{"id":1085,"date":"2025-07-02T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.coclea.org\/?p=1085"},"modified":"2025-07-02T15:45:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T15:45:17","slug":"from-third-party-cookies-to-zero-party-data-the-new-rules-of-email-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.coclea.org\/index.php\/2025\/07\/02\/from-third-party-cookies-to-zero-party-data-the-new-rules-of-email-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"From third-party cookies to zero-party data: The new rules of email engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"
A few days ago, Jane was browsing for new sunglasses. Before she knew it, every site she visited was showing her relevant ads.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n It wasn’t magic. Just algorithms working with behavioral data.<\/p>\n But data collection is no longer something we can do in the background. With rising privacy concerns, businesses must now lean on zero-party data.<\/p>\n And what better channel to invest in privacy-first communication than email? A channel where users opt in to get personalized customer experiences<\/a>.<\/p>\n I’ll walk you through the new rules of data collection, how well-established brands are adapting, and what you can do to stay ahead.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Apple\u2018s Mail Privacy Protection and GDPR have accelerated the shift to zero-party data. The same goes for Google\u2019s update, although it\u2019s been postponed<\/a>.<\/p>\n Privacy laws aside, there are more reasons why you should turn to zero-party data.<\/p>\n Research shows that 25%<\/a> of marketers mention poor-quality data as a main reason why they fall short of customer expectations. But your audience chooses<\/em> to share zero-party data. This means you get more reliable insights than any data collected passively.<\/p>\n With phishing attempts<\/a> on the rise, users worry about where their sensitive information ends up. As a result, business executives find it challenging to establish trust:<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n With zero-party data, customers know exactly what they’re sharing. And according to Salesforce, 71%<\/a> of them are more likely to do so if a brand clearly explains how they\u2019ll use the information.<\/p>\n Accurate data means you can deliver meaningful experiences on every channel. For example, a user takes a quiz on a cosmetics site to find their perfect lipstick. At the end, they opt in to receive email and SMS updates<\/a>. Now the brand can personalize every touchpoint, from emails with blush recommendations to texts with discounts on lip liners.<\/p>\n If your emails live up to subscribers\u2019 expectations, they\u2019re more likely to interact and less likely to unsubscribe or mark emails as spam. And this is how you keep email deliverability<\/a> and sender reputation intact.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Below are the most effective ways to gather zero-party data from your audience, along with successful use cases for each.<\/p>\n Tailor your signup form to collect more than a name and email address.<\/p>\n For example, Sephora uses back-in-stock alerts to learn about customers\u2019 preferred communication channels:<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/p>\n Another approach is to include an email preference field and ask users:<\/p>\n With this tweak, you transform a simple signup form into a lightweight email preference center.<\/p>\n Let’s say you want to give your audience the option to choose how often they\u2019ll hear from you \u2014 monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly.<\/p>\n With an email tool like Moosend, you can create a preference center so subscribers set their own frequency. What you get is three segments (that update automatically as users change their preferences):<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/p>\n Next time you send an email, you\u2019ll select the relevant group and the campaign will reach the right inboxes.<\/p>\n The more you understand people\u2019s preferences, the more personalized their experience feels. As Georgia Riga, Moosend\u2019s Customer Success Manager, puts it:<\/p>\n \u201cCollecting zero-party data through an email preference center is just the start. The real impact comes from respecting customer preferences in future communications and delivering with consistency.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n It’s common to ask new users for information such as their job title, company name, and pain points.<\/p>\n However, asking too much upfront could overwhelm them. A better approach? Break the process into a multi-step onboarding to keep users engaged without causing friction.<\/p>\n Start with the essentials and then, depending on your industry, ask a few additional questions. For example, an eCommerce business could ask for the user’s birthday to send timely discounts.<\/p>\n Make sure to tie every question to a clear benefit. Canva does an excellent job at this by clarifying how they’ll use the info required:<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/p>\n People love polls and quizzes because they discover new things while having fun.<\/p>\n Think of a quiz that users take and then fill in their email to get personalized results.<\/p>\n There you have it: real-time zero-party data collection, plus a new subscriber (who didn\u2019t feel forced).<\/p>\n Fun aside, the average user won’t appreciate going through a tiring process just to get a personalized recommendation.<\/p>\n Stick to 3-5 questions and avoid dropdown menus or open-ended questions. Some brands even let users skip a question or two and still get the results.<\/p>\n Frank Body embeds a skin quiz on its website as part of the signup process and offers an extra incentive.<\/p>\n After clicking the CTA, visitors answer a few quick questions, such as:<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/p>\n Customer reviews are not just good social proof for potential customers \u2014 they also give you insights about your current customers.