Skip to main content

Building Customer Journeys with Optimizely Experience Cloud

It was a morning like any other, the kind where you spill your coffee right after reading some life-altering email, and Dave was our guy. You see, Dave worked in marketing and often found himself wrestling with the nebulous concept of "customer journeys." Now before you ask, Dave wasn't into maps or GPS (though he could have been, considering the number of wrong turns his campaigns had taken). Instead, he wanted to navigate the complex terrain of human emotion and behavior with the precision of a symphony conductor—not just hitting the notes, but making them sing.

A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Click​

Dave’s discovery of the Optimizely Experience Cloud was serendipitous, akin to finding the last slice of pizza in the fridge after believing it was gone forever. Without a guide or map—cue dramatic music—he dove headfirst into the platform. The first thing he noticed was the user-friendly interface, a veritable playground for those with an active imagination and a knack for digital navigation.

Diving Into the Dashboard​

The first step, dear friends, was the dashboard. Think of it as Mission Control, but instead of launching rockets, you're launching customer experiences. For Dave, it became the canvas for his creativity—a place where data points transformed into insights, and insights became action.

  • Your First Heartbeat: Once you're in the dashboard, breathe. You're about to make magic happen. Just don’t forget to exhale.
  • Create Projects: It’s like naming your houseplants—not necessary, but oh, so satisfying. Each project will host a separate journey, akin to different chapters in an epic novel.
  • Targets and Events: This part felt like setting a dinner table, each plate (or event) ready to be filled with delicious interactions. You have to decide which actions (or forks) your customer will use—and when they'll use them.

Personas and Segmentation – The Cast of Characters​

Now, consider personas. We’re not talking about flaky alter egos. Personas in Optimizely allow us to tailor experiences based on complex human behaviors—things like a penchant for retro video games or an irrational dislike of pickles. Dave loved this part: stratifying users into different segments was like choosing the casts for multiple reality TV shows.

  • Create Personas: Start simple, like building a LEGO character. What do they like? What don’t they like?
  • Segment with Precision: Use data like a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. Be precise, but don't be a robot.
  • Customize Experiences: Tailor content to resonate with each persona's unique world view. It’s like cooking pasta – each sauce is different, but the goal is always the same: deliciousness.

Measure Twice, Cut Once – Testing and Optimization​

Testing was always Dave's favorite part, mostly because of his thrill-seeker personality and propensity for adventure. It's like playing detective, but here, the stakes are “customer satisfaction high.” With A/B testing, he could tweak elements with all the discretion of a DJ adjusting bass levels—small changes with big impacts.

Implementing A/B Tests​

Here's where things get spicy. We're delving into the realm of real-time experimentation, blending art and science like a great novelist with a background in quantum physics.

  • Observation: Notice what's working. Eat that proverbial pudding to see if it’s good.
  • Create Variations: The platform lets you create different versions of a page or feature. It's like trying on different hats and asking friends, “Do I look good in this?”
  • Analyze Results: Optimizely provides a plethora of stats, because what's the use of beauty if you can’t quantify it?

Multivariate Testing​

For the culinary aficionados—this is your time. Multivariate testing is conducting multiple A/B tests simultaneously on different elements. Dave once referred to this process as “cooking a buffet of customer experiences.”

  • Design Test Matrix: Decide which variables to test—the color of a button, the size of an image, options are endless.
  • Evaluate Combinations: Like tasting a spoonful of every dish, evaluate which combination leads to the sweetest returns.
  • Optimize: Choose the winning combination. Celebrate by calling mom or treating yourself to gelato.

Gathering Around the Campfire – Reporting and Insights​

Now let's talk about the pièce de résistance. Reporting and insights are like the campfire tales of the customer journey—spooky, revealing, and sometimes filled with plot twists.

Building Analytical Prowess​

Optimizely Experience Cloud offers reports that, much like grandma’s stories, are rich in detail and unending.

  • Dashboard Insights: Quick, vital signs of your customer journey—traffic, engagement, conversion.
  • Deep Dives: For those moments when you really, truly need to know what’s working… and what very definitely isn’t.
  • Visitor Encounters: This isn’t just data, this is knowing that 472 people visited your homepage and spent 43 seconds on that expertly-crafted opening image.

Sharing Stories​

Spoiler alert: The grand finale is report sharing. Dave made sure everyone from his boss to the intern knew the ROI of personalization strategies. It's like standing on the rooftop shouting, “We did it!”

  • Custom Reports: Craft them to suit your narrative. Because, after all, who doesn't like a good story?
  • Visual Tools: Present data with charts and graphs – imagine a Picasso meets Excel.
  • Celebrate Wins, Learn from Losses: Remember, every failure is just a stepping stone to a gargantuan success. Ask Edison; he’ll agree.

Going Forward – The Never-Ending Journey​

After months of trials, errors, and cups of not-too-bad office coffee, Dave found himself not lost, but exactly where he intended to be. He realized building customer journeys wasn't just about numbers—it's about people, intention, and sometimes a bit of serendipity.

As we wrap up our philosophical stroll down the winding path of Optimizely Experience Cloud, remember this: journeys are inherently wonky and unpredictable. They're meant to surprise us, to teach us, and sometimes, just sometimes, lead us to that last coveted slice of pizza. So gear up, explore, and let's make the journey together.

Oh, and if you spill your coffee today, we hope you do so with flair. Cheers to the adventure!