How messaging and messaging platforms can enable first-party data personalisation in a privacy-first world.

Privacy is the key concern of platforms across the board. Be it Apple, Facebook, or Google, they all build their communication to convince users that their data is in safe hands, protected and that the ultimate control lies with the user. 

For example, Apple's April 2021 iOS update 14.5 has employed a consent protocol, App Tracking Transparency (ATT), that governs and restricts how advertisers and apps use tools for data collection and then target and optimise their ad campaigns. Even Google plans to stop supporting third-party cookies on its browser by 2023, putting an end to an era dominated by data and giving way to consent-based advertising.

For marketers and advertisers alike, this implies a disruption of digital marketing as they know it. Measurements, KPIs, and playbooks would be drastically different if data could not be accessed. In a cookieless world, they’d have to adapt just as quickly as the cookie crumbles. 

But how? 

Marketers should invest in building direct relationships with their consumers, invest in first-party data personalisation, explore innovative targeting strategies and allow customers to self-serve. 

Building direct relationships:

In a brick-and-mortar format, customer satisfaction is key to driving sales. When salespeople are pleasant, helpful, and provide correct information, the buyer is easily convinced to purchase. Similarly, if brands can converse and solve problems, answer queries, and assist users online, the conversion rate would be much higher. Building a direct relationship with consumers online by conversation powers conversion. 

First-party data:

With third-party data threatening users’ privacy, first-party data, i.e., information collected from the targeted audience or consumers, is the way to go. The data collection on the brand website or app, subscription data, data from CRM, and social data. In the world of data, first-party is the most preferred type of data marketers hope for as it is collected directly from the source, usually at no or minimal cost. The quality of this data is far more excellent than second or third-party data, making it more effective for marketers to use. It helps them learn, grow, monetise, scale audiences, deepen engagement, and improve the overall ROI across marketing activities. 

Innovative targeting strategies: Innovative targeting strategies are crucial to building effective alternatives to acquire, re-engage consumers independent of conversion events and conversion tracking. It would imply leveraging platform features to maximise reach, visibility and conversing with the audience. It isn't easy to pull the target audience to where the brand is, and it needs to be where the consumers are.

Allow customers to self-serve:

Give the customers the power. The power to reach the brand, interact with it conveniently, and comfortably share their data creates a more valuable and memorable experience. 

A more personal and involved approach to marketing is using messaging and messaging platforms. Customers increasingly prefer this due to the personalisation of the interaction. 91% of the customers respond better to personalised service as they instantly create an immersive experience. Messaging plays a significant role in driving discovery and sales. 75% of consumers prefer to engage with brands through private messaging channels: Instagram DMs, Google My Business, or Facebook Messenger. It is the simplest way for them to pose their questions and get instant responses. They also allow brands to present well-curated answers and convert potential customers before they change their minds. 

Messaging replaces tedious steps such as visiting a landing page, filling a form, and qualifying for a call. While this long loop could take up to 3 days to complete, conversing with them instantly on a messaging channel gets them the information they require to decide while providing marketers and the brand the data they can use to optimise their marketing efforts. The drastically shortened turnaround time is vital in holding their attention and making a conversion from the conversation. The numbers match this thought. 72% of people would complete an online sale if they could ask real-time questions. As for the most part, people genuinely keen on the product or service would make an effort to message. Almost 76% of the consumers are interested in purchasing using a chat or messaging service. 

Messaging channels offer marketers and advertisers multiple solutions. From giving direct access to their audience to solving numerous pain points, platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Google My Business all provide advertisers with the opportunity to make a memorable and lasting impression with a personalised experience.

The real-time, two-way conversation aids product discovery, purchase, and affinity.

How do marketers implement this?

They can adopt the following ways to start with:

• Ads can click out directly to messaging channels instead of landing pages, away with the form filling and additional steps consumers need to get through before reaching the brand.
• Opt for AdSter, making Google Search ads conversational. Giving marketers the ability to capture customer intent and the Zero Moment of Truth. 
• Effectively re-engage users with context relevant communication that easies their buyer journey post the first interaction with the customers.
• Google Maps can redirect visitors straight to Google Business Messaging, allowing them to ask questions in real-time and get qualified responses.

These messaging channels enable demand generation and conversion whilst building a relationship with new and existing users. In a world where the rules are constantly evolving, it helps when the customers, brands, and marketers are on the same side of the conversation. 

With customers in charge of the data they share, the data personalisation generates conversations that enable the brands and marketers to seize the zero moments of truth. In one instant, marketers empower the customers to go from click, chat to checkout.