In an age where customers are more conscious than ever of how their data is being used and access to second and third-party data is on the wane, first-party data has never been more important.
Particularly as 70-80% of B2B decision-makers prefer digital self-service due to the ease of scheduling and savings on travel, so there’s an influx of digital data to capitalise on.
So, as we head into the new year, now is the perfect time to ensure that first-party data is the number one priority of your B2B marketing strategy for 2022.
First up, what is first-party data?
First-party data is information that you or your company collects directly from your customers.
This type is data is usually collected from the following sources: website, CRM, app, social media, surveys, and feedback.
As first-party data is collected directly from the source (e.g. your target audience) you can regard it as the most reliable data available for gaining an accurate insight into your customers’ needs and behaviours.
Plus, because you know the source of the data and can record how it was gathered, first-party data is GDPR-compliant.
Now, let’s look at the benefits of collecting your own first-party data.
First-party data gives you the competitive advantage
Collecting and analysing first-party data gives you a clearer picture of who your customers are.
This empowers you to create marketing messaging and collateral that connects with them, rather than producing generic messaging based on broad categories such as job title or market sector. Doing so can help your business stand out from competitors.
It’s possible to develop deeper connections still by also incorporating third-party data (e.g. information collected by companies with no direct relationship to your customers), which allows you to enrich your messaging with more specific detail.
First-party data empowers data-driven decisions
When you’re creating your content strategy, first-party data can help to provide a blueprint for the topics to cover in blogs, podcasts, case studies, white papers, and more.
Drilling down into your customers’ information lets you cover their interests, likes and dislikes, and purchasing behaviours, rather than basing decisions on gut instinct. As a result, first-party data can help you to produce content that is relevant to your customers.
First-party data enables personalisation
91% of B2B decision-makers believe a personalised website provides a stronger customer experience. First-party data gives you the insights to truly customise your website – and marketing messages – to your customers.
Tracking and analysing their data helps you to build a clear profile of your customer types and segment them into groups. This information can be utilised to craft targeted campaigns that specifically speak to your customers interests. In other words, marketing campaigns that feel personalised to them.
If you’re planning your B2B marketing strategy and want expert advice on utilising first-party data to grow your business, get in touch for a free marketing consultation.
