Zero-Party Data

Zero-Party Data is a type of information that users intentionally and voluntarily share with a brand.

Unlike other data collected indirectly, Zero-Party Data comes straight from the source: it is the users themselves who consciously provide this data, usually in exchange for some benefit (like a discount or valuable content).

This term was coined by Forrester Research and is also known as explicit data, since the customer openly states their preferences, needs, or personal information to the company.

To better understand this concept, it helps to briefly compare it with other types of data used in marketing:

Third-Party Data:

Information collected by external entities outside your business, such as data providers or tracking cookies across various websites.

For instance, demographic or behavioral data purchased from third parties.

Historically, they have been widely used in targeted advertising, but they are losing relevance due to privacy regulations and cookie blocking.

Second-Party Data:

This is essentially another company’s first-party data shared with you through partnerships.

It is information you obtain through partners or business agreements.

For example, an online publisher sharing data with an e-commerce store about readers interested in fashion, so the store can offer them clothing promotions.

First-Party Data:

Data you collect directly from your users’ behavior across your own channels.

This includes, for example, your website analytics, CRM data, purchase history, or social media interactions with your brand.

These are obtained by tracking user activity, usually without them having to state it explicitly (the user might not be fully aware it is being collected, as is the case with analytics cookies).

However, Zero-Party Data differs from all the above in that the user actively provides the information.

That is, they explicitly state their data or preferences to the company.

Some typical examples of Zero-Party Data are:

• Survey responses
• Preferences indicated in a subscription center
• Information provided in a form (such as birth date, interests, or specific needs)
• Or the choices a customer makes regarding how they want a brand to recognize them or personalize their experience

The Importance of Zero-Party Data in Marketing

In recent years, Zero-Party Data has gained massive importance in digital marketing.

Why is this term so trendy?

Mainly due to changes in privacy and technology that are redefining how companies gather information about their audience:

The End of Third-Party Cookies:

Web browsers are progressively phasing out third-party cookies.

In fact, 2024 was the expected year for the near-total removal of third-party cookies in popular browsers.

This means that marketing departments will lose a traditional source of data on potential customers (such as browsing-based retargeting).

Faced with this landscape, companies need alternatives to understand their audience more directly and with consent, which is where Zero-Party Data takes center stage.

Privacy Regulations:

Laws like the GDPR in Europe or the CCPA in California require clear and specific user consent for collecting and using personal data.

Zero-Party Data usually complies better with these regulations, as it is the user who knowingly provides their data for a specific purpose.

In other words, this approach puts the user in control of what information they share and for what purpose, aligning with current legal and ethical demands.

Reliability and Accuracy:

Zero-Party Data is considered ‘pure gold’ by many experts.

Coming directly from the customer, it tends to be more reliable and accurate than other forms of inferred data.

There is no need to guess intentions through algorithms or assumptions; the customer has already told you what they want or are interested in.

Of course, this assumes the user provides truthful information, but generally, this voluntarily declared data offers a solid foundation for personalizing campaigns.

Advanced Personalization:

We live in the era of personalization. Users expect content and offers tailored to their tastes and needs.

Zero-Party Data drives more effective personalization efforts because it provides specific insights about each individual.

For example, if a subscriber indicates in a survey that they are interested in ‘summer offers,’ the brand can segment them and send relevant communications on that topic.

This precise personalization improves the customer experience and increases the likelihood of conversion.

Brand-Customer Trust Relationship:

When a user shares personal information directly, they are placing their trust in the brand.

If that trust is managed well (using the data for their benefit and respecting their privacy), the relationship with the customer is strengthened.

The customer feels heard and valued.

Conversely, if the company abuses this data or fails to use it after requesting it, it could erode that trust.

Therefore, brands must be highly responsible when handling Zero-Party Data and meet the expectations they set when asking for it (for example, if you promised ‘we will send you tailored content,’ you must actually do it).

In short, Zero-Party Data has become crucial because it fits perfectly into a context where user privacy is a priority and where companies compete to offer personalized experiences.

It is a win-win strategy: the user has more control and receives value in exchange for their data, and the brand gains valuable information directly from the customer without opaque intermediaries.

How to Collect Zero-Party Data (Examples and Strategies)

Getting users to give you Zero-Party Data requires offering something in return and requesting the information transparently.

Some effective strategies for collecting Zero-Party Data include:

Subscription Forms with Incentives:

One of the most common ways is through forms on your website where you offer a benefit for registering.

