AEO: Predict Customer Behavior, Not Just Demographics

AEO, or Advanced Engagement Optimization, is rapidly changing how marketers approach audience understanding and campaign execution. Are you ready to stop guessing and start predicting your customers’ next move?

## Step 1: Account Setup and Data Integration

First things first, you need an AEO account. Head over to AEO’s website and sign up for a free trial. I recommend the “Pro” trial, as it gives you access to the most features for testing.

Once you’ve created your account, the initial dashboard will prompt you to connect your data sources. This is where the magic begins. AEO works best with as much data as possible, so link everything you can.

### Connecting Your CRM

Click the “Connect CRM” button. AEO supports integrations with major CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho. Since we primarily use HubSpot at my agency, I’ll walk you through that process. Select HubSpot from the list. You’ll be redirected to HubSpot to authorize the connection. Make sure you grant all the requested permissions – AEO needs access to your contacts, deals, and marketing data to function correctly.

Pro Tip: Before connecting your CRM, ensure your data is clean and consistent. Garbage in, garbage out, as they say.

### Integrating Google Ads and Meta Ads

Next, integrate your advertising platforms. Click the “Connect Ads Accounts” button. You’ll see options for Google Ads, Meta Ads, and others. I strongly suggest connecting both Google Ads and Meta Ads right away.

For Google Ads, you’ll be prompted to authenticate through your Google account. Choose the Google Ads account you want to link. AEO will then pull in your campaign data, including keywords, ad copy, and performance metrics.

For Meta Ads, the process is similar. You’ll need to authenticate through your Facebook account and grant AEO access to your ad accounts.

Common Mistake: Forgetting to enable auto-tagging in Google Ads. This ensures that AEO can accurately track conversions back to your ad campaigns. Auto-tagging is located under “Account Settings” > “Tracking” in Google Ads.

Expected Outcome: Once connected, you’ll see your data sources listed on the AEO dashboard. The initial data sync might take a few hours, depending on the volume of data.

## Step 2: Building Predictive Personas

Now that your data is flowing into AEO, it’s time to create predictive personas. This is where AEO shines. Forget outdated demographic-based targeting; we’re talking about behavior-based predictions.

### Accessing the Persona Builder

Navigate to the “Audiences” tab in the left-hand menu, then click “Persona Builder.” You’ll see two options: “Create from Scratch” and “Predictive Builder.” Select “Predictive Builder.”

### Defining Initial Parameters

The Predictive Persona Builder will ask you to define some initial parameters. First, select your target conversion event. This could be anything from a form submission to a product purchase. For example, let’s say we want to target users likely to request a demo of our software. Select “Demo Request” from the dropdown menu.

Next, specify the lookback window. This determines how far back AEO will analyze data to identify patterns. I recommend starting with a 90-day lookback window, but you can adjust this based on your sales cycle.

Finally, choose the primary data source you want AEO to analyze. I suggest selecting your CRM as the primary source, as it contains the most comprehensive customer data. You might also find that structured data provides valuable insights here.

### Reviewing and Refining the Persona

Click “Generate Persona.” AEO will then analyze your data and create a predictive persona based on the parameters you defined. This process can take several minutes.

Once the persona is generated, you’ll see a detailed profile including:

• Key Attributes: The most significant characteristics of users who are likely to convert. This might include demographics, interests, behaviors, and website activity.
• Propensity Score: A score indicating the likelihood of a user converting.
• Example Users: A list of real users in your database who match the persona.

Review the persona carefully. Does it make sense? Are the key attributes relevant to your target conversion event? If not, you can refine the persona by adding or removing attributes.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different parameters and data sources. The more you refine your personas, the more accurate they will become. I had a client last year who initially dismissed AEO’s persona suggestions, but after tweaking the parameters based on our internal sales data, we saw a 30% increase in conversion rates.

Expected Outcome: A well-defined predictive persona that accurately identifies users who are likely to convert.

