The Apple Watch will ship 15 million units worldwide in 2015 alone according to the latest report from Strategy Analytics. By all measures, Apple seems to be the catalyst to ignite a wearable explosion, with rivals Microsoft, Huawei, and Pebble fuelling the bang. As total global smartwatch shipments are forecasted to grow 511 percent from 4.6 million units in 2014 to 28.1 million units in 2015, the wearable technology market looks here to stay.

The only question for marketers is how to capitalise on this burgeoning market?

Following these top five tips, any marketer will be equipped with a future-proof wearable marketing strategy:

Data is your friend

Wearables may be new, but what remains true is that data collection is essential for profiling and creating an engaging experience for consumers. Data can be collected through a variety of channels, from self-filled surveys through to tracking a logged-in individual’s interactions with online content. With 58 per cent of Britons not concerned about the amount of data they share with brands, it’s never been more important to use existing intelligence held about customers to create the right content for the right person. The information gathered from wearable tech can build on the wide data pool already available to provide a rich profile of a user.

Make it personal

Contextual personalisation is vital to any successful marketing campaign. Developing a one-size-fits-all message to the masses can be easy, but there is a high chance that this will turn off subscribers and reduce the likelihood they will open future correspondence. Our research has shown that there are more than 14 billion emails sitting unopened in British inboxes – and more than half of them are from brands. The more mature your data collection capability is, the more equipped you will be to create truly personalised marketing messages. Beware of seeming creepy though – always make sure to let users know that their data is being used in this way.

Geography is key

Wearable technology is going to play an important part in the customer experience because by its very nature, it goes with you wherever you go. This provides a rich source of geographical data that can be integrated with the customer’s current data collection methods to provide an even richer profile of a user. For example, if a consumer is out jogging and using a fitness app with GPS tracking, a supermarket could partner with the app to send them an alert at the end of their exercise, offering them a discount on an energy drink at their nearest store. The use of beacon and wearable technology is going to be a powerful combination to give consumers what they want online and in-store.

Think big

As well as using data on a micro level, big data can be used to identify general trends amongst consumers, which can be used to inform marketing. For example, meal tracking apps can be used to identify food trends amongst certain demographics at different times of the years. Pooling large anonymised data sets can eventually lead to creating the ultimate ‘hyper-contextualised’ personal experience.

Double-edged sword

All of these tips come at the risk of being redundant however if marketers are overzealous with their communications. A recent study from Forrester has warned that bombarding customers with irrelevant information will risk putting consumers off for life. The analyst house warns that while smartwatches will be so popular they will dominate the wearable market, they are a "double-edged sword" because irrelevant notifications risk getting on customers' nerves. To avoid oversaturation, make sure to implement a mature push notification strategy.

 

By John Fleming, EMEA and APAC Marketing Director at Webtrends. 

PrivSec Conferences will bring together leading speakers and experts from privacy and security to deliver compelling content via solo presentations, panel discussions, debates, roundtables and workshops.
For more information on upcoming events, visit the website.

comments powered by Disqus