For instance, including a pop-up that promises ‘Download our free eBook’ or ‘Get a 10% discount on your first purchase’ in exchange for the user providing their email address and some additional data.

In these cases, the email is basic Zero-Party Data, but you can also ask for their name, product preferences, or desired email frequency.

Tip: Don’t ask for too much information at once; stick to the essentials so you don’t scare the user away. You can always gather more data later as you build the relationship.

Surveys and Polls:

Surveys are perfect for obtaining declared data.

You can send short surveys via email or display them on your website or app at key moments in the customer journey (for example, shortly after someone subscribes, after their first purchase, or on special dates).

Ask things like:

• ‘What kind of content are you most interested in receiving?’
• ‘Rate your experience with our product’
• Or ‘What is your goal for this year?’

Besides gaining valuable information, the very act of asking shows you care about the customer’s opinion.

Just be sure to reward their time: run a giveaway for respondents or send a thank-you coupon, for example.

Interactive Quizzes and Tests:

Another popular tactic is using interactive quizzes or tests that collect data while also offering entertaining content.

For instance, a quiz like ‘Discover what kind of entrepreneur you are’ might ask the user several questions about their habits and needs, and at the end, request their email to send a personalized report with the results.

This method makes sharing data fun and makes it feel more like part of an experience rather than a boring form.

Profile Preferences or Preference Center:

If you already have a customer or subscriber base, you can implement a preference center where each user chooses what types of communications they want, how often, and on what topics.

For example, allowing a subscriber to choose between receiving ‘Product News,’ ‘Special Offers,’ or ‘Educational Content.’

All these selections are highly useful Zero-Party Data because they tell you exactly what each person wants (and does not want).

The key is to make this preference center easily accessible, usually through a link in your emails like ‘Manage Subscriptions’.

This way, the user feels in control, and you collect data that will help you segment your mailing list.

Loyalty Programs and In-Store Registrations:

In e-commerce or local retail environments, offering loyalty programs is a classic way to obtain voluntary data.

For example, when a customer signs up for a loyalty card in a local store, they usually provide their name, email, birthday, etc.

The same goes if they request an in-store receipt to be emailed to them—that is another opportunity for collecting data.

The key is to integrate this offline-collected data into your digital platform (CRM or email marketing tool) to use it later in campaigns.

For online businesses, an account registration (creating a user profile) can also encourage people to give more information in exchange for convenience (saving preferences, addresses, payment methods, order history, etc.).

Contests, Giveaways, and Social Media Activities:

Social media campaigns that require filling out a short form to enter a contest or giveaway also generate Zero-Party Data.

For instance, a giveaway where entering requires providing an email and answering ‘Which of our products do you like the most?’.

Motivated to win something, the person provides you with valuable data about their preferences.

Important: be clear in the terms and conditions about how you will use this data (for example, if you are adding them to your newsletter, state this on the form with a consent checkbox).

Across all these strategies, remember to communicate why you are asking for this data and what the user stands to gain.

Transparency builds trust.

A message like ‘Tell us your preferences so we can send you only the offers you care about’ can improve response rates because the user understands the value of providing that information.

Likewise, ensure the security of the collected data. Having a visible privacy policy and adhering to it is crucial for maintaining credibility.

Best Practices for Using Zero-Party Data

Obtaining Zero-Party Data is just the first step.

It is equally important to know how to use it correctly in your marketing campaigns, especially in email marketing.

Some best practices and tips to keep in mind:

Only Ask for What You Will Use:

It is tempting to want to know everything about the customer, but endless forms or irrelevant questions can scare people away.

Moreover, there is no point in hoarding data you will not end up using.

Define from the outset what information will genuinely be useful for segmenting or personalizing your messages, and focus on that.

For example, if you are not running campaigns segmented by region, it makes no sense to ask for geographic location data.

Conversely, if you plan to send birthday greetings, it does make sense to ask for their birth date.

Less is more when it comes to data collection: take it step-by-step; you can enrich the customer profile gradually.

Deliver on Your Value Proposition:

If you told the user ‘tell us your interests and we will send you tailored content,’ make sure you actually do it.

There is nothing worse than a customer taking the trouble to provide personal details only to receive generic emails that ignore their preferences.

Use your marketing platform to segment based on the collected data.

For example, if a subscriber indicated an interest in educational webinars rather than commercial promotions, ensure they primarily receive that type of content.

Honoring the user’s choice will boost their satisfaction and encourage them to keep interacting.

On the other hand, ignoring their data can damage trust and even lead them to unsubscribe from your mailing list.

