Holistic marketing concept of Google

In 2021, privacy will continue to be a key focus area for marketers as the digital marketing industry adapts to evolving consumer expectations. Not only are increased privacy measures important for protecting people, but theyll also improve the long-term health of the industry.

Improving consumer privacy will require adopting new approaches to marketing measurement, which can be a challenge to keep up with as your attention shifts toward meeting your KPIs. But staying on top of the latest advancements in measurement solutions can help you better understand marketing effectiveness and may even help you meet your KPIs over the course of the year.

Here are the five pillars of a holistic marketing measurement plan that I hope will set you up for success in 2021.

1. Leverage the power of first-party data

Direct customer interactions with your business can tell you a lot about your customers needs and, as a result, help you make insights-driven business decisions on the road to digital marketing transformation.

For example, when you look at previous purchase history, are there products that loyal customers only tend to buy during certain times of year? Purchasing patterns can help you identify the right time to promote the right products. First-party data can also signal customers who are at risk of churning, which may prompt you to kick-start reengagement strategies.

Ask yourself: Is there a type of first-party data that Ive never analyzed? How might analyzing that data influence future marketing decisions?

3. Be transparent about data usage with your customers

Respecting customer privacy is as essential to effective digital performance measurement as using the right tools and analytics. If you explain exactly what data will be used and how it will be used when asking for customer consent, more customers will understand what theyre agreeing to. In turn, youll gain a better feel for the type of data usage customers are comfortable with and a greater ability to predict when youll have gaps in data.

Start by making sure that your privacy policies are up to date with evolving regulations that support users rights to control how their data is used. Next, review all related communications and revise any language that uses complicated industry terms, so customers can easily understand your policies and feel empowered to take action. Teammates who interact with customers directly may have some great ideas about how to modify language to be more in line with your customers communication style. For example, they might substitute words like consent with its up to you.

You can also update how your site manages ads and analytics cookies, so that you can continue measuring conversions while respecting user consent choices.

Ask yourself: Are my consumer-facing privacy policies clear and concise? Am I asking customers to consent to the way their data will be used? Can I gut check my policies for basic understanding, if not directly with consumers, then with colleagues who are not in marketing?