---
title: "4 tips for driving engagement with Single Sign-On"
description: "Did you know that Single Sign-On (SSO) offers valuable personalization opportunities beyond simply recognizing a returning user?"
url: https://www.liblynx.com/news/4-tips-to-drive-engagement-with-single-sign-on
date: 2018-12-10
modified: 2021-09-22
author: "tim"
image: https://www.liblynx.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/personalized-xmas-gifts-wp-crop.jpg
categories: ["Features", "Publishers"]
tags: ["authentication a", "saml", "Single Sign-On", "sso"]
type: news
lang: en
---

# 4 tips for driving engagement with Single Sign-On

### Most SSO implementations barely scratch the surface …

Did you know that Single Sign-On (SSO) offers valuable personalization opportunities beyond simply recognizing a returning user?

Many of you will be familiar with SSO as an authentication solution – you probably use it several times a day to access a variety of online resources (think LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, Twitter etc.).

Publishers and other service providers use SSO to give users a seamless access experience to their products. It avoids the access friction involved in registering (and remembering!) yet one more set of credentials, and opens a door to personalizing the user experience.

However, most publishers simply track the user identity (either a real or (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudonymity) one) and go no further. Which is a bit like using a sports car to visit the local corner shop …

### Personalize with Custom User Attributes

If you look under the hood of SSO, it can be used to gather a wide range of custom ‘attributes’ for a user in addition to basic information about their identity.

For example, we recently helped Digital Science to enable a number of exciting new product configuration options by enabling SSO support for custom attributes.

Here are 4 great ways that you can use SSO attributes to deliver valuable personalization to your customers:

**1. Content Filters**

You’re probably used to personalized content in your personal life, but a lot of organizational services still present essentially the same set of content to every user. Passing an attribute that can be related to a user’s area of interest (such as a department) allows you to present the most relevant content front and center.

**2. Feature Restrictions**

Customers may want to limit access to features that aren’t appropriate for all users. For example, the ability to purchase pay content as part of a discovery experience or configuration options related to the user experience. Passing a role attribute allows your application to decide when it’s appropriate to enable a particular feature.

**3. Custom Usage Reporting**

Libraries and other knowledge managers commonly want to analyse usage based on custom breakdowns based on their particular organizational structure. Passing a reporting attribute allows you to mirror their breakdowns in your usage reports.

**4. Cost Centres for Billing**

Large organizations often pay centrally for online services that are used by a variety of separate departments or entities, but deciding who pays what can be tedious and time-consuming. Passing a cost center attribute allows you to generate a summary analysis apportioning costs based on usage.

### Want to learn more?

Please (https://www.liblynx.com/contact/) for a free consultation about your situation or to learn more.

#### Image Credit

Image adapted from (https://www.flickr.com/photos/personalcreations/15875988441/) by (https://www.personalcreations.com/) (used and adapted under (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/) license)