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Lookalike predictive product recommendations
Lookalike predictive product recommendations

Lookalikes is a predictive recommendation type that uses a type of machine learning called content-based filtering.

Gareth Burroughes avatar
Written by Gareth Burroughes
Updated over a week ago

How lookalikes work

When a lookalikes recommendation is created, your catalog is analysed. The process groups similar products together. If you were a winter sports retailer, products could be grouped by tags such as 'snowboard', 'female', 'burton', 'red', and so on. Each attribute is scored; the more confident the machine learning is that the tag is right, then higher the score.

prod_recs_content_filtering.png

Next, a contact’s purchase and browsing history are analysed. Products with a suitable similarity score are chosen. Each contact is then given a ranked product set unique to them.

Our predictive recommendations automatically generate a fallback. For contacts that we cannot predict products for, they will see the fallback. The fallback is another product recommendation, such as a best seller, which you can edit as needed.


Accessing predictive recommendations

If your account does not have predictive recommendations enabled:

  1. Go to Content > Products > Recommendations.

  2. Select CREATE RECOMMENDATION.

  3. Hover over the the recommendation type you want under the Predictive section and select Learn more.

The side panel allows you to request the feature is enabled on your account (for an additional monthly charge). We first review your data and then confirm with you that the feature is ready to use, or if there are data dependencies to be resolved first.

Predictive recommendations are available on a 30-day free trial.


Getting the best results

Before getting started, please review the data dependencies for this product recommendation type.

This model is most effective when there's good quality and depth of product data available. Catalogs with a high number of products but with low orders will not give optimal results.

Order data is one indicator of customer preference. By using Web Behavior Tracking, the machine learning model's accuracy will be improved.


Why use Lookalikes?

Lookalikes (content-based filtering) has a narrower scope than best next (collaborative filtering). It can make very accurate recommendations, in particular for niche purchasers.

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