How to build a comprehensive digital privacy roadmap as an executive stakeholder

Data protection and digital privacy are becoming increasingly important for both consumers and brands. By prioritising user consent and ensuring that privacy policies are easily accessible and clearly communicated, brands can build trust with their audiences and demonstrate their commitment to ethical data usage.

At the same time, marketers face a lot of challenges around the ability to (re)target users online and accurately measure marketing effectiveness due to a trifecta of new regulations, shifts in public opinion and technological changes.

While the industry is headed in a positive direction by elevating data protection and digital privacy, many companies are overwhelmed by the vastness and pace of these changes — changes that also increase various risks:

• Revenue loss: reduced ability to effectively communicate with prospects and customers through (re)targeting and personalised messages in digital spaces, due to the depreciation of third-party cookies and limitations of first-party cookies.
• Increased costs: the need to invest time and money into novel technical solutions, software, and talent, often accompanied by an unclear ROI.
• Fines: improper handling of consumers' data may lead to substantial fines.
• Social impact: with consumers becoming more privacy-conscious, there is a significant risk of damaging brand image, which in turn can lead to financial losses.
• Absence of clarity on how to move forward: several previously proposed technical solutions turned out to be infeasible.

Meta, for example, estimates a $10 billion revenue loss due to Apple's privacy changes, and other brands should act now to eliminate or minimise these risks. Thankfully, there’s a way forward that protects both your business and your audience’s privacy. 

Despite constant changes and uncertainty, there are several steps and directions businesses of any size and industry should take to be privacy-ready. This may not be easy, as it often involves changing the mindset and adopting new business processes, rather than simply overcoming technical complexity. The actions outlined below are not just a series of temporary fixes to address digital privacy issues, but are part of a broader business growth mindset.

Address digital rights first

Begin by honouring digital privacy rights laid out in General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or your regional legislation, such as the right to object to the processing of user information, the "right to be forgotten" and others. Ensuring compliance is crucial, and setting up cookie consent management software on your website is an excellent starting point. Avoiding fines and treating consumers with respect is a significant motivation in itself.

Ask yourself:

• Are you confident that no cookies are set up for those who decline, and only essential cookies are placed for users who partially opt-out?
• Can users genuinely exercise their "right to be forgotten," and is there an effective data deletion process in place?
• Is there a mechanism to ensure that no personally identifiable information is collected when it is prohibited?
• What is the extent that the "cookiepocalypse" will impact on your (re)marketing capabilities?

Shift your marketing focus to first-party data strategy

With the base covered, it's time to make a strategic shift. As my colleague Doug Hall states, "the demise of third-party cookies means the future of first-party cookies." Despite the changes and uncertainty, first-party data remains the most obtainable, reliable, and accurate source of information about your prospects and customers. Make sure to maximise the collection of first-party data and use it effectively.

• Gather only necessary and relevant data points: Focus on interactions with your digital assets that indicate product or service interest, and the known attributes of existing customers (typically stored in CRM, also known as zero-party data), aligning with your business's scope and objectives.
• Ensure data quality: Concentrate on taxonomies, hygiene, and governance, as well as data points that can serve as common identifiers for data integration.
• Highlight the advantages of brand connection: Promote the benefits of engaging with your brand to enhance first-party data and support subsequent strategic steps.
• Utilise data effectively: Rather than accumulating data without purpose, collect fewer signals and employ them for retargeting and personalisation immediately. This approach maximises ROI and secures C-level management buy-in.

Integrate the digital stack

Once you are confident that the data you own is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant to your marketing activation objectives, it's time to connect the platforms and data sources into a single source of truth, establishing a comprehensive customer view that allows brands to communicate effectively with customers and prospects.

Key focus areas include:

• Developing Identity Resolution (also known as ID, or User Resolution, or Identity Graphs): Establish a framework and pipeline for linking various identifiers to create a single customer profile. 
• Utilising tools to leverage first-party data in third-party environments, such as Data Clean Rooms. Google's Ads Data Hub exemplifies how to harness owned data within a so-called “Walled Garden” in a privacy-safe manner, providing greater insights into campaign performance.
• Implementing integration strategies across multiple departments and tech stacks might initially seem daunting, but starting with quick wins and adopting a test-and-learn approach can yield results that will persuade stakeholders. For instance, import digital behaviour data into CRM for persona, profile, and segment creation, and utilise enriched data in targeted retargeting campaigns.

Invest in overarching solutions

Investing in comprehensive solutions like Customer Data Platforms (CDP) can address the ever-changing martech landscape, as it significantly reduces effort compared to implementing multiple manual solutions. CDPs enable the unification of multiple customer data sources into a centralised platform, and perhaps more importantly, maintains the quality of this integration, supporting brands in scaling personalised marketing campaigns, optimising customer experiences, and measuring marketing effectiveness across touchpoints.

Another holistic method to rejuvenate a data-driven approach for fragmented data points is to revive the time-tested Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM). Utilising statistical techniques and regression analysis allows for the quantification of various marketing channels' impact and external factors (such as seasonal trends, economic climate, competitors' data, and trends) in the era of disjointed touchpoints.

Unlike multi-touch attribution (MTA), MMM offers predictive functionality and the ability to model different budgets and efforts based on historical data. While it may not be as granular as MTA, MMM serves as an invaluable strategic tool for marketers. It is essential to note that the quality of your data remains a critical factor in this approach.

In today's rapidly evolving digital privacy landscape, businesses must adopt a strategic approach and a growth mindset to successfully navigate the challenges and mitigate the risks. By prioritising digital rights compliance, focusing on first-party data strategies, integrating digital platforms, and investing in comprehensive solutions, brands can effectively address privacy concerns without compromising their marketing effectiveness. As digital privacy continues to be a global phenomenon, embracing these strategies will not only protect brands from potential losses but also foster trust among consumers, ultimately leading to sustainable success in an increasingly privacy-conscious world.

Vasily Popravko is the SEA data director for MediaMonks