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Measuring CDP adoption: A comprehensive framework

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Measuring CDP adoption: A comprehensive framework

Implementing a customer data platform (CDP) is no small investment. And, to paraphrase Spiderman, with great investment comes great expectations from the C suite. What they are going to want to know is also the hardest to answer: “Are we seeing value from our CDP, and what is the ROI?” 

Many studies prove CDPs drive business value. They do this by:

  • Building an omni-present single customer view.
  • Creating consistent experiences across channels.
  • Informing the delivery of personalized content.
  • Providing real-time access to customer profiles. 
  • Eliminating redundancies through technology platform consolidation.
  • Creating efficiencies through automation and time to activation.

However, they do this in conjunction with other systems, not on their own. This makes it difficult to understand the value contribution and prove ROI. But the following framework will help you assess its value.

Dig deeper: What is a CDP and how does it give marketers the coveted ‘single view’ of their customers?

The CDP adoption framework

Driving greater CDP adoption guarantees additional business benefit. Adoption is straightforward to understand and measure, provided you use a comprehensive framework which looks at: 

  • Platform utilization. 
  • Organizational adoption.
  • ROI tied to CDP-powered activations.

This framework will provide quantitative and qualitative data to inform your understanding of:

  • How far your organization has come.
  • How far it needs to go to reach your ideal maturity level.
  • What you need to do to get there. 

Each CDP has its distinct collection of capabilities. That said, several categories of utilization can be analyzed for any platform as part of a universal adoption framework.

Here’s how to assess each of those seven categories.

Data availability

Your CDP is only as good as the data residing within it. The following chart shows how to assess your data.

CDP - data availability

Integrations

Your CDP fuels the experiences you create with customers through inbound or outbound channels. To create coordinated experiences consistently, it must collaborate with all key platforms, including:

  • Platforms that decide what is most relevant.
  • Platforms that deliver those prescribed experiences. 

Your CDP must continually augment profiles with signals captured from inbound and outbound interactions. 

A well-integrated CDP connects with platforms that support relevant-time decisions without information gaps.

A CDP that isn’t designed with interoperability will not provide the level of maturity required to achieve what most organizations desire — real-time optimization at the moment of interaction.

Dig deeper: What is identity resolution and how are platforms adapting to privacy changes?

Platform features ​

The features available in any platform typically fall into two categories:

  • Features that were priorities in your buying evaluation.
  • Those that were not. 

Too often, we find that those ancillary features are forgotten and under-leveraged. 

For instance, just because you have a more advanced site personalization platform doesn’t mean you can’t find opportunities to leverage out-of-the-box site personalization capabilities. They are usually fast to implement as the integration is pre-built.

User community access

While marketers are usually the driving force behind adoption, CDPs aren’t just for them. It is essential to drive use of the CDP by people outside of the marketing department. This requires education and strategic partnerships.

The fact is that CDP intelligence can have more impact on sales or customer service programs than on marketing which is accustomed to using rich first-party data.

The responsibility for successful CDP adoption doesn’t fall only on marketing and IT stakeholders. A team focused on CDP success must include marketing, IT, marketing analytics, sales, agencies, product, service, creative and even legal teams to establish and refine new processes for providing customer experiences.

Audience management

This can be evaluated by looking at the following:

  • Access How broadly accessible are audiences across touchpoints, and how much are they being used in the platforms that are creating experiences?
  • Automation Leveraging more advanced techniques (i.e., creating event-driven audiences for use within journeys or automated delivery of audiences to activation platforms) allows for more time to support common urgent needs that arise within an organization.
  • Time to campaign How long does moving from ideation to campaign design to implementation take? A CDP should accelerate the process. But the more manual data and platform work required, the less efficient the process will be.
  • Use of machine learning (ML) When injected into audience management methodology, predictive modeling will increase the sophistication most marketers aspire to achieve in their personalization goals.

Activations

Simply leveraging a CDP within customer experience programs doesn’t fully indicate how well an organization has adopted a platform. What you need to do is measure the ROI from use cases enabled directly by the CDP is achievable with some discipline.

Whenever possible, leverage existing measurement methodologies and infrastructure to compare results from activations before and after using the CDP. Create a plan that clearly captures the KPIs, audience, creative and test group sizing before execution. Ensure all platforms and integrations are configured appropriately to support the execution and data capture required for the test.

Identity resolution​

Every CDP promises a single customer view (SCV). SCV can’t be accomplished without identity resolution, no matter the nuances in your data or mix of offline and online identifiers. 

Ensure you’ve established comprehensive rules for stitching together all identifiers across all data sources. More importantly, all identifying events occurring throughout any part of the customer experience must be adequately handled by the platforms delivering those experiences. 

