5 Key Elements of Customer Data Privacy

Abhishek Talreja, Founder of Prolific Content Marketing, figures out how marketing leaders can take charge and allay all types of customer fears about the safety of their private information. 

Last Updated: January 25, 2024

Data privacy has been a huge concern among online consumers, especially after data breaches by big companies like Facebook, Dropbox, and LinkedIn. Abhishek Talreja, Founder of Prolific Content Marketing, figures out how marketing leaders can take charge and allay all types of customer fears about the safety of their private information. 

Customer data is the pivot for most marketing campaigns and strategies. But while data is vital for marketing success, protecting customer information is the need of the hour.

Data privacy has been a huge concern among online consumers, especially after data breaches by big companies like Facebook, Dropbox, and LinkedIn.

Nine out of 10 AmericansOpens a new window  worry about online privacy and data security.

Learn More: How to Double Down on Critical Thinking as You Explore Data-Driven Marketing

In times when businesses are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, ensuring customer data privacy is necessary for building and maintaining customer trust. It’s the role of marketing leaders, therefore, to ensure that their customers’ personal information does not fall into the wrong hands. Let’s look at some of the key aspects of customer data privacy:

Communicating About Data Safety

Most customers are skeptical of companies asking for personal information. It becomes important, therefore, to publish a well-defined privacy policy communicating how customer data is used.

Sounds simple but it isn’t.

Companies often create long and complicated policy documents meant to confuse the audience. Marketing leaders must ensure that privacy-related communication is clear and concise. It should give customers a fair idea of the company’s intent concerning data usage, including outreach, activity monitoring, and third-party access.

Many companies even sell customer data on the pretext that they mentioned it in the privacy policy. On one occasion, for instance, an email service, Unroll.me faced customer flakOpens a new window for sharing user details to help companies like Uber with their marketing campaigns. Marketers must realize that simply being open about data usage is not enough. To build lasting customer allegiance, you must align terms and conditions according to audience expectations.

Plus, it’s vital to communicate about the exclusive benefits customers get from sharing their details: access to exclusive offers, personalized recommendations, and rewards, etc. Also, provide your customers with a platform to express their privacy-related concerns along with an easy resolution process.

Collecting Only the Required Information

A good way is to collect only the data you need to improve the customer experience through personalized campaigns.

Give your customers the freedom to share what they wish to share. For instance, some customers may not be comfortable sharing sensitive information such as mobile phone numbers or credit card details.

Additionally, businesses should offer customers full control over the information they choose to share. Another useful tactic is to destroy the data that’s no longer in use.

Limiting Access to Data

Data is often leaked because it is accessed by multiple individuals and parties. Creating an access control process helps marketers regulate the amount of data shared with third parties.

Besides that, there needs to be a shift in mindset where businesses should acknowledge that they are not data owners but data keepers. Marketers need to address the fact that data is not a commodity meant for exchange and re-use.

For instance, big companies like Apple are now taking a first-party approach to data. In such a scenario, data is collected directly from users, and the business maintains full disclosure of its usage. This means zero reliance on data from cookies or second- and third-party data sources.

Investing in Cyber Security

A recent study by PwC shows that more than 90% of consumers feel that companies must be more proactive about data protection. In a world where information theft is rampant, it’s critical for CMO’s to work closely with IT teams to ensure the right cyber-security measures are being taken:

  1. Make use of an HTTPS protocol on your website – the security feature encrypts website data, protecting information that users share on it.
  2. Set up a firewall, which helps secure your business from malicious site traffic. The feature also prevents your team from visiting harmful sites that may contain malware.
  3. Use a reliable anti-virus software – protects your business devices from spyware and malware. The software also helps protect your Wi-Fi from phishing and attacks.
  4. Use a multi-factor authentication to protect your business data and website from data thieves.
  5. Use an appropriate VPN service – encrypts and secures the data that’s transmitted by your team during online sessions.

Auditing and Advocacy

A regular data security audit entails that the marketing and IT teams periodically review data-related processes in the organization. Here are some questions that your team should seek to answer:

  1. What type of data is stored with your company?
  2. Who has access to that data?
  3. Are there possibilities that the data may get leaked, stolen, or shared without permission?

Thorough tracking of the various processes that customer data goes through is helpful. Plus, it’s necessary to sensitize and orient teams on the subject to create an organizational culture where customer data is treated with care.

Learn More: Case for the Cloud: 7 Benefits of Migrating Marketing Data to the Cloud

Final Thoughts

Keeping customer data safe and secure is not just a legal responsibility, but an ethical one. Privacy has become an integral part of a brand’s experience, and that’s why no marketer can choose to ignore customer choices in this regard.

Marketers should realize that getting customer consent and maintaining transparency in data collection and usage are critical to safeguarding a brand’s reputation. Moreover, the purpose of customer data is to gain valuable insights. Data needs to be seen as an opportunity to understand audience preferences and a means of building lasting customer relationships. Hence, marketers should lead from the front when it comes to respecting and maintaining customer information privacy.

Abhishek Talreja
Abhishek Talreja

Founder, Prolific Content Marketing.

Abhishek Talreja is a passionate writer and an experienced content marketing expert. He has contributed to top marketing blogs and works with international companies to help them earn online visibility and reputation. He is the founder of Prolific Content Marketing.  
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