Internet is changing. The growing concerns about privacy coupled by the steps taken by world’s biggest regulators has started the process of creating an online experience that isn’t intrusive, poking. The shift is a natural worry for today’s marketers.

As a marketer, today you cannot track user behavior the way you used to. As intrinsically as tracking has changed, the marketers of today have no way but to redesign their strategies and find novel ways of marketing to a privacy-focused customer. 

One might call this ruthless for marketers, but if you are considering a long-term relationship with your customers, this only seems fair. Web cookies might have led to more sophisticated and personalized advertisement, but were the primary reason behind trespassing and privacy violations. With no cookies in existence, marketers and their approach will be clean and accusations free. And when marketers will still personalize content without enacting third-party actors, customers will be more inclined to take action. 

Data relationship is reforming. Here’s a few tips for marketers who are preparing themselves to stay ahead of the curve, cookie or no-cookie. 

Think Cookie-less first

First and most important thing is to develop a cookie-less mindset; start thinking from the perspective that you mustn’t rely on cookies at all, even if the World Wide Web hasn’t gone cookie-free completely. A privacy-obsessed world will do that sooner if not right now, but the shift is certain. Having a cookie-based mindset will prevent you from stumbling upon the cookie-less technologies that are currently getting tested out there successfully by forward-looking marketers. 

Create a data value proposition

If value is associated with data, information sharing might become an option your customers will willingly choose. A McKinsey research has showed “around two-third of customers would be happy to share their data, or would consider sharing data, if they got something of value in return.” Having a clear value proposition in exchange for customer data can entice the majority of your customers to share their persona. 

Have a data security center 

If your customers have an assurance that any personal data belonging to them is safe with you, they will be more likely to share it. Gaining your customer’s consent is a game of trust. And customers only trust people they know or those that have a proven credibility of safeguarding data. Building a security center for your database speaks volumes about the measures you are taking to protect your customers’ interest, which will definitely pay off. 

Be diverse

Your audience is constantly shifting from platform to platform and device to device; and so should you. If your advertisement campaigns were limited to only one channel or two, now is the time to expand. Testing your audience with different marketing methods in several channels not only keeps you updated with the changing regulations but also helps you understand their browsing habits. You will be more likely to know where your unpredictable customers are heading towards at a particular time and target those channels only. Once targeted, you can choose what to market and how. 

Invest in DRM

Many data-driven companies are now investing in the roles of Data Relationship Managers or DRMs. These are the people who deliver a variety of test-and-learn approaches to understand the preferences of your customers. Upon understanding, they will create a narrative for your prospective buyers and create a relationship with them to deliver the right message. The key here, however, should be to offer helpful information instead of pitching your product/solution. 

Marketers have no choice but to respect the privacy of their customers and find alternative ways to reach them. Adopting these strategies as well as building some of your own will surely help you build a transparent and customer-authorized database. 

Author - Suraj Jaiswal

Suraj is a passionate blogger who writes for a global audience. His writings can be inspired from a myriad of topics to anything distinguishable that keeps a reader hooked. He has written for many websites and also been showcased as a guest author. Suraj lives in India right now.