<\/p>\n Time matters when asking for feedback, though. You want to reach out while their experience is still fresh \u2014 ideally, within 1-3 days. That\u2019s when customers are more likely to provide honest, accurate input.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how and where you can make the request:<\/p>\n Consider offering a small incentive, such as a freebie, downloadable resource, or a discount. Also, keep the process short and, if possible, mention how long it will take to complete.<\/p>\n In this email, Virgin Atlantic starts with a heartwarming thank-you note. Moving on, they explain why they need this Net Promoter Score<\/a> (NPS) survey and the time it takes.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Besides being an excellent lead generation tool, webinar registrations help you learn more about your audience, especially in the B2B industry.<\/p>\n What kind of audience insights should you ask for? Try these:<\/p>\n Custom questions may include specific interests and levels of expertise. Want to dig deeper into attendees\u2019 goals? Add an open-ended question to understand why they decided to register.<\/p>\n To remove barriers, make some fields optional. Alternatively, collect more information in a follow-up email after registration.<\/p>\n You can even continue the conversation once the webinar wraps up. Send an email to attendees to collect feedback and find out what else they\u2019d like to learn.<\/p>\n Digital Marketing Institute uses this simple form for lead generation, only asking for basic information to build a professional attendee profile.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/p>\n When it comes to customer service, chatbots are the first choice both for brands and consumers, according to HubSpot’s State of Service Trends Report<\/a>:<\/p>\n Whether it’s on your website, app, or social media<\/a> channels, chatbots analyze data throughout the conversation to deliver tailored support. To make sure this data is useful, consider these factors:<\/p>\n Attentive keeps things simple by offering links to valuable resources. For specific actions like getting a demo, the visitor has to fill in their email address.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Users might trust you with their data. But this trust is fragile \u2014 send a generic message, and it disappears. To build on that trust, here’s what you must keep in mind.<\/p>\n Subscribers don’t passively consume content. They ask questions: \u201cIf I tell you X,<\/em> will you give me Y?\u201d<\/em> So, when gathering zero-party data, make sure the outcome justifies the sacrifice.<\/p>\n Take this example: A user signs up for an employee management platform. They fill in \u201cHR manager\u201d as their job title and flag employee retention as a challenge. A few hours later, they receive an email series offering actionable employee retention strategies.<\/p>\n When the cause-and-effect relationship feels consistent, subscribers see the relationship as mutual.<\/p>\n Zero-party data isn’t about bombarding your audience with random questions.<\/p>\n Ask too much \u2014 or the wrong things \u2014 and you risk raising red flags.<\/p>\n Identify the exact information you need to create tailored emails. Then, separate the must-haves from the nice-to-haves based on your industry and goals.<\/p>\n For example:<\/p>\n When you adjust your approach based on the customer journey, data collection feels natural.<\/p>\n Let’s say you run a fitness app.<\/p>\n Instead of sending new subscribers a lengthy survey, include a short in-app form to learn more about what content they’re interested in and how often they want to hear from you.<\/p>\n When a user reaches a milestone, trigger a push notification that leads to a short survey. Ask about their workout habits to further tailor their fitness plan.<\/p>\n What about members of your loyalty program<\/a>? This is where you can take zero-party data collection further. These are the people who see the value of your products, so they\u2019re more likely to respond.<\/p>\n When asking for zero-party data, there are types that you\u2018ll only ask for once (e.g., your subscriber\u2019s birthday).<\/p>\n Almost any other data, like their family status, could become outdated. User preferences are also subject to change.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why zero-party data collection is not a one-off request, according to Natalia Georgiadou, Moosend’s Product Owner:<\/p>\n \u201cYou should treat the preference center as a <\/em>conversation starter instead of a settings page<\/em><\/strong>. Build your email preference center with the goal of encouraging that dialogue. And unlock zero-party data that drives real personalization across the entire customer journey.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n So, how can you keep the lines of communication open?<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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Why Marketers Are Prioritizing Zero-Party Data<\/h2>\n
Accessing High-quality Data<\/h3>\n
Building Trust<\/h3>\n
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Creating More Personalized (Cross-channel) Experiences<\/h3>\n
Boosting Email Deliverability and Interactions<\/h3>\n
How to Collect Zero-Party Data<\/h2>\n
1. Signup Forms<\/h3>\n
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2. Account Creation<\/h3>\n
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3. Interactive Tools<\/h3>\n
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4. Reviews, Ratings, and Testimonials<\/h3>\n
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5. Webinar Registrations<\/h3>\n
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6. Customer Support and Chatbots<\/h3>\n
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Things to Consider During Zero-Party Data Collection<\/h2>\n
Remember the cause-and-effect pattern.<\/h3>\n
Prioritize the data you need.<\/h3>\n
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Consider your audience\u2019s level of engagement.<\/h3>\n
Collect new data regularly.<\/h3>\n
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