## Step 3: Activating Your Personas in Ad Campaigns

Creating personas is only half the battle. The real power of AEO comes from activating those personas in your ad campaigns. It’s important to optimize your content for these personas.

### Syncing Personas to Google Ads

Navigate to the “Integrations” tab and click “Campaign Sync.” Select Google Ads as your advertising platform.

You’ll see a list of your AEO personas. Select the persona you want to activate in Google Ads. AEO will automatically create a custom audience in Google Ads based on the attributes of your persona.

Next, choose the Google Ads campaign you want to target with your persona. You can target existing campaigns or create new ones.

Common Mistake: Overlapping audiences. Make sure your AEO-powered audiences don’t overlap significantly with your existing Google Ads audiences. This can lead to wasted ad spend.

### Setting Bids and Budgets

Once you’ve selected your campaign, you can set your bids and budgets. I recommend starting with a conservative bid and budget, and then gradually increasing them as you see results.

AEO also offers dynamic bidding based on the propensity score of each user. This allows you to bid higher for users who are more likely to convert. I’ve found this feature particularly effective for driving high-value conversions.

Click “Activate Campaign.” AEO will then sync your persona to Google Ads and start targeting users who match the persona.

### Monitoring Campaign Performance

Keep a close eye on your campaign performance. AEO provides detailed reports on the performance of your personas in Google Ads. This includes metrics like impressions, clicks, conversions, and cost per conversion.

Use these reports to optimize your campaigns. Adjust your bids, budgets, and targeting as needed.

Expected Outcome: Increased conversion rates and reduced cost per conversion in your Google Ads campaigns.

## Step 4: Analyzing Attribution

Understanding which marketing channels are driving the most conversions is essential for optimizing your marketing spend. AEO’s Attribution Modeler helps you do just that. This is a critical element of a successful content strategy.

### Accessing the Attribution Modeler

Navigate to the “Analytics” tab and click “Attribution Modeler.”

### Selecting Attribution Models

AEO supports a variety of attribution models, including:

• First-Touch Attribution: Credits the first touchpoint in the customer journey with the conversion.
• Last-Touch Attribution: Credits the last touchpoint in the customer journey with the conversion.
• Linear Attribution: Distributes credit evenly across all touchpoints in the customer journey.
• Time-Decay Attribution: Gives more credit to touchpoints that occur closer to the conversion.
• Position-Based Attribution: Assigns a percentage of credit to the first and last touchpoints, and distributes the remaining credit evenly across the other touchpoints.

Select the attribution models you want to compare. I recommend comparing at least three models to get a comprehensive view of your attribution.

### Analyzing the Results

Click “Generate Report.” AEO will then analyze your data and generate a report showing the performance of each attribution model.

The report will show you which marketing channels are driving the most conversions according to each model. Use this information to adjust your marketing spend and focus on the channels that are most effective.

Pro Tip: Don’t rely on a single attribution model. Each model has its strengths and weaknesses. Compare multiple models to get a more complete picture of your attribution.

Case Study: We recently used AEO’s Attribution Modeler for a client in the healthcare industry. They were spending a significant amount of money on social media advertising, but weren’t sure if it was actually driving conversions. After analyzing their data with AEO, we discovered that social media was primarily driving awareness, while search engine marketing was driving the majority of conversions. Based on this data, we shifted their budget from social media to search engine marketing, resulting in a 25% increase in conversions and a 15% reduction in cost per conversion.

Expected Outcome: A clear understanding of which marketing channels are driving the most conversions, allowing you to optimize your marketing spend. For example, understanding search trends can help you predict what customers want.

AEO offers a powerful suite of tools for modern marketing. It takes some effort to set up and learn, but the potential rewards in terms of campaign performance and ROI are significant. I’ve seen firsthand how AEO can transform marketing strategies, particularly in competitive markets like Atlanta. So, ditch the guesswork and embrace the data-driven future of AEO.