A clear picture of the target audience is the most vital and valuable information for brands. Brands can implement more effective data-driven campaigns to the target audience when they know what entices consumers to their purchasing behavior.
However, it is a fact that most consumers nowadays use a variety of devices and channels to access the content of different types. This situation makes it imperative for marketers to look for a solid process that can effectively bring those consumer profiles into focus. Only in this way, can they engage them in a better way and boost their sales. AND here comes the identity resolution in the picture.
Here is all that all brands, agencies, and marketers need to know about identity resolution.
What is identity resolution?
In the simplest terms, identity resolution is a process that enables marketers to develop an omnichannel view of a single consumer. This process involves collecting and matching identifiers across a variety of devices, browsers, websites, or other touchpoints.
This omnichannel view is important for marketers. Why so? Because everyone using the internet has multiple identities. For example, logging into Google or social media accounts, opening a website on a computer, viewing a page on a smartphone, using a different browser, and so on are all different identities.
For a better idea of how many identities are there across the internet, consider the following stats.
- Four different devices are used by an average consumer on any given day.
- Eleven connected devices are there in an average household.
- 90% of web users use different devices to complete a task.
These are mesmerizing facts and make us see how many identities one person could have. That said, it is the identity resolution that enables brands to see that Mobile User A is the same person as Desktop User B. These are just the basics of what brands can do with identity resolution.
Identity resolution connects the dots between different online and offline personas
Identity resolution is important because it gives a clear picture of who a consumer is. In other words, this technique enables brands and marketers to know exactly who they are targeting. Thus, they can effectively reach their audience with the right message, to the right person, at the right time.
In fact, identity resolution technology gives a “360-degree view” or “single view of a consumer.” These phrases have become widely popular in recent years and best define why identity resolution is important and what it can do. It empowers you to create a unique user experience by getting the clearest picture of your consumers.
That said, it is the identity resolution that connects the dots between different online and offline personas. It links them all to one unified consumer profile and thus enables brands to deliver customized and targeted messages throughout the buying cycle. AND marketers can continue to do so even if consumers move across various devices, channels, or other platforms. This is the magic of identity resolution.
Consumers expect brands to understand them and their needs
On the one hand, brands often find themselves caught in a dilemma of overstepping when it comes to customized content and campaigns. On the other hand, consumers want more personalized content and a consistent experience. In a survey, 76% of consumers want and expect brands to understand them and their needs. Moreover, 51% of consumers believe that most brands fall short of their expectations of consistent user experience.
So, it is the responsibility of the marketers to forget about overstepping and use the data collected on consumers to provide a personalized user experience. Marketers have ever-increasing data as well as ever-improving technology at their fingertips to do that. Consumers’ expectations are also rising. That means more personalized content and campaigns will offer a better return on investment. Therefore, identity resolution is the technique that can put brands on the right path.
The working mechanism of identity resolution
Identity resolution works on a simple yet sophisticated mechanism by reconciling available data points received from first-, second-, and third parties. If we go into more detail, it consists of two main parts.
- Data is carried to a database where it is connected to an identifier such as device ID, email address, etc.
- Secondly, it connects that data to a profile of an already known user.
After completing those two steps, identity resolution connects data to an execution platform like Google, Facebook, etc. Afterward, brands and marketers can activate that data to market to the right person at the right time.
Why is identity resolution important?
Identity resolution is important because it promises value to brands beyond their imagination. It brings value in two ways;
- It enables brands to avoid spending unneeded money because of sophisticated targeting and suppression of consumers.
- It enables brands to deliver a unified and consistent user experience that brands are after and that consumers also expect.
Thus, identity resolution serves brands in two ways. In simplest terms, brands always want to know whether they’re spending their marketing budget on the right efforts or not and identity resolution gives them this peace of mind. Secondly, it empowers brands to meet the expectations of consumers regarding consistent and unified user experience across all channels.
That said, now’s the right time for brands to let advanced analytics do the trick by unifying online and offline data. It will surely give you access to high-quality signal data.
