DATA-DRIVEN MARKETING IN DATA-CHALLENGED TIMES

2018 has certainly shone a light on data use and privacy. I doubt there’s anyone who hasn’t come across – and holds an opinion on - the GDPR, the Cambridge Analytica ‘scandal’, and as a result what Facebook should be doing to ensure their user’s privacy.

Consumers are increasingly skeptical of giving up their data, and less trusting of an organisations ability to keep it safe. Marketers are wondering how they can keep collecting and using data when consumers are hesitant or wary of giving it away. After all, data is the key to delivering the kinds of marketing experiences that consumers now expect. So how can we reconcile these two disparate sentiments?

Build trust through transparency.

Being transparent about how you use data, and ensuring you offer an improved customer experience because of it, is key to building trust. There’s no point in collecting data just for the sake of it, and be sure to set clear expectations about how you’ll use it.

Use analytics to your advantage.

Ultimately the data that will be most useful is that which you collect about your customers’ behavior throughout their lifecycle. Engagement data, purchase history, device use or the channels through which they connect with your brand are much more powerful ways of understanding more about your customer. Marketing analytics can then help uncover these more advanced customer insights.

Know and Engage.

Once you have customer data, make sure you’re using it in a way that resonates with them. Data helps you know and engage with your customer in relevant and useful ways – so don’t throw this opportunity away.

Despite everything that’s going on, data is still a powerful tool for marketers. We just need to make sure we’re using it in ways that delivers a superior customer experience and aligns with their expectations.