The challenge now is how advertisers can best operate in this new world.

As consumers take more control of their personal information, advertisers may be restricted in how and when they do one-to-one targeting. But that does not mean that brands can never use data for targeting or that they must revert to generic advertising. Rather, brands must treat consumers as people, not merely data points. That means using data in ways that respect people’s choices and preferences. And that makes targeted marketing based on demographics, interests, location and other consumer information just as essential as ever for effective marketing campaigns.

According to a recent Valassis 2021 Consumer Intel Report, more than half of those surveyed have a positive view of brands that send them relevant messages and deals, and during the COVID-19 pandemic nearly 90% indicated an appreciation for brands that delivered relevant and timely information. 

These findings only serve to underscore the importance of relevance, making it one of the best tools marketers have in their efforts to maintain and respect consumer privacy. But what does it look like to engage consumers in a privacy-safe, relevant way? The following sections highlight four practical recommendations.

Find partners with both brains and brawn

The formula for relevance is data-driven insights plus the tactical prowess to execute marketing across the channels that matter. Just getting the data right — ensuring opt-in, using advanced modeling and the like — is only half the battle. Even with a willing and interested audience, they may not want to learn about a brand in their social media feed, but they may be open to a deal in their mailbox.

Being relevant means being able to identify and understand an audience in a privacy-sensitive way. It also means engaging those people in the ways that resonate with them without losing the power of the data.

That puts identifying strong technology partners at the top of the list. Brands need companies on their side who can take on the twin challenges of intelligence (the brains) and execution (the brawn) to win the hearts and minds of everyone in the audience. This lets advertisers deliver multichannel advertising to a richer ideal prospect pool to grow their businesses.

As the marketplace evolves, the best partners will continue to adapt and innovate their technology to help brands reach and engage today’s omnichannel consumer to drive commerce.

Don’t rely on just one tactic

With consumers taking more control of their data, the industry is poised to see a decrease in precise location data and fewer device signals. Smaller audiences will, in turn, limit the ability to reach consumers at scale to drive performance. Similarly, the digital identifiers used to deliver individualized ad experiences may be limited. For …read more

Source:: Digiday

Author: Aaron