Let’s talk about consent before we dive into this topic. Consent is a term that is typically associated with sexual activity as well as within the medical field as informed consent. However, we feel that consent extends to any type of approval given by an individual, including data collection. Third-party data is data from a provider across other mediums that has no direct relationship with the customer, which is why this has been a hot topic lately regarding individual rights. First-party data is the other side of this coin. The more ethical side. The term zero party data was assembled by Forrester research only in 2020 and is defined as data that is shared by the customer, “intentionally and proactively with a brand.” Brands that intend to stay ahead when third-party data goes away should be focusing heavily on zero-party data collection. There are some serious benefits to collecting zero-party data besides being a more ethically sound brand. These include:
1. More accurate customer information
2. More engaging with the customer
3. Customers are more trustworthy of the brand
4. Creates a more personalized audience experience
5. It will help AI generate more accurate predictions about their audience
There is a plethora of ways to collect data to better your brand experience for your audience. Here are a few.
1. Quizzes
2. Surveys
3. Contests
4. Account creation
5. Chatbots
6. Social media polls
We should all get comfortable in the zero-party data space soon because this will be the future of data collection. The EU created the EU General Data Protection Requirements in 2018 and the CA Consumer Privacy Act limits the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information so you can see that individuals’ rights to privacy when it comes to data are getting stricter. It will be more and more important to collect zero-party data and move away from third if you had used it in the past.
