The Do's & Don’ts when creating an adaptive website

Another day, another story... Or should I say, another Tuesday, another chapter in our series on personalization. Our Tuesday routine is now heading towards its second to last article on the 9th.

In our recent piece, we finished up our exploration into the Blueprint—a helpful guide for building an adaptive website - talking about the creation of initiative cards to simplify a multitude of ideas into actionable tasks.

Today, we're taking on the role of a wise mentor, sharing some tips to help you implement an adaptive website strategy effectively. Imagine us as your guide, a bit like Master Miyagi, the legendary figure you may recall from the "Karate Kid" movie in 1984. For the uninitiated - hope you are just a few - Mr. Miyagi is a smart martial arts expert who teaches in unique ways, like getting his student, Daniel, to do everyday tasks that turn out to be crucial martial arts moves—remember the waxing and painting scenes?

Don’t worry, we won't make you do anything unconventional like waxing on or waxing off. We're just here to offer you eight quick wins, some handy tips to best optimize your approach. Let’s start with our Do’s and Don’ts when creating an adaptive website.

❌ DON’T create too many segments

And here we really sound like Master Miyagi because the first tip echoes his advice to Daniel: “Whole life have a balance. Everything be better”. In a nutshell, balance is key. Instead of trying to cater to every individual preference, aim for a balance in the number of segments created.

While personalization is crucial, it's equally important to streamline your efforts by focusing on personalized content that resonates with the majority of your customers. Striking this balance ensures your efforts are efficient and effective in meeting the collective preferences of your audience.

👍 DO focus on customer intent, not just demographic data.

Even though knowing basic details about your customers is helpful, taking a closer look at how they behave and what they want gives you a better understanding of their needs. Demographic data gives you the who, but analyzing customer behavior and intent gives you the why behind their actions.

By paying attention to how customers interact with your products and figuring out what drives them, businesses can fine-tune their strategies. In simple terms, while basic data gives you a quick look, understanding behavior and intent offers a more detailed and dynamic view of your customers, making it easier to make smart decisions and engage with them in a way that matters.

❌ DON’T forget to measure your results

Making sure your adaptive website succeeds means regularly checking how well it's doing. By consistently measuring its performance, you can spot areas that might need improvement. The data collected from performance measurements becomes a goldmine of information, allowing you to make smart choices about content, user experience, and overall functionality.

Keeping an eye on performance not only ensures your website stays in sync with what your audience wants but also helps you refine how you reach them, guaranteeing a smooth and enjoyable online journey for your visitors.

👍 DO set up an adaptive website from the start

Including adaptive content right from the beginning is super important for optimizing opportunities and making your strategy really effective. If you skip this step, you might miss out on some great chances, end up with a less effective strategy, and might even delay getting adaptive content in place.

When you kick off with adaptive content, you get a clear picture of your audience. Knowing what they like, how they act, and what catches their attention helps you tweak your messages and methods accordingly. This early inclusion sets you up for better engagement with your audience, meaning they're more likely to get involved. The result? Not just more interaction but a better shot at reaching your business goals. Starting off with adaptive content gives you a solid foundation that can adapt as your audience changes, ensuring you stay successful in the long run.

❌DON’T be static. Adjust your targeting strategy over time

Keep in mind that your audience isn't set in stone and will change over time. To stay on top of these changes, it's important to be proactive. Regularly monitor and analyze your targeting performance, so you can see if they match up with what your audience likes now. On top of that, do some thorough market research to understand the bigger picture. Look into trends, what your competitors are up to, and how consumers are behaving.

Also, don't forget to ask your audience directly for feedback. Having an open line of communication lets you understand their specific needs and preferences. This way, you can adjust your strategies to match what your audience really wants.

👍 DO promote collaboration between teams

Getting an adaptive website up and running needs teamwork between your marketing, product, and IT teams. To ensure everyone's on the same page, building a collaborative culture is important. This means not just talking now and then but setting up regular communication, like team meetings and workshops where everyone can pitch in.

Regular team meetings and cross-functional workshops give everyone a chance to share ideas, updates, and tackle any challenges that pop up. This teamwork approach ensures that each team isn't working separately but is working together towards the same goal.

❌ DON’T underestimate privacy concerns

When you're targeting specific groups of customers, it's super important to handle their privacy concerns carefully. Before you gather or use their personal info, always get their clear permission first. Be open and honest about how you're going to use their data. This not only follows the rules but also shows that your business is committed to ethical and responsible practices, building trust with our your customers.

👍 DO listen to customer feedback

At Prepr, we make it a priority to really listen to our customers. We host roundtable sessions throughout the year to hear their thoughts on how we can improve. Remember, there's a difference between just hearing and truly listening – it means paying attention. Oh boy, we fully embraced the wisdom of master Miyagi.

Jokes aside, listening to what your customers have to say is super important for making your targeting efforts better. Actively seeking and valuing their opinions helps you tweak your strategies and offerings. Making adjustments based on this info makes your customers happier overall. Plus, when customers see that their feedback leads to improvements, it builds trust and loyalty. They feel a stronger connection to your brand because they know you're listening.

This is it. As we say our goodbyes, we’re a bit sad as this is the last time we’ll say it - see you next Tuesday for our last article of this personalization series. We’ll explore the three ways to develop your adaptive website: build-it-yourself, develop a multi-system platform, or implement a CMS with adaptive content. So let the countdown begin – see you next week!

Getting started with Personalization

Now, are you ready to dive into Personalization? Starting your journey to personalize your website is easier than you think. If you're keen on the benefits of segment-based personalization, check out The Complete Guide to Getting Started with Personalization. You will learn how to create a personalized website with adaptive content that meets your visitors’ needs while boosting conversion by 30% or more.