5 Ways to Collect Accurate Real-Time First-party Tracking Data
You have undoubtedly experienced this phenomenon: you click some ad on Facebook, X, or Instagram just to learn one or two things about the product without ever intending to buy. But this small act can lead to you being bombarded with ads related to the product in the following weeks or even months.
Welcome to the world of cookies — the tracking data that tells a business about your shopping behavior, including what you may consider buying soon.
Second-party data is generated by a business’s partners while third-party data is collected from unrelated entities such as Google or Facebook. The data reveals details about a customer’s behavior across different sites, hence allowing businesses to collect information and target customers with personalized product ads.
But second and third-party data comes with risks: it may not be so accurate or safely utilized since different entities handle it, so it can be tampered with, misinterpreted, breached, or partially damaged. In fact, Google, Apple and other data collectors have decided to phase out third-party cookies.
This leaves first-party tracking data as the best option. But this also depends on how the first-party data is collected, stored, interpreted and implemented. First-party data collection limits you to observing the online activities of your visitors or customers within your channels; you don’t track their behavior on other websites or social media sites.
Here are 5 ways to collect accurate real time 1st party tracking data:
- Invest in Website Tracking Tools and Analytics
Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or Facebook Attribution Tool are some of the best data tracking tools you can invest in to collect real time first-party tracking data on customer behavior, engagement, or preferences on your channels. The tools will closely report the pagers each customer frequents, how long they stay there, etc. Such information enables strategic decision-making when customizing your next round of ads designed to enhance each customer’s experience.
- Direct Online User Surveys
You can also engage your customers directly, asking them about their preferences, likes, dislikes, tastes, etc. Your business can design short and simple surveys asking them about which products they love. This direct approach gets you undiluted information right from the horse’s mouth.
- Reward Customers for Sharing Data
Don’t be mean. You need to encourage your users to share data by rewarding them in some way. This can come in the form of discounts, loyalty points, or full access to features.
- Encourage Users to Create Accounts
When users create accounts on your website, you easily track their behavior: you see what they check for long and what they eventually buy. You can then figure out what to offer them next. Place links to the sign-up form or subscription button where users can see them easily, making the process simple and short.
Encourage them to sign up by promising seamless shopping experiences, access to exclusive promotions, early product launches, order tracking, or personalized recommendations.
- Direct Email Campaigns
How customers interact with your emails also provides valuable insights about their preferences. Which email campaigns interest them? Which emails do they quickly open and read to the end? With the help of email tracking tools, you can gather real-time first-party data from customers who may otherwise not be monitored on your website.
Wrapping It Up
Collecting and analyzing first-party data is turning out to be the most reliable way to make data-driven decisions. With the right collection and implementation, customers’ needs will be met and this will guarantee business success.
