The rise of first party digital experiences

There is a clear change of priorities in the air. Until now, brands have focused a lot more on third-party experiences and a lot less on the first-party experience. Third-party experiences, such as paid ad campaigns, usually get all the focus, yet it is where we get the least insight about our customers to help us nurture and evolve valuable relationships. In the meantime, the work we do on our first-party digital experience – our website or app - is often under-resourced and under-loved.

But brands are starting to realise that the first party experience matters. Investment into first party experience is critical, this is where growth can be truly exponential.

HOW BRANDS CAN REALIGN THEIR MARKETING EFFORTS

Digitally mature brands are reinventing how they work on marketing. 

1. Inclusive Focus

No channel, medium or destination is left behind. We don’t create campaigns without thinking about every element, never forgetting the end destination and solving any conversion issues we face with a consistent review process. For example: which campaign is driving traffic to a page that doesn’t convert? What intent users landing on the website from campaigns have and is it satisfied when they get there?

Removing any boundaries which exist in the organisation enables us to really start partnering together. Product creators and digital marketers should all be one and the same digital team, partnering together to create a better strategy, a better design, better content and deeper user engagement. And the product – the website or the app – should be at the heart of it. Easier said than done. With more stakeholders comes more complexity, politics and of course uncertainty.  It is the ability to collaborate, truly collaborate, across the entire team is where the biggest opportunity lies.

2. Confident, data driven creation

Rely not only on the creatives but also involve data. Strive for a true marriage of science and creativity and use customer foresight in your planning.

3. Customer Insight

Knowledge powers customer experience and ultimately drives revenue. Involve customers in the conversation and apply their knowledge and perspective to create many more experiments.

WORK IN PRACTICE

Energia are Ireland’s leading energy supplier, providing 100% green electricity to over 250,000 homes and businesses across Ireland.

In the ultra-competitive energy supply sector, customer retention is a real challenge. Energia has been working with UNRVLD to design an intuitive self-serve online experience to encourage loyalty from their customers.

We’ve created The Energy Online Experience and tailored it for each individual customer based on multiple factors including fuel types, best value package, loyalty and usage. 

The Energy Online experience helps customers to self-serve; driving engagement, reducing inbound call centre activity and improving customer satisfaction.

View the full case stydy here.