3 ways to embrace privacy in marketing

Gone are the days of marketing by gut instinct. In a study by Wunderman, in partnership with Penn Schoen Berland, 79% of Americans say “brands must actively demonstrate ‘they understand and care about me’ before they consider purchasing.” Personalization isn’t just nice; it’s necessary.

Historically, marketers have tracked users as they enter a website, open emails, click through to calls to action, and more. By tracking users’ visits to your site and monitoring their behavior, you can tailor the user experience for each customer.

This data-driven marketing provides insight into customer intentions, which can inform a marketing strategy and increase ROI. However, these actions are becoming harder to track in an increasingly privacy-first world. With 96% of Americans believing that companies should do more to protect their data, is there a way to execute a data-driven marketing strategy well?

It’s possible to fulfill customers’ desires for a personalized experience while emphasizing privacy in marketing. In this article, we’ll review how the marketer’s role has transformed (for the better) thanks to data privacy regulations.

Data privacy changing marketing

Privacy laws are popping up worldwide, setting guidelines for how consumer data is collected, governed, shared, and used. Regulations like the GDPR for EU citizens and the CCPA/CPRA for Californians mandate clear communication of what data is collected and how it’s used. And they require businesses to gain consumer consent before any information is collected.

When asked about the key to success in a hyper-competitive market, 64% of executives surveyed by Forbes Insights and Turn “strongly agree” that data-driven marketing is the answer. Here is where it gets a little sticky for marketers. We know data-driven marketing works, and we know that 74% of consumers are frustrated by irrelevant advertising. How can marketers get the data they need, give consumers what they want, and remain compliant?

Marketing is evolving, and the businesses that shift their strategy with regulations and consumer preferences will win customer trust — and their loyalty.

Privacy in marketing: what’s changing?

Change is usually uncomfortable, but change can be a good thing — if you have a plan. When you make a plan for your business’s future now, you can avoid the pain of the upcoming changes. This section will talk about three ways to update your marketing strategies by keeping data privacy top of mind.

Phase-out third-party cookies

In a move that will change how most marketers operate, Google announced its plans to pull support from third-party cookies in 2023. Cookies are tracking codes generated by a third party, like advertisers or social media networks, and placed on a person’s computer when they visit your website.

These tracking codes are used to build robust user profiles. That data becomes the basis for creating targeted ads, which are deployed where they’ll be most effective.

Many businesses rely on third-party cookies, hoping the technology will always be available. But you don’t want to be left reaching into a cookie jar in 2024 only to find it empty. Start developing your cookieless future strategy now.

Embrace first-party cookies

We’re preparing to say goodbye to third-party cookies, but not all cookies are going away. In fact, now is a great time to incorporate first-party cookies and zero-party data into your strategy.

Third-party cookies can follow users between websites, but first-party cookies only track when and how they interact with your business while on your site. First-party data includes remembering items in a shopping cart, passwords, how often users visit, and other basic analytics.

Unlike first-party cookies, zero-party data doesn’t assume user intent based on behavior. It goes straight to the source. Zero-party data is given directly to the business by users-- usually with the promise of a better user experience.

You can use first-party cookies and zero-party data to create abandoned shopping cart campaigns and other targeted advertising without third-party cookies.

Demonstrate transparency

A survey by Sprout Social found that 86% of Americans say transparency from businesses is more important than ever before. Being upfront with what data is collected and how you use it is a legal requirement for the GDPR and other privacy regulations — but it’s also an excellent way to build relationships and demonstrate your trustworthiness as a brand.

Do what you say you’ll do, and you’ll earn your customers’ loyalty.

What’s next for marketers?

If you’ve ever wished for a crystal ball to look into the future of marketing, Osano can help. It’s not wizardry — it’s a webinar.

The way we use cookies is changing, and we want to prepare you for what’s coming next. In our webinar, you’ll learn about the changes to cookies for marketers, so you can equip yourself to avoid penalties while earning customer trust. Sign up for our webinar and prepare your business for the upcoming changes to privacy in marketing.