Those platforms must capture all identifiers and their associations and provide that information to the CDP’s identity resolution processes.

Scoring your CDP

CDP adoption scorecard

Quantitative output

In looking across the above categories in the framework, record your current and future state maturity on a scale of 1-5.

It’s important to understand that it’s unrealistic for every (any!) organization to score a 5 within all categories. This scoring should not be arbitrary. 

At Actable, we have established clear definitions of maturity across multiple subcategories within each category we use in the scoring rubric. Define these guidelines before scoring to ensure you are objectively scoring individually or by committee.

Qualitative output

As you look at the gap between your current state and target state maturities, what areas do you need to focus on closing this gap? 

Perhaps data quality is holding you back. Or you need to prioritize building that missing integration that will enable a better understanding of customers.

Or it’s time to implement a test of that capability or channel that you always considered a nice-to-have.


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Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.

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Take back your ROI by owning your data

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Treasure Data 800x450

Treasure Data 800x450

Other brands can copy your style, tone and strategy — but they can’t copy your data.

Your data is your competitive advantage in an environment where enterprises are working to grab market share by designing can’t-miss, always-on customer experiences. Your marketing tech stack enables those experiences. 

Join ActionIQ and Snowplow to learn the value of composing your stack – decoupling the data collection and activation layers to drive more intelligent targeting.

Register and attend “Maximizing Marketing ROI With a Composable Stack: Separating Reality from Fallacy,” presented by Snowplow and ActionIQ.


Click here to view more MarTech webinars.


About the author

Cynthia RamsaranCynthia Ramsaran

Cynthia Ramsaran is director of custom content at Third Door Media, publishers of Search Engine Land and MarTech. A multi-channel storyteller with over two decades of editorial/content marketing experience, Cynthia’s expertise spans the marketing, technology, finance, manufacturing and gaming industries. She was a writer/producer for CNBC.com and produced thought leadership for KPMG. Cynthia hails from Queens, NY and earned her Bachelor’s and MBA from St. John’s University.

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Revolutionizing Auto Retail: The Game-Changing Partnership Between Amazon and Hyundai

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Revolutionizing Auto Retail: The Game-Changing Partnership Between Amazon and Hyundai

Revolutionizing Auto Retail The Game Changing Partnership Between Amazon and Hyundai

In a groundbreaking alliance, Amazon and Hyundai have joined forces to reshape the automotive landscape, promising a revolutionary shift in how we buy, drive, and experience cars.

Imagine browsing for your dream car on Amazon, with the option to seamlessly purchase, pick up, or have it delivered—all within the familiar confines of the world’s largest online marketplace. Buckle up as we explore the potential impact of this monumental partnership and the transformation it heralds for the future of auto retail.

Driving Change Through Amazon’s Auto Revolution

Consider “Josh”, a tech-savvy professional with an affinity for efficiency. Faced with the tedious process of purchasing a new car, he stumbled upon Amazon’s automotive section. Intrigued by the prospect of a one-stop shopping experience, Josh decided to explore the Amazon-Hyundai collaboration.

The result?

A hassle-free online car purchase, personalized to his preferences, and delivered to his doorstep. Josh’s story is just a glimpse into the real-world impact of this game-changing partnership.

Bridging the Gap Between Convenience and Complexity

Traditional car buying is often marred by complexities, from navigating dealership lots to negotiating prices. The disconnect between the convenience consumers seek and the cumbersome process they endure has long been a pain point in the automotive industry. The need for a streamlined, customer-centric solution has never been more pressing.

1701235578 44 Revolutionizing Auto Retail The Game Changing Partnership Between Amazon and Hyundai1701235578 44 Revolutionizing Auto Retail The Game Changing Partnership Between Amazon and Hyundai

Ecommerce Partnership Reshaping Auto Retail Dynamics

Enter Amazon and Hyundai’s new strategic partnership coming in 2024—an innovative solution poised to redefine the car-buying experience. The trio of key developments—Amazon becoming a virtual showroom, Hyundai embracing AWS for a digital makeover, and the integration of Alexa into next-gen vehicles—addresses the pain points with a holistic approach.

In 2024, auto dealers for the first time will be able to sell vehicles in Amazon’s U.S. store, and Hyundai will be the first brand available for customers to purchase.

Amazon and Hyundai launch a broad, strategic partnership—including vehicle sales on Amazon.com in 2024 – Amazon Staff

This collaboration promises not just a transaction but a transformation in the way customers interact with, purchase, and engage with their vehicles.

