CDP Institute

Ok, back to CDP news. Segment has fully released its Functions tool, which lets users create their own connectors to import data via Webhooks and expert it to any public API. Refinements include error tracking, advanced permissions, and custom settings such as API keys and event mapping. Let’s be clear that this is a tool for developers: maybe we need to call it a yes-code interface.

Also in CDP land: Lemnisk has added probabilistic identity stitching, AI-based product recommendations, and expanded app personalization. They’ve also built ecommerce and retail features to help move beyond their original base in financial services. They don’t claim to break new ground here but it’s always interesting to see what vendors are adding, presumably in response to client demand.

The fine line between delight and dystopia just got even narrower with news that Amazon Web Services is making it easier to create livestream videos. AWS customers can now attach a video stream into any Web page or mobile app in minutes and enhance it with chat, votes, polls, interactive discussions and who knows what more. Because you haven’t seen enough video recently.

“Serverless business rules” may sound like a bit of optimistic restaurant graffiti. But it’s actually how Progress Software describes its tool for automated decision-making, Corticon.js. Business analysts and other citizen developer types can embed rules within JavaScript applications without coding and without connecting to a server. Tastes like freedom.

Zeotap assembles first-party data in a CDP, enhances it with its own third-party data, and pushes audiences to ad platforms. They call themselves a “customer intelligence platform” which is as good a label as any, I guess. They just raised a $42 million Series C, bringing total funding to $63 million.

Acquia has consolidated its recent acquisitions into Drupal Cloud for Web content management and a Marketing Cloud that includes the former AgilOne CDP and Mautic marketing automation. The two clouds are positioned as part of a larger Open Digital Experience Platform. The Marketing Cloud also includes Acquia’s Lift personalization and Maestro campaign governance tools. Actual integration doesn’t yet include shared customer profiles although that’s planned for some time next year.

Kochava is the latest adtech vendor to offer an alternative to tracking via third party cookies and device IDs. IdentityLocker will let companies match customer identities so long as consumers give their consent. There are extensive safeguards to ensure consumer intentions are honored but you have to wonder how many will consent for their data to be shared in the first place.

And speaking of privacy, Google Cloud plans a set of Confidential Computing services which will protect all kinds of data, not just customer identities. They just announced the beta version of the first product, Confidential VMs, which will use special hardware to encrypt data while it’s being processed. Traditionally, data had to be decrypted during processing, which gave bad guys a chance to steal it.

Predictive analytics are now built into everything including dog collars. But I guess it’s still newsworthy that Google Analytics will now predict which Web site visitors are likely to purchase and which are likely to not revisit. The predictions can create custom audiences that are then targeted in Google Ads. It’s all free so near as I can tell.

Podcasts continue to grow as a business. Latest proof is that SiriusXM has just purchased podcast platform Stitcher, which creates, inserts ads, and distributes podcasts, from E.W. Scripps in a deal valued up to $325 million. SiriusXM bought podcast platform Simplcast month last and audio ad company AdsWizz in 2018.

Video platform TikTok has been in the news recently for everything from trolling politicians to spying on users. But that’s all a distraction from what really matters, which is selling ads. They just launched a self-service ad buying platform and $100 million in ad credits to help small businesses do just that.

Let’s try to find some good news today, if only for the challenge. We can start with this FitForCommerce report on leading retailers, which found they were steadily adding digital services even before the pandemic. Since 2016, the number offering online purchase for in-store pickup doubled from 33% to 66% while Web display of in-store inventory rose from 39% to 67%. An impressive 69% offer next day delivery and 20% offer same day delivery. Remember when those were crazy talk?