In a survey conducted by Gartner, 84% of businesses indicated that data privacy represented the most important factor when purchasing software. Emerging regulations also make it mandatory to consider data privacy best practices when collecting consumer data – so, how do you navigate this landscape and still ensure strong marketing outcomes?

Understand Data Privacy and Consumer Data Protection

Data protection is the method by which organizations and people, in general, manage data in order to safeguard an individual’s privacy. It goes hand in hand with the concept of data security, which is the practice of safeguarding electronic information to guarantee its confidentiality, accessibility, and integrity.

The General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, is a series of rules and regulations governing the processing and protection of personal data. In addition, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives consumers better control over the personal data businesses collect about them.

When discussing this concept within the ambit of marketing, there are three factors to bear in mind:

• Privacy: Maintaining data confidentiality prevents unauthorized access to the data. In marketing, this may entail restricting access to a customer’s purchase history to only those team members who require it for everyday tasks.
• Wholeness: Safeguarding data integrity ensures that the data does not become corrupted intentionally or unintentionally. In marketing, this may entail restricting editorial access to client files so that only specific team members can make changes and prohibiting certain uses of customer data.
• Access: Ensuring data availability means that the information can be retrieved and utilized at the appropriate time. In marketing, it could involve getting appropriate data access rights during a campaign assessment meeting. Customers may also request access to the information you’ve gathered and preserved about them.

Why are Data Privacy Best Practices Important for Marketers?

Data privacy is particularly important for marketing agencies and in-house teams, as they frequently handle sensitive consumer information. This may involve personally identifiable information (PII) like client names, email addresses, targeting data, and even behavioral data.

If this type of information ends up in the wrong hands, it might be used to perpetrate identity theft, scamming, and other criminal activities. In addition to the possibility of financial loss, a data breach might damage your company’s reputation and result in a loss of customer confidence.

Customers are now more conscious than ever before of the dangers associated with online information sharing. As a consequence, regulations have been drafted to establish guidelines for the processing of personal data, and customers are increasingly reluctant to initiate transactions with businesses that cannot guarantee the security and confidentiality of their data.

(Also Read: Data Privacy vs. Data Security)

Data Privacy Best Practices for Marketers in 2023

In 2023, with growing awareness of privacy issues as well as a rising number of data breaches, marketers need to take a proactive stance. This involves:

1. A regular refresh of your customer data privacy rules

Marketers may be assigned to oversee the privacy policy which regulates the marketing processes of an organization. It is crucial that those in command of this respond regularly to shifts in market conditions, customer behavior, and, most importantly, legislation.

It is essential that the privacy policy is understood by all employees, not just those who’ve worked with it for years. It must also make logical sense to a first-time customer visiting the website. Finally, marketers must ensure that the privacy statement occupies a prominent position on the website and is of an easily legible font size.

2. Ensuring consent and streamlining consent workflows

When asking a customer for marketing permissions, you will be in charge of using appropriate terminology. There must be no ambiguity here. If a consumer is unclear about what they subscribed to, as a result of the terminology, your business may be in violation of data protection laws.

Additionally, marketing consent may serve as a boon for marketers. It indicates that the consumer is interested in receiving additional information from the company. For example, you can use a website pop-up to facilitate consent documentation more visible and obvious, and customers can opt-in to specific data collection on their preferred channels.

3. Regularly checking your email list hygiene

When marketers are handed over an email list to begin with, among their initial considerations is the list’s effectiveness. The rapid rate at which B2B email lists become outdated is a major issue. Therefore, you must conduct regular searches for emails that aren’t valid anymore. And it’s not only a priority from a purely commercial perspective.

Often these data privacy laws make it crystal clear that this must be a fundamental requirement: retaining obsolete data displays a conservative and sluggish approach to the data protection requirement.

4. Customer data platform (CDP) adoption

Today’s marketers collect data through a variety of channels, such as email, social networking sites, and the telephone. The management of privacy in this enormous data landscape can indeed be difficult. This is where CDP solutions’ expertise can be invaluable.

CDPs offer a method for staying on top of the numerous data inputs and organizing these in a substantive way. This has significant implications for data privacy. A company whose data inputs are overwhelming is not in total control of its data protection. Customer data platforms may remedy this situation.

5. Creating a customer value proposition around privacy

Any relationship or association which involves data is centered on customer value. McKinsey discovered that two-thirds of consumers would be willing to share or would contemplate providing their data in exchange for something of value. There are numerous methods to provide value to consumers. Discounts and promotions are a potential alternative for companies.

Enhancing the consumer experience is another method for developing a strong value proposition. Data can be used to enhance the customer experience by enabling customers to find what they seek more quickly and by pointing them to the latest offerings that are most likely to be of interest to them. Either way, the goal is to respect privacy rights while collecting data so you can continue to deliver effective and value-adding marketing campaigns.

6. Investment in data security (encryption, authentication, and anti-malware)

Cybersecurity investments are another crucial aspect of data privacy for marketers. Use a 256-bit key length for email encryption as well as file-level encryption algorithms to protect consumer data on your servers and computer systems. Additionally, upgrade all machines with anti-malware and antivirus software that auto-updates in response to emerging threats and hacking attacks.

Lastly, utilize multi-factor authentication (as opposed to merely a password) to provide more robust security for consumer data and enterprise systems containing such data.

Conclusion: Easy Tips to Start Protecting Customer Data and Privacy Today

Evidently, data privacy has significant implications for the development and execution of marketing strategies. Here are a few tips to help adhere to the law, make customers happy, and also get the most out of your campaigns:

• Identify the functions needed to guarantee data protection across the entire consumer journey.
• Demonstrate that you take privacy issues more seriously than your competitors.
• When formulating policies, look beyond your own region (like the European Union and the General Data Protection Regulation).
• Be aware of emerging privacy issues (like cookies or monitoring pixels) and be prepared to resolve them.
• Develop a culture in which personal information is respected and protected.
• As emerging technologies (like the metaverse, artificial intelligence, as well as the Internet of Things) arise, be mindful of possible data privacy issues.

Protecting consumer privacy was always a central concern for marketers, and that’s been regularized with the recent spate of laws. By adopting the tips and best practices, we discussed – and the idea of privacy by design as well as by default – you can protect consumers, foster confidence, build relationships, and maximize the value of information.