Pedal to the Metal

Seamless Online Purchase:

  • Complete the entire transaction within the trusted Amazon platform.
  • Utilize familiar payment and financing options.
  • Opt for convenient pick-up or doorstep delivery.
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Hyundai’s Cloud-First Transformation:

  • Experience a data-driven organization powered by AWS.
  • Benefit from enhanced production optimization, cost reduction, and improved security.

Alexa Integration in Next-Gen Vehicles:

  • Enjoy a hands-free, voice-controlled experience in Hyundai vehicles.
  • Access music, podcasts, reminders, and smart home controls effortlessly.
  • Stay connected with up-to-date traffic and weather information.

Driving into the Future

The Amazon-Hyundai collaboration is not just a partnership; it’s a revolution in motion. As we witness the fusion of e-commerce giant Amazon with automotive prowess of Hyundai, the potential impact on customer behavior is staggering.

The age-old challenges of car buying are met with a forward-thinking, customer-centric solution, paving the way for a new era in auto retail. From the comfort of your home to the driver’s seat, this partnership is set to redefine every step of the journey, promising a future where buying a car is as easy as ordering a package online.

Embrace the change, and witness the evolution of auto retail unfold before your eyes.


Revolutionizing Auto Retail The Game Changing Partnership Between Amazon and Hyundai

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How to Schedule Ad Customizers for Google RSAs [2024]

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How to Schedule Ad Customizers for Google RSAs [2024]

It’s no wonder that responsive search ads have steadily grown in popularity in recent years. Through Google’s machine learning capabilities, RSAs provide a powerful way to automate the testing of multiple headlines and descriptions to ensure a closer match to user intent. The benefits are clear: RSAs mean broader reach, better engagement, and improved performance metrics.

However, all these benefits come at a significant (but reasonable) cost – they can be extremely difficult to manage, especially when it comes to updating ad copy to promote limited time offers.

I know this firsthand – I work with several ecommerce clients with promotions that constantly change. Not too long ago, I found myself going through the consistently tedious process of updating a client’s RSA headlines and copy. As I was making the changes, I thought to myself: “There must be a better way to update this ad copy. I shouldn’t have to use find and replace so many times while pausing and enabling my ad campaigns.”

After expressing this to my colleague, Jordan Stambaugh, the two of us agreed there must be a better way. But we’d have to make it happen. A few weeks later, we put that idea into action and created a more efficient process for updating RSA ad copy on a scheduled basis. If you want to try this process for yourself, just keep reading.

Responsive Search Ad Customizers 101: Basic Options & Execution

Before diving into the process of scheduling automatic updates for your RSA customizers, it’s essential to understand some key Responsive Search Ad fundamentals.

First, you can customize three main options within RSAs: the Attribute Name, the Data Type, and the Account Value. Each of these plays a vital role in personalizing your ads:

  • Attribute Name: This is essentially the identifier for the customizer. It is how you’ll reference the specific piece of information you’re customizing within the ad. For instance, if you’re running a promotion, you might name an attribute “Promotion.”
  • Data Type: This indicates the kind of data the attribute represents and it determines how the information can be formatted and used within the ad. Common data types include Text (for plain, non-numeric text), Percent (to represent percentage discounts), Price (to denote monetary values), and Number (for any numerical value).
  • Account Value: This is the default value for the attribute that you set at the account level. It acts as a fallback if more specific values aren’t provided at the campaign or ad group level.

For example, if you wanted to promote a 10% off discount using RSAs, you’d use the “Discount” attribute, a data type of “Percent,” and an account value of “10% off.” Then, when someone is searching for products, Google would test automatically inserting a copy regarding a 10% off promotion into your ad.

Once you’ve set up the right customization options, you can start to format your RSAs with customizers.

Here’s how:

  • Start by typing in {
  • Click on Ad Customizer then select your attribute
  • Google will populate your attributes that are already uploaded
  • For a simple offer, use the “Default text” attribute as a catch-all. This will ensure your ads run smoothly if Google can’t pull the right messaging from your RSA feed

 

 

How to Schedule Your Ad Customizers with a Feed

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s cover how to schedule your ad customizers.

Just follow this three step process:

1. Create the feed

Start by creating two sheets: The Parent sheet, and the Child sheet. The “Parent” sheet will act as the primary data source, while the child sheet will pull data from the parent sheet.

We’ll start by building the parent sheet. After opening the sheet, start by renaming the active tab to “Promotions.” Don’t skip this step, it’s crucial for referencing this range in formulas later on.

In your “Promotions” tab, head to the top row and label columns A, B, and C with the headers of your ad customizer attributes. For example, you might have “BrandSaleHeadline” as your attribute in column A, “text” as the Data Type in column B, and “Shop the Collection” as the Account Value in column C.

