Introduction
As a digital marketer, you constantly seek ways to improve your business. From A/B testing landing pages to conducting consumer surveys, data is critical to making informed decisions about your marketing strategy. However, protecting consumer data and privacy becomes even more critical as you develop your digital marketing plan in 2019. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect on May 25th of this year to give EU citizens more control over their personal information and better protect them from cyberattacks by requiring companies that collect user data to be transparent about how they use it. In this blog post, we will discuss what GDPR compliance means for digital marketers, how it affects the industry’s current state of data privacy, and why marketers need to stay proactive when collecting user information online today.
Data Privacy
Data privacy is a hot topic in digital marketing. It’s important because it relates to the security of your data, which can affect your business. Data privacy laws are constantly changing, so it’s hard to keep up with them all, but you should try!
The following are instances that illustrate how data privacy can be violated
- A hacker steals your customer list and sells it on the black market
- Your employees accidentally share confidential information with competitors or third parties who aren’t authorized to receive it
- You accidentally send an email newsletter with sensitive information attached (like credit card numbers)
User data protection
The data privacy concern is not a new one. Consumers have always been concerned about their personal information being used by companies. Still, the increased reliance on technology has made it even more critical to protect your customer’s data.
In recent years, several laws have been passed that aim to protect consumer privacy and prevent companies from misusing or selling personal information without consent. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is the most well-known of these laws; it requires businesses operating in Europe that collect user data on European citizens to gain consent before using that information for anything other than its intended purpose. While this seems like an obvious step towards protecting user privacy, it’s important to remember that GDPR isn’t the only law explicitly designed with this purpose in mind!
GDPR Compliance
GDPR is a set of rules that protect the personal data of EU citizens. It applies to any business that processes the data of EU citizens, regardless of where it’s based.
If your company processes personal information and has an online presence, you must comply with GDPR by May 25th, 2018 (or face hefty fines).
The good news is that there are plenty of resources out there to help you get ready for this change in legislation – here are some useful ones:
The EU’s official GDPR website has a wealth of information about the regulation and how it will affect businesses. -A great, concise guide from KPMG that explains GDPR and why it matters. -An infographic from Logz.io that breaks down some of the critical changes in legislation and what they mean for your company.
Data security
Data security is a top priority for all companies and consumers alike. While it may be easy to assume that data privacy issues only affect US citizens, the truth is that they’re a global issue that affects everyone.
There are many ways to address data security, but no method will work for every company or industry. Marketers must understand how customers view their personal information before crafting an effective strategy around this sensitive topic.
Digital advertising
The digital advertising landscape is constantly changing. New ad types, formats, and targeting options are introduced to the market every day. The most popular digital ad types include banner ads, text links, and video ads. Digital ad formats can be static or animated and interactive (e.g., rich media).
The main goal of digital marketing is to reach potential customers with the right message at the right time so they will take action on your brand or product offerings. This involves using data analytics tools like Google Analytics to gather information about your target audience so that you know what type of content they’re interested in before presenting them with something else entirely (like an advertisement). For this process to work effectively, though, consumers need trust that their personal information won’t be misused by companies collecting it through online activity tracking technologies such as cookies – otherwise known as cookies-based tracking methods which send signals back to servers located somewhere else besides where users initially visited from; thus allowing those servers’ owners access into user profiles without permission granted beforehand by individuals themselves.”
Personalized marketing
Personalized marketing is one of the most powerful tools in digital marketing. Personalized marketing uses data to target customers based on their preferences, behavior, and location. It can help customers find the products and services they need, and businesses understand their customers better.
Unsurprisingly, personalized marketing is a critical component of digital marketing since it allows you, as an enterprise or brand owner, to deliver relevant content at just the right time for each consumer. In addition, it will enable businesses to build stronger relationships with consumers by providing them with offers tailored specifically to their needs–allowing them more control over what information is shared between themselves and other parties involved in this process, such as advertisers/marketers who may wish access certain pieces related only (email addresses) so long as there are no objections from users concerned about safeguarding privacy rights outlined under GDPR guidelines outlined below.
