New Braze Early Access Features We Love 2023

Shift Paradigm’s Technology Operations Strategist, Michael Helfin is back with more exciting news on the latest Braze early access features! 

As a team who’s always been on the pulse of the latest in marketing technology, we can confidently say that Braze has once again exceeded our expectations with their recent updates. We’ve had the privilege of getting an early look at these new offerings, and let me tell you, we are beyond thrilled. In fact, we’ve already started incorporating them into our clients’ revenue process and the results have been nothing short of impressive. So, without further ado, let me share with you what has us so excited:

Users/Merge API Endpoint 

This feature, currently available in early access (EA), allows you to merge duplicate user profiles. This is a critical tool for anyone looking to keep their user data organized and accurate, and it will be especially helpful for those of you who are completing a migration onto Braze.

During IP Warmup on your new Braze platform, you may have had to utilize HubSpot IDs as an external_user_id as the external_user_id in order to get your audiences into Braze for warm up.  This feature used to only be available as a ‘hidden cheat code’ that you’d have to ask Braze Customer Support to unlock for you, but is soon to be available.  

Additionally, according to Validity, 44% of businesses say duplicate data seriously impairs their ability to use their CRM and marketing automation. By using this endpoint, you can ensure that your user data is accurate and consistent, which can improve the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. Additionally, merging duplicate user profiles can help reduce the amount of storage space required to store your user data, making your database more efficient and save on data points. Overall, the users/merge API endpoint provides a convenient and effective solution for managing duplicate user profiles in your Braze database.

4.3 out of 5:  This will make marketer’s lives so much easier, with no real downside.

Canvas Versioning 

Also in EA, this feature gives you access to a changelog where you can view and analyze the user journeys for any previous version of your Canvas post-launch. This is a game-changer for anyone looking to track changes, optimize their user experiences or for anyone that has been frustrated with the inability to resurrect old canvases. Sometimes interns are going to… be interns and make permanent changes that cannot be undone. Well not anymore!

4 out of 5:  You’ll never have to worry about making changes and losing track of the original again! 

IAM Drag & Drop Editor

Fellow Braze users, get ready to say goodbye to the tedious and time-consuming process of building in-app messages! Braze has just introduced a revolutionary new feature – the Drag & Drop IAM Editor! Yes, you heard it right! You can now design impressive in-app messages with just a few simple clicks and drag-and-drop actions.

No more struggles with complex coding and design elements. With the Drag & Drop IAM Editor, creating visually appealing and engaging in-app messages has never been easier. You have complete control over the look, feel, and content of your messages, and the drag-and-drop functionality makes it a breeze.

4.7 out of 5:  HTML be damned!

AI Image Generation

Artificial Intelligence continues to be one of the hottest trends in the tech industry, and Braze is at the forefront of this movement having already introduced OpenAI’s GPT3 copy generation tool. The AI Image Generator, a feature of Braze’s Media Library, is a testament to Braze’s commitment to being on the cutting edge of tech unlike many of its competitors. 

This is a powerful tool for marketers and tech ops professionals who are looking to enhance their media game… Or those (like me) who are artistically challenged can now benefit from this new feature instead of waiting hours or days for creative requests to be filled.

The AI Image Generator uses cutting-edge AI technology to create realistic images and artwork from a description in natural language. This feature is ideal for those who want to generate unique graphics for their marketing campaigns, but don’t have the time or resources to create them from scratch. With this tool, you can easily generate high-quality images that fit your specific needs, without having to rely on stock images.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve had from my years in the marketing automation world was getting meaningful creative A/B tests approved… (The Pain!) Not to mention actually getting creative to follow the request and produce the actual tests themselves without a fight. Now you can just do it all yourself in one sitting to figure out if a CTA button’s color makes a difference or if showing a T-Rex or a Diplodocus sells more tickets to your dinosaur show. Whatever it is, you can make it happen all on your own now… You can even use the AI image creator to produce images for use in other digital marketing channels (like your website, social media, influencer marketing, the deck you’re presenting to the team, or your significant other’s ‘hand made’ Valentine’s Day card after you forget to get their gift. 

4.7 out of 5:  Consider yourself a graphic design expert!

Conversions Dashboard

The Conversions Dashboard in Braze is a new feature currently in its EA phase. It offers an in-depth analysis of the conversions that occur across different campaigns, canvases, and channels in your marketing efforts. With the use of different attribution methods, the dashboard provides a comprehensive view of your conversion rates and enables you to track and optimize them effectively. The dashboard provides you with actionable insights into the performance of your campaigns and channels, so you can make data-driven decisions to improve your overall conversion rates. With this feature, Braze continues to lead the way in providing cutting-edge marketing solutions to help businesses drive growth and success.

I’ve always found the Looker functionality in Braze to be missing something, and this was definitely it. Don’t forget you can have up to four conversion events in any canvas or campaign, so use this feature and use it often.

3.7 out of 5:  Although much better than the current Looker reports, there is some room for improvement.

Tik Tok Audience Sync 

Last but certainly not least, Braze also has a beta running for TikTok ads! This is very similar to the existing  Braze Audience Sync feature for Google Ads and Facebook/Meta. But word on the street is that Tik Tok ads have significantly lower CPM (Cost Per Million Impressions) at just $10 as well as a reportedly lower NCPA and NCROAS. In a time where businesses need to grow revenue and new customer acquisition efficiently, this is a welcomed addition to Braze’s robust capabilities.

This allows you to synchronize your audience data with external platforms like Google and Facebook, making it easier than ever to target your desired audience. Check out this article for more information on how to use Audience Sync to build more relevant and cost-effective ads.

3.3 out of 5:  While adding a new and exciting channel into your paid media mix may be appealing, many businesses are still on the fence about TikTok. Then there is also the issue of the  U.S. government still debating whether to ban it or not.

In Conclusion

So there you have it! From merging user profiles to generating AI images and getting the lowest CPA’s on TikTok, Braze has got you covered with their latest and greatest features we’ve tested and already fallen in love with. 

At Shift Paradigm, we understand the challenges and complexities involved in implementing a new martech tool like Braze. Our team of experts has years of experience in delivering successful martech solutions for clients. Let us support you in unlocking the full potential of Braze and drive better results for your business. Talk to Shift Paradigm today.

Michael and team are here to answer any questions you may have to help you get the most out of these exciting new features. So what are you waiting for? Get started with Braze today!

*Not familiar with Braze? Here is the Braze glossary.