What is first-party data?
First-party data refers to the information that companies collect from their own sources without intermediaries. This includes data from website visits, app usage, social media interactions, and direct customer feedback. It’s unique to each business and provides deep insights into customer behavior and preferences.
Advertising (mainly remarketing in this context), behavioral segmentation and personalization are three pillars of your customer experience strategy enabled by first-party data.
Here are some concrete examples of first-party data:
- Web activity: Clicks, page views, time on site, frequency of visits, etc.
- Email: Opened emails, clicks, unsubscribes, etc.
- Social media: Likes, comments, interactions with your business page, etc.
- Web analytics: heatmaps, session recordings, landing pages, exit pages, etc.
The more first-party data you have about each individual customer, the more you can use it to improve your customer experience.
You can combine first-party data with zero-party data to get a detailed customer profile that unifies the most actionable and valuable customer data across devices and channels. Most companies have a similar basic set of technologies that collect data about their customers and audience, consisting of a CRM, an ESP (newsletter tool), a web analytics service, and perhaps a customer case management service.
The problem is that all the data collected by each tool is isolated. This makes it difficult to use the data across channels.
With a customer profile, all data is collected in a single place which allows you to use it without having to import and export data from different systems.
Here is an example of a customer profile which contains first-party customer data:
It also enables you to display personalized offers for specific users and audiences directly on your website, deliver synchronized messages across all channels, and much more.
Differences between first-party data and zero-party data
The main difference between first-party data and zero-party data is that first-party data is indirectly collected from your audience’s behaviours and interactions with your digital channels. Clicks, visited pages, actions, etc. Zero-party data is information that customers willingly provide to improve their own experiences. First-party data can offer insights based on actions, but may require interpretation. Zero-party data, however, directly reflects customer intentions and preferences without needing to guess.
How to collect first-party data
Collecting first-party data involves tracking user interactions across your digital platforms. This can be done through analytics tools, marketing automation platforms, and feedback forms. It’s important to ensure privacy compliance and transparency about data collection practices. Engaging content and trusted relationships encourage customers to interact more with your brand, providing richer data.
How first-party data is used in marketing
First-party data is used in behavioral segmentation, to personalize marketing efforts, improve product offerings, and improve customer experiences. By understanding the patterns and behaviours of your customers, you can tailor your communications, recommend products, and create more effective marketing campaigns. It’s a foundation for building customer loyalty and driving business growth.
Example tools collecting first-party data
Various tools and platforms can help businesses collect and analyze first-party data.
- Triggerbee – Triggerbee is an onsite marketing platform that automatically collects first-party data from individual visitors. Triggerbee enables you to deeply understand your audience and publish personalized customer experiences on your website.
- Google Analytics – This tool is indispensable for tracking website traffic, user behavior, and conversions. It offers a deep dive into how users interact with your digital presence.
- Klaviyo – Specializing in email marketing and automation, Klaviyo helps businesses leverage their first-party data to create targeted, high-conversion email campaigns. It’s particularly favored for its e-commerce integration capabilities.
- HubSpot – Known for its inbound marketing, sales, and service software, HubSpot assists in attracting visitors, converting leads, and nurturing customer relationships with its robust CRM and analytics features.