You have a data problem. And it’s not what you think.

If you’re not focused on gathering, and correctly using, First Party data, your brand is slowing dying.

There is a data trend that is happening that should concern any business and marketing leader. Let’s take a look.

Legislation

As we look around the world we are starting to see massive data privacy shifts. From GDPR to CCPA, governments are taking action to protect consumer data from falling into the wrong hands. The realization of Cambridge Analytica, hacking organizations and Corporate privacy hacks, government is stepping in when others aren’t.

Technology Companies

Over the last couple months, we’ve heard from Facebook, Twitter and Google about how they are going to make or have made their platforms safer by protecting consumer data and giving consumers more access to their data and its usage. Many of these shifts (especially those from Google) have crippled the idea and use of cookies. 

Apple

Apple made a huge splash last week when it announced “Sign in with Apple.” A ground breaking single sign on that leverages your Apple ID for app and web sign ons without exposing any data to the platform - only an automated email address.  

What Now?

So, now our industry is in a predicament. Consumers becoming more dependent on personalized experiences through data connectivity - however, we are losing many of our tools to make such things work. And as these trends continue, we’ll continue to be constrained to leverage third and second party data to work in our favor for targeting, connecting and fulfilling communications and experiences for our consumers.

The best way to avoid this, is to build strong enough relationships and with your consumers to create an opt in to a relationship and gather First Party data. This simple shift in you experience strategy will become the dividing factor from the business leaders in the future and those trying to play catch up. 

By becoming consumer focused and truly finding new ways to add value to them, we have the relationship to gather this data and the latitude to have these conversations. Only then, will we be successful as a company and brand.