We live in a digital-centric world, and more and more, people want online content that feels relevant and personalized to them. But at the same time, consumers recognize the value of their personal data and the risks that come with sharing it.
For the last decade, brands have been using data collected from tech giants like Google, Facebook and Apple to help target advertising to exactly the right people, across the entire digital landscape. Many agencies and advertisers have relied, arguably too heavily, on this personal level of data to target advertising. And the results – the clothing and furniture ads that stalk you across the internet.
But consumers are increasingly savvy about how their personal information is used by advertisers, and many companies are coming to grips with the reality that this data won’t be around for much longer. Marketers and advertisers are now being forced to find the balance between tailoring advertising experiences and ensuring that users’ personal privacy is protected.
Leverage your customer data
Rather than solely relying on data from tech and social media companies to target your digital advertising and marketing activities, look inward at your own company data.
Review information that real customers or prospects have opted into sharing with you through sales, subscriptions, events and other touchpoints to identify patterns to target your digital efforts. Work with your IT department to ensure all personal information for customers is secure and protected, and use anonymized data when possible.
Driving consumers to webforms, purchases, subscriptions or email signups from your advertising and marketing initiatives is a valuable way to collect information that will help personalize your audience and identify trends. You can then use this anonymized data alongside the targeting available in advertising platforms to better tailor consumers’ experiences while still keeping personal data private.
Use custom landing pages for campaigns
As privacy updates like Apple’s iOS 14 and 15 limit advertisers’ ability to track consumer interactions across platforms, and broader regulations like CCPA and GDPR have rolled out, traditional cookies and tracking parameters are becoming less reliable. Building custom landing pages that are accessible only via advertising campaigns can help advertisers better understand advertising performance from various platforms and visualize their sales and marketing funnel. This not only helps tailor the digital experience based on the platform by giving consumers various levels of information, but also means that all traffic, conversions and interactions from the landing page can be attributed to a specific campaign and advertising platform.
Include actionable next steps in emails
With the iOS 15 update, email open rates for consumers who use the Apple Mail app will become inflated as Apple downloads all tracking pixels to their servers rather than on consumer devices. More than ever, be sure that all emails you’re sending have value for the consumer and include a clear, trackable call to action – whether it’s a link to read more on your website, a registration form or a downloadable resource. Ultimately, providing value to users and asking them to engage with your brand in a meaningful way in return help both parties. This is also a good time to rethink any automated journeys or list cleans based on email opens, as those actions for Apple users will soon be inflated and difficult to track.
Be transparent about data collection
Include details about the type of information you collect and its purpose whenever you’re asking consumers to take an action where they must share personal data. This transparency can help you build trust and credibility among your customers and prospects while also giving consumers details about how information will be used, whether that’s contacting them via a representative of the organization, sharing gated, downloadable material, or helping provide your products or services. A clear, easy to understand privacy policy on your website is also a must.