Today’s hyper-focused audience segmentation, combined with client audiences that are highly specialized (e.g.: a title or role), has led to yet another evolution in marketing strategy. While not common within most marketing conversations, Account-Based Marketing has become a growing area for B2C and more so for B2B clients.
Account-Based Marketing, or ABM, is a marketing strategy that concentrates on a very specific, and often times small, group of people within a highly defined audience segment made up of your best and highest-value accounts. Think meeting or convention planners for a DMO (destination marketing organizations/CVBs) or buyers for grocery and club/warehouse (Costco) retailers. ABM’s magic is its ability to use personalized messaging and content to connect and engage through the needs of the account (customer).
An underlying strategy behind ABM has been the use of IP addresses, which is a very common method of targeting in the digital world. Through IP Addresses, marketers are able to send the best possible ads to their exact target customer through that customer’s own computer or device. IP addresses can be stored for re-targeting, and in the case of ABM, can be matched to companies (via a database) ensuring the correct title or role is on the receiving end of the brand’s marketing message. Unfortunately, the new work from home (WFH) world we’ve been thrown into has significantly curtailed some implementation of ABM, as people aren’t going into the office, thus not utilizing their company’s IP address via their regular work devices. The only exception being when a prospect is using a VPN (virtual private network) to tap into his or her company’s network from home.
Fortunately, there are solutions that will help in the WFH world, but know the fix requires a combination of technologies.
Mobile Device ID
Each device has an ID code that allows for the identification of that smartphone or tablet for the purpose of marketing and capturing the user activity. The bottom line is an individual device is targeted and re-targeted, in light of their behavior, professional role and/or title. Absent IP addresses, a mobile device ID offers powerful identification details to capture and leverage for evergreen and on-going communications.
E-mail Profile/Cookies
Many times, when someone visits a website or reads an article, an email login is required. And that email is used on many devices, including their work computer, cellphone and tablet. Not only does this email allow for the capture and tracking of that person, but the domain of that email (sometimes a work email) opens the data door to larger audience opportunities.
Somewhat old-school, but still relevant in environments, is the use of cookies. Implemented when a customer visits a website, cookies follow and report a user’s online behavior. In turn, marketers can segment and re-target advertising based on those cookies, including their interests, behaviors and past transactional patterns. With cookies in place prior to the WFH shift, brands can now continue to re-market to those roles and titles who self-selected through their online behavior prior to COVID-19.
Cross-Device Marketing
It’s not unusual for people to conduct work on multiple devices – a personal and sometimes a work cellphone, and maybe both a personal and a work laptop. And throw in a family tablet for good measure. Cross-device marketing takes each one into consideration, and through technology, can classify individuals appropriately, despite their many devices. In light of this, and with the right customer data platform (CDP), marketers can pick up where IP addresses left off, and continue to carry a brand’s message no matter where (or how) the customer lives and works.
Using technology and data to connect with and engage even the most highly defined audience cluster can be complex. Frequent changes unfolding before our eyes, whether that be WFH or privacy policies, complicate the process significantly. For the data, analytics and planning teams at Morgan & Co. the entire process is driven by strategy, insight and a good dose of experience. If your brand is challenged with unique and highly-defined audience segments, even if that equates to a small audience size, we’d like to help. Contact us and let’s talk.
