While data collection through AI tools can enhance a brand’s ability to understand its customers’ journey, new privacy laws and cookie restrictions are challenging innovative leaders and teams to think outside of their traditional marketing approach to gathering information.
Expert members from Fast Company Executive Board highly recommend that companies prioritize compliance to create more transparency and develop authentic company-client relationships. Here, they provide seven solid strategies to address global privacy laws and overcome any impact these restrictive regulations may have on their advertising and marketing efforts.
1. IMPLEMENT EMAIL VALIDATION.
To ensure compliance, organizations rely on data governance to protect themselves, customers, and data integrity. That should also include visibility into where customer data is sourced, how it is utilized, and where it is going. As email addresses are a central identifier to this and they help marketers stay ahead of the dynamic modern commerce landscape, an email validation strategy is critical. – Tom Burke, AtData
2. PRIORITIZE TRANSPARENCY, CONSENT, AND COMPLIANCE IN THE DATA FRAMEWORK.
One effective strategy for leaders to address global privacy laws is to implement a robust data governance framework that prioritizes transparency, consent, and compliance. As a woman of color in marketing, I see these laws reshaping our strategies, shifting from data-driven to more creative, content-focused approaches. This ensures trust and compliance but requires innovation due to limited data access. – Maria Alonso, Fortune 206
3. MOVE AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL ‘COLLECT-IT-ALL’ APPROACH.
Leaders need to rethink the traditional “collect-it-all” approach to data. In the past, many businesses would gather lots of personal information to hyper-target their marketing and advertising efforts. Since data privacy laws have made such practices legally risky, it’s better to focus on building trust through transparency and consent-based data collection. – Frederik Bussler, Bussler & Co
4. ADOPT A ‘PRIVACY-BY-DESIGN’ APPROACH.
Most businesses and leaders should adopt a “privacy-by-design” approach that embeds robust data protection into all business operations from the start. This means acquiring first-party data thoroughly and moving away from invasive tracking for marketing. Doing this limits some tactics but builds consumer trust, leading to loyalty and higher lifetime sales from individual customers. – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
5. PROVIDE ANNUAL TRAINING AND FORGE BETTER RELATIONS WITH A DATA PROTECTION EXPERT.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance remains a critical aspect of digital marketing in Europe and across the globe, and legislation is constantly changing. Global marketing teams should get in the habit of providing annual training and maintaining a tight relationship with their data protection officer or point of contact in legal. Respect user consent and make an effort to build a privacy-centric marketing department. – Elizabeth Kiehner, Nortal
6. REMAIN PROACTIVELY IN COMPLIANCE WITH GLOBAL PRIVACY LAWS.
In navigating global privacy laws, marketing leaders must prioritize compliance and transparency. By adopting a proactive approach and integrating privacy principles into their operations, organizations can build trust with consumers and mitigate risks associated with data breaches or non-compliance. This strategic alignment ensures marketing efforts remain ethical and effective. – Kristin Russel, Symplr
7. FOCUS ON MEASURABLE OUTCOMES THROUGH CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT.
With stringent privacy regulations and cookie restrictions, brands face challenges in understanding customer journeys. However, the shift in privacy allows performance marketing to thrive as it focuses on measurable outcomes and customer engagement without relying heavily on personal data, thus aligning with compliance requirements while maintaining effective advertising and marketing efforts. – Stephanie Harris, PartnerCentric