Trust is a cornerstone of successful marketing. As consumer data gains importance, companies are increasingly focusing on finding ways to build genuine and sustainable relationships with their audiences. Consent management has emerged as one of the most effective strategies in this regard, ensuring transparency, ethical conduct and compliance with data processing requirements. This post will explore in more detail how consent management builds trust, how strategies based on explicit consent enhance marketing activities, and how the centralisation and use of first-party data fosters long-term customer relationships.

The importance of data protection in the era of digital ubiquity

Trust is essential for success in digital marketing, as consumers increasingly value privacy and transparency. With 71% of countries having data protection laws in place, marketers are subject to a variety of regulations that demand strict compliance. At the same time, consumers expect their data to be processed transparently and with their consent, highlighting the need for ethical and effective marketing strategies.

Even despite Google’s delayed plans to phase them out in Chrome, the future of advertising is steadily shifting away from third-party cookies. Marketing models based on first-party data are becoming mainstream, allowing for a more direct and trustworthy relationship with consumers. Businesses that successfully implement consent-based marketing gain a significant competitive edge by being able to make better use of personalisation and improve targeting of their advertising campaigns. Choosing the right technology partner that facilitates effective data management and agile adaptation of marketing strategies to changing technological and legal requirements is essential for effectively implementing consent-based marketing and ensuring maximum compliance with privacy regulations.

Consent as a basis for trust

Consent to the use of personal data is the foundation of trust between a company and its users. The GDPR requires consent to be freely given, specific, informed and easily withdrawn, ensuring users can clearly understand and control how their data is used. However, many companies struggle even with simple consent withdrawal. Does your website also have the form to withdraw consent buried deep in legal texts?

Despite often being viewed as a formality, cookie consent forms have become an essential component of websites and apps. When considering the broader range of functionalities these solutions must address, we quickly realise that basic forms are insufficient to ensure all users’ rights. This has led to the emergence of Consent Management Platform (CMP) solutions, which enable users to easily manage their consents. CMP solutions make it easy to monitor active data capture systems and to assign them to the appropriate groups, ensuring better compliance with regulations and fostering trust in digital interactions.

Consent-based marketing strategies

In recent years, the term “cookies” has often been used synonymously with consent for tracking, but it is important to understand that consent also applies to other technological solutions, such as universal identifiers and browser-based data storage. This means companies must secure consent for these technologies as well, necessitating careful management of consent across all levels.

Privacy should not be treated as a separate component and should be seamlessly integrated with all aspects of the marketing strategy. At iPROM, our dedication to upholding the highest standards of privacy has been a core part of our DNA from the start. Our commitment to privacy extends beyond solutions such as iPROM Private DMP and is consistently embedded in all digital advertising strategies we design and implement.

For example, we provide clients with CMP integration services for comprehensive user consent management and the storage, segmentation and management of first-party data in private data warehouses. This first-party data is then used to target and purchase ad space in digital media through our iPROM Programmatic Platform.

Benefits of centralising consent records

You may have encountered a situation where a website you were browsing redirected you across different domains and subdomains, prompting a new consent window each time. This creates a poor experience, especially on sites that appear uniform and do not seem like separate systems to the user. Consent management platforms (CMP) effectively solve this problem by allowing the transfer of consent across websites or even across different devices (cross-device), which significantly improves the user experience.

In addition, CMP tools allow companies to accurately track user consents in accordance with data protection regulations. This allows marketing activities to be targeted, relevant and consistent with users’ preferences, simplifying compliance reporting and helping companies meet regulatory requirements.

Create better digital experiences by integrating consent management platforms

Consent management platforms such as CookieBot, CookieYes and OneTrust, with which iPROM has established partnerships due to their extensive experience, are essential for creating a more transparent and cohesive digital environment. They simplify the process of keeping up with the constantly evolving data protection legislation at a global level and help maintain high standards of compliance in different markets.

Properly configured consent management platforms make it possible to design clear and user-friendly consent forms. These platforms also enable A/B testing allowing you to regularly assess how different customisations impact user consent levels over time. This ensures that your forms not only meet technical requirements, but also improve the overall user experience.

Consent management platforms are particularly important when it comes to the transition to consent-based marketing and the decreased reliance on third-party cookies. They empower users to easily manage their preferences regarding the collection and use of personal data, which in turn increases their satisfaction and strengthens brand loyalty.

In my next post, I will focus on the challenges associate with the gradual reduction in the use of third-party cookies and examine how companies can adapt effectively to these changes. I will discuss how shifting towards first-party data strategies and adopting a privacy-by-design approach increases the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and builds trust between companies and users.

If you are looking for ways to improve the management of your first-party data using advanced technology tools, please contact our analytics team. You can also contact me with any questions at anze.hribar@iprom.si.