Small steps, big wins: Standing up a personalization program with Contentful

Marketers increasingly view personalization as an essential skill, yet it remains a significant challenge for many, as highlighted by Contentful's collaboration with Atlantic Insights in 2025. Casey Dienel discusses how the Contentful Web Marketing Team overcame the daunting task of personalization by using the Contentful Digital Experience Platform (DXP) to implement simple, effective personalization strategies without requiring extensive data integration or complex third-party tools. By focusing on segmentation, such as differentiating between new and returning site visitors and anonymous versus known customers, Contentful achieved impressive results, including a 195% increase in click-through rates for first-time visitors and a 37% increase for returning visitors. The team employed subtle changes like varying call-to-action messages and using playful elements on the homepage to engage customers, demonstrating that personalization can be achieved with small, strategic steps rather than large-scale technical investments. This approach not only delivered immediate wins but also laid the groundwork for expanding personalization efforts across broader channels and audiences.