Dynamic Content: Making Big Data Work For Your Website
Have you heard of dynamic website content? This evolving technology is about revolutionizing the online experience for users, leading to higher conversions for businesses! Dynamic content generation means that website content changes for each user, resulting in a personalized website experience. This is in contrast to static content that is consistent for every user, which is how websites have historically functioned.
An effective use of dynamic content is the targeted ads we see daily on Google, Facebook, and many websites. Targeted ads focus on specific traits of the consumer to ensure that what gets advertised is in some way relevant to the individual viewing it. The use of targeted ads leads to better utilization of ad budgets since ad space isn’t being wasted displaying products to consumers who have no interest in them in the first place.
Website visitors quickly bounce if they don’t see what they are looking for within a matter of seconds. For larger sites or companies with large and very diversified product categories, this can be a difficult challenge due to the sheer amount of content they have to manage. Tailoring content to a user’s specific needs by directing them immediately to the information they are searching for will translate to a larger customer base with increased sales opportunities and lower bounce rates.
There are 3 ways websites achieve dynamic content:
- On-Site Triggers: You are able to define key triggers which launch website pop-ups, change header graphics, or even change your site navigation based on the time or user’s on-site behaviour, such as what pages they click or forms they fill out.
- Explicitly Available Data: Your website experience can begin with an optional form which asks users key information in order to tailor the site experience towards them. You may want to ask them what industry they work in, what product or service they desire, or questions related to their personal taste. Upon completing the form your site navigation may change, they may receive unique offers, or you can direct them to a specific page.
- Anonymous Available Data: Newer dynamic content providers are offering personalization based on anonymous data collected from the user’s I.P. address, mobile device, or collected from website cookies. Though the idea of providing personalized content to users on their first visit sounds tempting, this technology is still in it infancy stage, with information often being inaccurate.
Personalization is achieved through collecting and reviewing the data users generate while accessing the internet. Users’ digital trails grow as they access websites and over time provides enough information to fill in the blanks needed to deliver personalized content. Examples of this information being collected include the following:
- Location (IP address geo-location, or GPS tracking from mobile devices)
- Device type, model, and brand.
- Web browser
- Search terms which directed users to a website
- Pages visited, when, and for how long
- On-site purchase history
- Public social network profile
There are many great ways to utilize dynamic content to improve conversion. Some examples include the following:
- Showing a user the inventory stock of a product by using their location to determine the closest retail store
- Changing the language based on the user’s location.
- Changing the default displayed currency based on the user’s location.
- Using search words to filter out products being listed.
- Show products related to what users are currently viewing.
- Targeted promotions, and call-to-actions.
- Email newsletters with content customized to user interests.
It is important to keep in mind that there are challenges with implementing dynamic content on a website. For starters, dynamic content cannot be cached by a web browser. This can have a negative impact on site speed since data must be generated and retrieved from a web server each time a page is viewed. Another challenge is dealing with privacy concerns. Dynamic content can trigger fears about how personal information is being used by a business. Users will want to know what data is being collected, how it is being used by the business and who the business is sharing this data with. These concerns can be addressed with a privacy policy page explaining the business’ intentions in simple terms.
Dynamically generated personalized content is a great way to increase website conversion, and gain a competitive edge in your industry. However, you must be wary of the limitations and risks involved with this technology. Let’s talk about how dynamic personalization can help your business achieve its goals, and if it is the right solution for you.
