Personalizing images

Personalized images can boost response rates significantly because images convey more emotion than text alone, and have an impact even before a recipient starts reading. Personalized images are especially eye-catching when they contain the recipient's name, a unique prompt that entices the recipient to continue reading.

Mailing recipients can be sent personalized pictures to suit the occasion, for example, their name written on a birthday cake, or the travel destination they just booked on an airport display board.

How it works

 Episerver has worked with leading image personalization company, DirectSmile, so that integration of their solution with Episerver Campaign is seamless. Mailings containing personalized images are edited using the same method as regular types. The personalization occurs automatically during dispatch.

The data required for personalization (for example, recipient name) is transferred together with the image URL by Episerver Campaign when the emailing occurs. The personalized image, available in real time, is located on the DirectSmile server with a unique URL. When the recipient opens the email containing the personalized image, the URL is invoked and its content is displayed in the email.

Setting up a mailing project with personalized images

You insert personalized images into mailings the same way as normal images. The image URL contains the text to be inserted in the form of a placeholder (in the example below: {name}). When the URL is invoked, the corresponding name is automatically inserted from the Episerver Campaign database.

http://xyz.example.com/.../streamimage.aspx?set=motifname&t={name}...

If personalization data is missing, a standard fallback text is inserted in the image in place of the name. For a birthday mailing, this might be Happy birthday!

Uniting image personalization and target groups

Various themes can be used for personalization in a single mailing. In this case, a motif is inserted for every theme, which is then allocated to one target groupSubset of recipients defined by rules and conditions and a logic relationship between them. For example, all recipients in the United Kingdom.. You can employ different motifs for men and women.

Other obvious target group segmentationsThe generic term for dividing recipients into relevant groups, in order to send them appropriate content. Episerver Campaign uses Target Groups and Click Profiles for segmentation. include age or location (on the basis of postal codes). If you have information on the recipients' interests (such as sports, travel, technology), these are also ideal for targeted personalized images.

Selecting a motif

DirectSmile has a wide range of pre-configured motifs for types of themes for personalization. You can view these in the online catalog. If you want to use one of the motifs for your image personalization efforts, customer support sends you a new mailing template that incorporates the formatting adjustments, so you can assess the image's impact.

Episerver can produce an image according to your request. Episerver requires a background (such as a clear sky or a meadow) along with details on how you want the text to be inserted (such as skywriting or foliage on the meadow). The image format (that is, a header spanning the entire width) is also considered during the production of the template. Episerver can depict 3D scripts, distorted perspectives, textures, shadows, and take your corporate design into account.

Personalizing images examples

Personalized images are especially beneficial as part of a lifecycle marketingThe concept that email content should be oriented toward the recipient's interests and personal circumstances. Communications with a customer pass through a series of phases (new customer, regular customer, and inactive customer). Each phase is has changing expectations. campaign: to turn prospective customers into regular customers, to provide existing customers with incentives or trigger mailingsCampaign mailings related to an event or special occasion., or to reactivate dormant customers. Episerver can provide information regarding the personalization of images and their incorporation in your campaign emails.

The following examples provide typical instances for effective image personalization in email marketing.

Regular mailings

Use regular mailings with personalized images to address your customers personally on special occasions, such as Christmas or New Year. If you send such types of emails regularly, let Episerver prepare a mailing template for the corresponding occasions.

Special mailings

Mailings triggered by specific events are especially suited for incorporating personalized images:

• Birthday mailings
• Voucher or bonus mailings (Thank you for your loyalty, Ms Citizen!)
• Competition news mailings (Dear Mr Citizen, you have won!)
• Mailings triggered by profile changes (Welcome to Berlin, Ms Citizen!)

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