Once your headers are in place, move to cell C2. Here, you’ll input the expression =lookup(today(),F:G,E:E). This formula will play a key role in dynamically updating your RSA customizer based on the current date.

Next, go to columns E, F, and G, which will be used to manage your scheduling. In these columns, you’ll list out the different values your chosen attribute might take, alongside their corresponding start and end dates. For example, under the “BrandSaleHeadline” attribute, you might schedule various promotional headlines to appear during different sale periods throughout the year.

Here’s how your sheet might look:

Now look back at the first 3 columns on your sheet. They should look like this:

Now create a second sheet. We’ll call this sheet the Child sheet. It’s going to automatically pull in data from the parent sheet you just created, and will be the one you link to Google Ads later on.

Columns A, B and C will be almost identical to the child sheet, but we will be using a special formula later so we can automatically populate this. So, start by labeling Row 1 Column A “Attribute,” then the next column as “Data type,” then column C as “Account value.” 

Then go to C2 and use this expression to populate the right account value from the parent document: =importrange(“[PARENT DOCUMENT URL HERE]”,”Promotions!C2″)

Your sheet should now look like this:

We recommend adding a date range with default text for any days you’re  not running a promotion. In the example above, we have “Shop Our Collection” appearing as default text.

2. Input attributes

Once you have your feed created, the next step involves inputting your attributes into the Google Ads platform. This can be done either manually or through a bulk upload.

For the manual approach, navigate to “Tools & Settings” in your Google Ads interface, then go to ‘Setup’ followed by “Business Data.” Here, you’ll find an option for “Ad Customizer Attributes.” Click the plus sign to add your attributes. It’s crucial to use the same attribute names that you’ve established in your Parent Google Sheet template to ensure consistency and proper data synchronization.

 

 

Alternatively, if you prefer the bulk upload method, again head to “Tools & Settings.” This time, select “Bulk Actions” and then “Uploads.” For this process, you only need to upload columns A to C from your template. 

Be aware that it might take some time for your uploaded attributes to be reflected in the business data section of Google Ads.

3. Set up an automatic schedule

At this point, you’ve almost finished scheduling your ad customizers. Navigate to Tools & Settings, then Bulk Actions, then Uploads, then click the Schedules tab at the top. Select your Child Google Sheet as the data source, and share your Google Sheet with the appropriate email.

 

 

And there you have it – Google will automatically pull in the data you populated in the sheets into your RSAs.

Common Challenges When Scheduling RSA Ad Customizers

When we test these sheets with our clients in the wild, we’ve uncovered five common challenges. Be on the lookout for these issues – solving them before they happen can save you a lot of trouble down the line.

Not scheduling your upload when the site changes 

The first and most significant hurdle is the mismatch between the scheduled data upload and website content updates. For instance, if the Google Sheet is set to upload at 11 am, but the website changes occur at 3 pm, there’s going to be a discrepancy where the wrong message could be displayed for several hours, or new messaging could appear prematurely. Conversely, if the website updates happen before the scheduled sheet upload, outdated promotions might linger until the new data is imported. Synchronizing these schedules is crucial; it’s best to align them so updates occur simultaneously.

Skipping QA during a message change

Another pitfall is neglecting quality assurance (QA) during message updates. It’s vital to regularly check the business data section to verify that the correct values are in place post-update.

Issues with the IMPORTRANGE function

Then there’s the technical aspect of setting up the IMPORTRANGE function correctly in the Google Sheets template. The ‘child’ template must reliably pull data from the ‘parent’ sheet. If this function isn’t configured correctly, data won’t be imported as needed.

Not sharing access of the Google template for automatic uploads

Pay attention to your access permissions for the Google Sheets template. Google will prompt you with the email address that needs permission to access the ‘child’ sheet for automatic uploads. Overlooking the sharing of your sheet with this address will prevent the system from working.

Having date range gaps in your parent sheet

Lastly, a common oversight is leaving date range gaps in the ‘parent’ sheet. Every single date must be accounted for without overlaps. A practical tip is to have an ‘evergreen’ backup message ready, scheduled to run continuously, ideally through the end of the year, to cover any potential gaps.

Conclusion

Leveraging Google Sheets in conjunction with Google Ads to schedule RSA ad customizers is a game-changer for managing dynamic promotional content. This process not only streamlines your workflows but also ensures that your ads remain relevant and up-to-date, reflecting current promotions without the need for constant manual intervention. 

By adopting this method, you’ll save significant time and effort, allowing you to focus more on strategy and less on the minutiae of ad copy updates. Give it a try and experience a more efficient way to manage your RSAs, keeping your campaigns fresh and engaging with minimal hassle.

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