What is First-party Data?

First-party data won’t just save you from impending marketing doom—it’ll help you conquer the competition. But what is it, and how do you get it?

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First-party data is collected directly from your interactions with customers on your website. 

The critical advantage of first-party data is that it's specific to your audience and their interactions with your brand. Because it’s sourced directly from your online shop, it contains nuggets of information that third-party data simply doesn’t. This data provides a much richer understanding of your customers, what they like, and how they behave on your online store.

Not only is this data more accurate and reliable, but investing in it now is crucial as privacy laws continue to be more stringent. 

What makes up first-party data? 

This data can come in many forms, including:

• Customer information: Names, email addresses, demographics (collected with consent)
• Website behaviour: Pages viewed, products browsed, time spent on specific sections
• Purchase history: What customers buy, how often they buy, and what they spend
• Engagement with marketing campaigns: Clicks on emails, opens, and website visits from marketing efforts
• Survey responses and feedback: Customer opinions, preferences, and suggestions

Third-party data paints a broad picture, but first-party data allows you to zoom in and see every brush stroke that created that picture. That level of understanding empowers you to personalise the customer experience, optimise your marketing efforts, and ultimately drive success for your business.

What are the benefits of first-party data? 

By understanding your audience's browsing behaviour, purchase history, and preferences, you can create a personalised shopping experience that drives sales in several ways:

Higher conversion rates 

Reach the right people with the right message at the right time. This is the power of first-party data—it translates to higher conversion rates and a better return on investment. 

Reduced cart abandonment

Remind customers about forgotten items and personalise recommendations to nudge them towards completing their purchase.

Smarter product recommendations 

Suggest relevant products based on past purchases, allowing you to upsell and cross-sell.

Improved Targeting and Personalisation

First-party data lets you create highly targeted marketing campaigns and personalise your website content.

Stronger Customer Relationships

When you personalise the customer journey using first-party data, you're not just selling products—you're building relationships. When customers learn that you know what they want, they’ll keep coming back. 

Data Ownership and Control

You have complete control over your first-party data, allowing you to use it strategically and adapt your marketing efforts based on real customer insights. 

How do I collect first-party data while staying compliant? 

There are many ways to obtain the essential details of first-party data while complying with evolving privacy laws. Many methods involve directly asking customers for their information. 

Coming right out and asking might sound invasive. However, this method is still preferable over using third-party analytics tools because directly interacting with the customer guarantees their consent and allows you to incentivise them with a discount or special offer. Plus, you can ensure that their data is safe with you. 

Here are some methods that won't feel so abrasive: 

Subscription and Sign-up Forms

• Design clear and concise sign-up forms that request essential customer information like name, email address, and demographics.
• Create these sign-up forms for loyalty programs, newsletter subscriptions, and text message notifications.
• Allow users to sign up with existing social media accounts to streamline the process and gather additional data points.

Loyalty Programs

• Create a loyalty program that rewards customers for sharing data.
• Offer tiered rewards based on the amount of data shared.
• Track customer behaviour within the loyalty program to gain insights into purchase preferences and preferred communication methods.

User Surveys and Feedback Mechanisms

• Conduct short, targeted surveys via email or pop-up windows to gather customer feedback on specific aspects of your website or products.
• Include open-ended questions to gain qualitative insights into customer preferences.
• Implement on-site feedback mechanisms like star ratings or smiley faces to gauge customer satisfaction easily.

Offer Incentives for Data Sharing

• Provide attractive incentives for customers to share their data, such as personalised product recommendations, exclusive access to sales events, or birthday discounts.
• Offer tiered incentives based on the value of the data shared, such as asking for phone numbers after receiving an email address.
• Perhaps most importantly, communicate how the data will be used and ensure transparency to build trust with your audience.

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First-party data is the key to making brilliant, efficient, and effective marketing decisions. Third-party cookies are on their way out, but they’re making room for something that empowers you to personalise the customer journey, target marketing campaigns with laser focus, and optimise your website for maximum conversions. 

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With Revend, you can ensure you’re getting the most out of your first-party data while keeping it safe.