Consumer trust
In the digital space, trust is a fundamental building block for brands. It allows them to build strong relationships with their customers and prospects. But how do you build trust?
You must be transparent and honest about your business practices to establish a strong brand identity. This can be achieved by providing clear information about how you collect data from your customers (and if/how that data is shared), as well as how you use this information for marketing purposes.
As consumers become more aware of how companies use their personal information, they may become less willing to share it with those companies- or even do business with them! This means businesses must take extra care when handling customer data; otherwise, they risk losing clients due to privacy concerns or GDPR compliance issues.
Ethical marketing practices
Ethical marketing practices are essential to digital marketers because they help build consumer trust and create a positive brand image. This is especially true in the age of social media, where customers can easily share their opinions about companies’ products or services.
It’s not enough to say that you value ethics–you need to show it by being honest and transparent when communicating with customers. If you want people to buy from your company, they must know precisely what they’re getting into before making a purchase decision. For example: if someone is looking for something specific (like organic toothpaste), don’t try selling them something else without telling them upfront!
Transparency in marketing
Transparency in marketing is essential, especially for businesses looking to build customer trust. To understand what transparency means and why it’s important, let’s first look at examples of companies implementing this tactic in their digital marketing strategies.
One example is Amazon. They provide all sorts of information about their services and products through their website: customer reviews, prices, delivery time frames–you name it! This helps consumers decide which products they want to buy from Amazon instead of another retailer or manufacturer who might need to be more forthcoming about the details behind their sales practices (or lack thereof). Transparency also gives customers peace of mind when shopping online because they know exactly what they’re getting before making purchases; this increases customer satisfaction by ensuring there aren’t any surprises later down the line after purchasing something online through sites like eBay or Etsy.”
Cybersecurity
Data privacy and cybersecurity are top priorities for businesses. The World Economic Forum’s 2018 Global Risks Report identified cyberattacks as one of the top risks facing companies worldwide.
The threat of a cybersecurity breach is genuine, but it can be avoided with good digital security practices. It would help if you took the time to learn about cybersecurity and how to protect your business from these threats by protecting yourself against common attacks like phishing scams and malware infections.
Protecting consumer data and privacy as you develop your digital marketing strategy is vital.
Data privacy is an integral part of digital marketing, and it’s something that consumers are increasingly concerned about. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which went into effect in Europe in May 2018, has driven businesses worldwide to ensure they comply with the new regulations by protecting consumer data.
Suppose you want your audience to trust you and engage with your brand. In that case, protecting their privacy should be a top priority for any company or organization involved in digital marketing practices. Here are some tips on how best to do this:
- Ensure all of your employees understand how important it is for them and their company and its customers to adhere strictly when handling any personally identifiable information (PII). They should know exactly what kinds qualify under these terms so there aren’t any surprises later down the line when someone notices something fishy going on behind closed doors during routine audits or spot checks; this way, everyone stays honest!
- Also, ensure everyone understands what types fall under the PII category versus non-personally identifiable information (NPI) categories like zip codes or phone numbers–this helps ensure accuracy across channels since sometimes marketers need to remember which one applies where due.
Conclusion
The importance of data privacy in digital marketing cannot be overstated. Privacy is an essential part of a consumer’s experience with your brand, and it is critical to develop strategies that protect their data while still allowing them access to the information needed for targeted marketing. This can include everything from ad targeting options through GDPR compliance or using HTTPS encryption on websites so they don’t appear as insecure in Google Chrome when users search for something specific related to your business type.
Ready to take your business to the next level with Data Privacy in Digital Marketing? GenBe Company is here to help you unlock the full potential of this powerful platform. With our expert digital marketing services, we can tailor a strategy specifically for your business, driving traffic and maximizing your online visibility.