This week’s analysis of Bombora’s Company Surge(R) data showed “real-time personalization,” “brand voice,” and “content personalization” among top five topics

Whether we realize it or not, we are all in the business of content. And the pandemic has exacerbated the proliferation of content due to the corresponding shift to a greater reliance on digital media.

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But not all content — especially digital content — is created equal, and there is an imminent need among marketers to make better versions, improve content marketing ROI and reduce the waste associated with it.

In this week’s analysis of Bombora’s Company Surge(R) data, “real-time personalization,” “brand voice,” and “content personalization” were among the top five trending topics among the MediaPost 500.

When you take the buying habits of today’s customers into consideration, it becomes clear just how important it is to nail personalization, because content, at its core, is the essence of brand reputation and expression.

With extended buying cycles, and more people doing their fair share of desk research before ever encountering a sales representative, the criticality of moving away from one-size-fits-all content developed for all audiences to persona-based content marketing with full-funnel attribution becomes something brands can no longer afford to ignore.

In 2021, you can’t talk about mass marketing and marketing preferences without addressing the topic of privacy.

Intent data showed “opt-out” to be another topic trending among brands in late June. This term refers to several methods by which individuals can avoid receiving unsolicited product or service information, and is often associated with direct marketing campaigns such as email marketing and direct mail.

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Events of the last 18 months forced brands to pivot heavily to email marketing, and the volume increased considerably because it was one of the few channels left for personalized communication at scale.

In fact, 49.1% of brands say they have emailed their customers more frequently than before, while 14.7% reported sending emails less often. It’s no wonder that more customers are exercising their ability to opt out of future communications.

Research tells us that a low percentage of customers respond to opt-in or opt-out requests, regardless of which is present on a form, which means brands should consider the default. While nothing beats a captive and engaged audience that actively chooses to receive communications from your company, brands must always consider the value they’re offering their customers.

As marketers we must earn the right to use customer data to deliver personalized experiences that educate, entertain and delight.

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