Automate Personalization:

A good email marketing platform allows you to set up dynamic content or automations based on subscriber data.

Take advantage of these features.

Use cases: automatically sending a ‘Happy Birthday, Anna!’ email with a personal coupon, using the provided birth date, or segmenting a new release campaign by the favorite literary genre the user selected upon subscribing, so ‘fantasy’ lovers receive one set of news and ‘historical fiction’ fans receive another.

Automation ensures you respond quickly to captured data with relevant messaging.

In fact, many experts recommend that immediately after obtaining Zero-Party Data, you use it in your next communication with the customer to reinforce that personalized effect (for example, if a survey tells you they want to ‘improve their productivity,’ your next email could be ’10 tips to be more productive at work’).

This shows the user that you listen and act on their responses.

Keep Data Updated:

Preferences and personal circumstances can change.

It is a good idea to occasionally give the subscriber a chance to update their data or interests.

For example, you could send a brief annual survey asking ‘Are these topics still of interest to you?’ or invite them to review their profile on your site.

This ensures you are not working with outdated information. Similarly, respect when a user decides to change their options or opt-out of certain types of emails; this is part of giving them control over their data.

Respect Privacy and Be Transparent:

Even though Zero-Party Data comes from a voluntary customer action, don’t lower your guard regarding data protection.

Store this information securely and use it within the legal framework.

Clearly state (for instance, in your privacy policy or on the opt-in forms) what you will do with this data.

Transparency creates peace of mind.

Additionally, segmenting by sensitive personal data requires tact.

For example, if you know a user’s age or income because they provided it, avoid making them feel surveilled with overly direct messages about those topics.

Use this knowledge in a subtle, beneficial way for the user, not intrusively.

Rely on the Right Tools:

Managing and leveraging Zero-Party Data is much easier with the proper technology.

For example, a comprehensive email marketing platform like Mailrelay allows you to create custom fields for your contacts (age, interests, registration date, etc.), segment your list using those criteria, and even automate campaigns based on them.

With a tool like this, you can filter and send a campaign exclusively to the subscriber segment that indicated interest in ‘summer offers,’ for instance, achieving much higher open and click-through rates due to the relevance of the content.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that solutions like Mailrelay offer very generous free plans (up to 80,000 emails per month to 20,000 contacts), making it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to collect and manage Zero-Party Data on a large scale without an initial investment.

All this, combined with expert, human technical support in english, available even on free accounts, gives you the peace of mind that you can implement Zero-Party Data strategies correctly, guided by specialists.

In short: having the right tool and professional help at hand will make your Zero-Party Data efforts truly worthwhile. 😉

Benefits and Conclusions

Zero-Party Data represents a golden opportunity for modern marketing. Summarizing its main benefits:

Greater Precision in Personalization:

You know exactly what each customer wants or expects because they told you, allowing you to tailor content and offers more accurately.

This usually translates into better conversion and engagement rates, as you are sending the right message to the right person at the right time.

A subscriber who receives information aligned with their interests is more likely to open the email, click, and ultimately become a loyal customer.

Regulatory Compliance and Trust:

By relying on data provided voluntarily with consent, it is easier to comply with privacy laws.

Additionally, you show your audience that you respect their preferences and privacy, which strengthens trust in your brand.

Trusting customers = long-lasting relationships.

They prefer interacting with companies that don’t abuse their data and ask for it clearly and honestly.

Independence from Third Parties:

By reducing reliance on third-party data and focusing on collecting your own data (first-party and zero-party), your marketing strategy becomes more resilient against external changes.

If Google phases out cookies tomorrow or social networks change their data policies, your business will still know its audience because it built its own direct knowledge base.

Zero-Party Data, along with a solid first-party data strategy, is like an asset that you own and control.

Better Campaign ROI:

If you use this information well to segment and personalize, you will see that your email marketing, advertising, and other channel campaigns perform much better.

In an environment where the user demands both privacy and personalization, zero-party data is the strategic answer: obtained with permission and used for mutual benefit.

If you are not yet taking advantage of this type of data, now is the time to start. Implement surveys, review your subscription forms, and talk to your customers to get to know them better.

Incorporate this data into your email marketing strategy and your actions across other channels.

You will see how, little by little, your messages resonate more deeply with your audience, and your marketing metrics skyrocket.

In the era of consented information, the brands that know how to listen to the customer win.

And Zero-Party Data is, in essence, listening to the customer at its finest. Use it to your advantage and stand out from the competition with truly personalized campaigns! 🚀