Affinities
In SitecoreAI, affinities capture what each visitor is interested in based on the pages they view on your site. They translate browsing behavior into preference signals for topics, brands, and content types, helping you answer a key question: What is this visitor most interested in right now?
These interests are expressed as affinity scores, which indicate how strongly a visitor is interested in specific topics.
How affinities work
Once affinities are set up for a site, SitecoreAI automatically calculates affinity scores based on the pages a visitor views.
During a session, scores are updated in near real time as the visitor navigates the site. This allows affinities to reflect changes in interest as they happen.
For example:
-
If a visitor repeatedly views pages related to a specific category (for example, SUVs) their affinity score for that category increases.
-
If they begin exploring different categories (for example, Hybrid or Electric), the scores adjust to reflect those new interests.
Because affinity scores update during the session, SitecoreAI can use them to tailor content and experiences while the visitor is still browsing.
When the session ends, affinity scores are saved to the visitor’s profile. These scores are retained for up to 30 days, and recalculated in future sessions based on new behavior.
You can use these scores to define personalization conditions based on a visitor’s interests, for example by targeting content based on their highest affinity scores.
Affinity scores are calculated automatically and updated without further manual setup or maintenance.
Using affinities for personalization
Affinity scores enable you to customize experiences based on what each visitor is most interested in. Use them to:
-
Deliver targeted content based on visitor interests.
-
Adapt experiences during a session as affinity scores change.
-
Prioritize content using higher affinity scores as indicators of stronger interest.
Example use case: Personalizing vehicle content based on visitor interests
Scenario
A vehicle website wants to show relevant content based on what each visitor is interested in, without relying on predefined segments or rules. As visitors browse different vehicle types, personalization needs to adapt during the session.
How affinities help
Once affinities are set up and used in personalization conditions:
-
Visitor interests are tracked based on the pages they view (for example, electric, SUV, or performance models)
-
Affinity scores are updated in near real time as behavior changes.
-
These scores are used to select relevant content, such as highlighting electric vehicles or SUV offers.
-
Scores are saved to the visitor profile for use in future sessions (up to 30 days).
Outcome
With affinities driving personalization:
-
Content adapts as visitor interests change (for example, from SUVs to electric vehicles).
-
Personalization works within a session and across future visits.
-
No manual setup or ongoing maintenance is required.
Next steps
To get started using affinities: