What is Zero-party data?
Zero-party data is information that users intentionally and proactively share with a brand—such as their preferences, goals, interests, or plans—knowing it will be used to personalise their experience.
How is Zero-party data different from first-party data?
First-party data is based on observed behaviour (pages visited, emails opened, features used). Zero-party data is explicitly provided by users themselves, often through forms or preference choices, and reflects what they say they want rather than what we infer.
Why is Zero-party data valuable?
Zero-party data is highly accurate, transparent, and permission-based. Because users openly share it with clear intent, it becomes a powerful foundation for respectful personalisation, better relevance, and stronger trust.
How can brands collect Zero-party data?
Brands can collect zero-party data through forms, preference centres, quizzes, surveys, in-product questions, and onboarding flows that ask about needs, interests, use cases, or content preferences in a clear and value-driven way.
How should Zero-party data be stored?
Zero-party data should be stored securely in systems designed to manage consent, preferences, and segmentation—such as CRMs, customer data platforms, or marketing automation tools—with clear access control and audit trails.
How does Zero-party data support email and automation?
It powers precise segments and tailored journeys—for example, sending different sequences, offers, or content to users based on their stated goals, industry, buying role, or topics they explicitly asked to hear about.
How does Zero-party data support privacy-conscious strategies?
Because Zero-party data is willingly and knowingly provided, it reduces dependence on inferred signals or third-party data. This aligns better with privacy expectations and evolving regulations while still enabling meaningful personalisation.
Who manages Zero-party data usage?
Marketing, CRM, and data or analytics teams typically collaborate on how zero-party data is captured, stored, and used. They define rules for segmentation, activation, and governance to ensure responsible, value-adding use.
How often should preferences be refreshed?
Preferences should be reviewed and refreshed regularly—through reminder prompts, profile updates, or preference centre nudges—so data remains accurate, current, and reflective of each user’s evolving interests.
How does Zero-party data integrate with AEO and GEO?
Zero-party data can inform which topics, questions, and use cases matter most to priority segments. This helps teams create answer-ready and generative-friendly content that is closely aligned with what users explicitly say they care about.
