Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) 2024 set new records yet again, with global online sales soaring to $314.9 billion. Mobile devices accounted for 70% of all purchases, underscoring the importance of mobile-first strategies. With competition fiercer than ever and shoppers more discerning, brands must go beyond basic promotions and craft personalized experiences that truly resonate—and convert.
By integrating CleverTap with Storyly, brands can unlock a robust solution for highly targeted BFCM campaigns. CleverTap’s behavioral segmentation, paired with Storyly’s immersive story format, empowers marketers to deliver personalized shopping moments that feel timely, engaging, and native to the mobile experience.
Why Stories Matter for BFCM Success
Peak shopping periods mean consumers are inundated with ads and offers on every channel. Traditional banners and emails often fade into the background, but stories stand out. Designed for mobile-first consumption, stories create a full-screen, immersive experience that commands attention.
Stories excel in retail campaigns because they:
- Naturally create urgency: Their fleeting, time-limited nature fits perfectly with BFCM’s short-lived deals.
- Drive higher engagement: Interactive features like polls, quizzes, and CTAs boost engagement far beyond static content.
- Feel native: Stories blend seamlessly into the mobile environment, reducing ad fatigue.
- Enable rich storytelling: Multiple frames let brands showcase products, share social proof, and guide users through the purchase journey.
The Power of CleverTap and Storyly Integration
Connecting CleverTap and Storyly gives you a unified system where real-time behavioral data fuels personalized story experiences. This integration supports two impactful use cases:
1. Audience Import from CleverTap to Storyly
Transform CleverTap segments into targeted story audiences with:
- Past behavior segments: Reach users based on actions like previous purchases, cart abandonment, or high-value transactions.
- Live behavior segments: Build dynamic audiences that update instantly as users interact with your app.
2. Audience Export from Storyly to CleverTap
Feed story engagement data back to CleverTap as user properties, enabling smarter segmentation and campaign optimization.
Setting Up Your BFCM Story Campaign: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Configure the Integration
Before launching your campaign, lay the technical groundwork:
- Complete the Amazon EventBridge setup using CleverTap's documentation.
- Set up custom parameters in the Storyly SDK to align with your CleverTap user identifiers.
- Connect your CleverTap account in Storyly’s dashboard with your Project ID, Passcode, and Instance URL.
Step 2: Create Dynamic User Journeys
Design a sophisticated BFCM campaign that adapts automatically to user behavior. For example, you might target cart abandoners but exclude users who’ve already purchased:
Journey Setup in CleverTap:
- Create a new Journey triggered by specific events for real-time behavioral tracking.
- Add Registration Action: Target users who have registered, identifying them as engaged prospects.
- Add Cart Action: Follow up with users who add items to their cart.
- Insert Amazon EventBridge node: Use the "upsert" operation to add these users to your Storyly audience.
- Add Purchase Completion Action: Track users who complete their purchase.
- Insert a second EventBridge node: Use the "delete" operation to remove converted users from your story campaign.
- Add Force Exit: Let users finish the journey.
This setup ensures your discount stories reach only those who abandoned their carts, while automatically excluding recent purchasers—maximizing relevance and impact.
Step 3: Design High-Converting Story Content
Craft story content that taps into BFCM’s unique psychology:
Frame 1: Hook with Urgency
- Striking headline: "24 Hours Left!"
- Product image with original price crossed out
- Eye-catching limited-time offer badge
Frame 2: Social Proof
- Showcase customer reviews or ratings
- "Join 50K+ happy customers" message
- User-generated content photos
Frame 3: Personalized Recommendation
- "Based on your browsing history..."
- Highlight items similar to those left in the cart
- Suggest “Complete the look” options powered by AI
Frame 4: Strong CTA with Incentive
- "Get 30% Off + Free Shipping"
- Swipe-up button to purchase
- Countdown timer to reinforce urgency
5 Clever BFCM Campaign Ideas Using CleverTap + Storyly
1. The "Almost Bought" Retargeting Campaign
Segment: Users who viewed product pages but didn’t buy
Story Content: Display the specific products they viewed with tailored discount codes
CleverTap Trigger: Product page view events
Advanced Touch: Add inventory alerts like "Only 3 left!" to create scarcity
2. The VIP Early Access Experience
Segment: High-value or loyalty program customers
Story Content: Offer an exclusive sneak peek at BFCM deals 24–48 hours before the public launch
CleverTap Trigger: Customer lifetime value or loyalty status
Advanced Touch: Feature personalized video messages from the founder or brand ambassadors
3. The Category Explorer Campaign
Segment: New users or those with limited purchase history
Story Content: Interactive quiz to uncover style preferences, followed by personalized recommendations
CleverTap Trigger: Recent app downloads or first-time visits
Advanced Touch: Use quiz results to build new audience segments for future targeting
4. The Winback Warriors Campaign
Segment: Previously active users who’ve lapsed
Story Content: "We miss you" messaging paired with irresistible comeback offers
CleverTap Trigger: 30+ days of inactivity but prior purchase history
Advanced Touch: Offer escalating incentives—10% off for immediate return, 20% if they wait
5. The Social Proof Amplifier
Segment: Users engaging with social content but yet to purchase
Story Content: User-generated content featuring real customers and their purchases
CleverTap Trigger: Social media interactions or shares
Advanced Touch: Enable direct shopping from UGC stories
Measuring Success: Key Metrics to Track
Story Performance Metrics
- Story completion rate: Target rates above 70%
- Swipe-through rate: Evaluate engagement from frame to frame
- CTA click-through rate: Measure conversion intent
- Story-to-purchase attribution: Assess direct revenue impact
BFCM-Specific KPIs
- Revenue per story view: Attribute revenue directly to story interactions
- Cart abandonment recovery rate: Track success of retargeting efforts
- Average order value: See if stories drive larger purchases
- Customer lifetime value impact: Monitor for long-term relationship growth
Combining CleverTap’s advanced segmentation with Storyly’s engaging format gives brands a powerful toolkit for BFCM. With real-time personalization, dynamic content, and ongoing optimization, you can create shopping experiences that drive immediate sales and foster lasting loyalty.
Start planning your integrated CleverTap + Storyly BFCM campaign early. Test thoroughly, iterate as you go, and deliver the kind of personalized experiences that transform holiday shoppers into devoted customers.
FAQ
Q: How quickly do audience updates sync between CleverTap and Storyly?
A: The integration leverages Amazon EventBridge for real-time syncing. Audiences typically update within seconds of a trigger, so your story campaigns always reflect the latest user behavior.
Q: Can I A/B test different story versions for the same CleverTap segment?
A: Absolutely. You can create multiple story sets in Storyly and use CleverTap’s A/B testing to split your audience between them. This helps you optimize content, timing, and messaging for the best results.
Q: What's the maximum audience size I can sync from CleverTap to Storyly?
A: There’s no strict audience cap, but very large segments may take longer to process initially. For BFCM campaigns with millions of users, consider dividing audiences into smaller, more targeted groups for better performance and personalization.
Q: How do I handle users who are in multiple CleverTap segments?
A: Storyly supports priority-based delivery. Set up hierarchy rules to determine which stories take precedence when users fall into multiple campaigns. Typically, more specific or higher-value segments should be prioritized.
Q: What happens if a user completes a purchase while viewing a discount story?
A: Thanks to real-time integration, users are removed from promotional audiences as soon as they complete a purchase. They may still see the current story session, though. Plan your journey flows with this timing in mind and consider adding post-purchase upsell stories.
