.
• Boost digital marketing efforts – this comes back to customer retention and the importance of brand familiarity, brand recognition and trust, all of which can be improved through digital marketing. Personalised content will aid your digital marketing efforts, from custom audience retargeting on Facebook to personalised landing page copy and call to actions.

Personalised customer journeys

Customer personalisation technology has been adopted by some of the world’s most influential companies and honed to perfection. Both Netflix and Amazon utilise data to construct a personalised experience for each customer.

Netflix looks at a user’s past activity and proposes alternative TV shows they might enjoy, while Amazon demonstrates just how persuasive recommendation engines can be by suggesting other items a user might be interested in based on what they’ve previously browsed or bought. The recommendation system, which essentially pushes relevant products before the eyes of users encouraging them to purchase items they didn’t even know they needed, increases Amazon’s revenue and builds customer loyalty.

​How to create personalised experiences for your website visitors

Google Analytics allows you to track site users’ journeys and to better understand your audience and how they engage. Your website can then be personalised in multiple ways.

These include:

• Usability – the quality of the user experience is closely linked with website design and personalisation. Website personalisation is not only concerned with content, processes should also be personalised to guarantee the best experience for each user. Usability and the user experience refers to how successfully the site functions for the individual user. The more personalised the website, the better its functionality.
• Mobile-responsive design – we live in a mobile-first world, and businesses need to capture and engage their mobile audience as well as their desktop audience. A mobile-responsive website is a must for businesses across all areas of industry.
• Content marketing – your website content, whether it be blog articles or videos, should offer value and be relevant for your target audience.
• Localisation – the customer experience can be tailored to complement the location of the user by way of transcreation. Websites need to be truly global, adapting accordingly to the location of every user.
• Live chat – make sure this feature benefits the customer, not the company.
• Social networking sites – social media is an essential element of online marketing. Businesses can use sites like Facebook to segment their audience and remarket a particular message to a pre-defined pool of people.

​A personalised website makes all the difference to the majority of customers and to a business itself. Our advice? Be more focused on your audience and their needs and less focused on the whims of your brand.