Digital marketers are relying more and more on the zero-party data that consumers intentionally share. We’ve already touched upon the definition and benefits of zero-party data, but now it’s time to focus on how to collect it.
Why is Collecting Zero-Party Data Important?
Collecting zero-party data has never been more important. With the growing demand for a privacy-led online experience, the dependence on third-party data is quickly diminishing...
Instead of viewing this transition in a negative light, we need to see this as a great opportunity.
Now is the time to be creative and think of new ways we can collect important data that will provide customers with the service they have grown to expect.
The Basics of Collecting Zero-Party Data
When you begin the process of collecting zero-party data, you need to consider adding short, interactive experiences to your online channels, as creating an interactive experience will encourage your users to actively share information with you.
Of course, when collecting any form of data, including zero-party data, it’s important to be as open and honest as possible. Customers are far more likely to share information with you if you are clear with how you are using this data.
4 Ways to Collect Zero-Party Data
New Customer Registrations
This is a great place to start when it comes to collecting zero-party data. An initial customer registration form or questionnaire allows you to gather a detailed customer profile from day one.
In this registration form, you could include questions about why they’ve chosen to register with your brand, and what their expectations are. With this zero-party data already in your arsenal, you’ll be able to create a tailored customer experience throughout their time with you.
Having this form ready at the first stage of the customer journey shows your customers that their opinions matter, and you’ll find it much easier to build and retain customer relationships.
It’s important to keep this line of communication going, as customers’ opinions will change throughout their time with you. It’s worth sending another customer form after 12 months.
This way you can see if you’ve met or exceeded their expectations, or if you’re missing the mark and adapt your marketing accordingly.
Websites
There are a plethora of ways you can collect zero-party data through your own website. One easy way you can collect this data is through a conversational pop-up.
When a user lands on your website, you can create a pop-up, which includes a few questions that will help determine what they are looking for on your site. With this information, you can then provide your users with personalised recommendations based on their specific needs.
You can also use pop-ups for sign-ups or subscriptions. For example, once a user clicks on your website, add a pop-up to entice them to sign up for your monthly newsletter.
To encourage users to convert, offer discounts on selected products if they sign up for the newsletter or offer a first look at exclusive releases.
Another way you can gain zero-party data from your website is by locking certain parts of your website. For example, if you are a company that provides blogs and webinars on your site, consider setting a cap for how many your users can read or watch.
Once they have hit that cap, ask them to enter their details if they would like to see more of your content. When they sign on to see more of your content, consider including questions about what topics they are most interested in and then provide personalised content to match their preferences.
Social Media Platforms
Today, customers turn to social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter to connect with brands. And the brands that receive higher engagement with their customers are the ones that post a steady stream of creative and engaging content.
One form of content that drums up a high level of engagement are polls, and you can use these to collect zero-party data. With polls you can reach out to your followers with questions like “what colour sofa is your favourite?” or “how often do you cook at home?”.
When your users engage with the poll, you will gain useful information about their likes and dislikes, which you can then use to tailor their experience to match their needs.
Quizzes
When designing a quiz, the possibilities are endless. If you are an eCommerce brand, you could use quizzes to find out specific styles or items your customers are looking for.
These concrete answers eliminate the need to guess. You can create tailored product recommendations and allow your users to add these items to their cart straight away.
You could also create a quiz to understand how much your customers know about your brand. This type of quiz allows you to see how much your customers know about you.
With this data, you can provide suggestions for products, services, or information to your users to guide them along a new customer journey.
For example, if you’re a brand that sells skincare products, quiz your customers on the products they are already using and what they are used for.
Then, based on the data you have collected you could recommend other products they could use that would be the most beneficial for their skin type.
Final Thoughts
The end of third-party cookies will bring with it many changes, marketers will need to be ready and adapt to this new reality...
But collecting zero-party data is a lot easier than you think. Using one or more of these interactive experiences can increase the volume of vital zero-party data you have, decrease your reliance on third-party data, and improve future marketing campaigns.
