Don’t miss Brandweek, Adweek’s ultimate experience for marketers, September 11-14 in Miami. Connect with peers and gain insights and inspiration from top brand marketers and industry icons at Glossier, Coca-Cola, Taco Bell and more. Register.
With industries and legal systems increasingly siding with users when it comes to control over their personal data and how it’s shared, the spotlight on zero-party data has only intensified.
Recently deemed by Forbes as “the new oil,” zero-party data is defined by Forrester as “data that a customer intentionally and proactively shares with a brand.” This contrasts with data that is collected and shared on an individual’s behalf. Inherently self-reported information, zero-party data boasts value beyond first- and third-party data because it can include non-observable information like emotions, sentiment and verified intent.
This becomes incredibly valuable when surrounded by contextual signals that map to deeper patterns. For example, I launched a zero-party data survey, asking more than 100,000 people, “What are you seeking from this app experience?” The survey question appeared during key actions within more than 3,000 mobile apps spanning games, productivity, sports, fitness, social networking, entertainment and lifestyle.
The in-app actions that triggered a survey were precategorized as moments relative to each in-app experience, including music, food, travel, DIY, cleaning and self-improvement. This approach revealed which of the desired emotions was most prevalent in which moments.
When responses like “belonging,” “power” and “reassurance” were mapped back to the context in which the survey ran, it highlighted insightful correlations—for example, music as the content of choice for belonging-seekers, cleaning and organizing utility apps as the go-to for reassurance-seekers, and gaming apps for control-seekers.
There are companies out there doing zero-party data right: Stitch Fix has a style quiz, and Kiehl’s has an Instant Skin Reader, both of which deliver participants personalized product recommendations adjusted for the data they voluntarily share. ViralGains makes it easy for brands to transform their ads and web content into interactive, dynamic experiences that ask consumers questions and then respond with content related to their answers.
But as powerful as zero-party data can be, there’s already a better option for marketers.
What is subzero-party data?
Advertisers’ ability to capitalize on self-reported emotion requires levels of honesty and self-awareness that humans aren’t reliably capable of.