Our Approach to First-Party and Business Data Collection

A key distinction we make when working with a client on tracking is that between first-party data and business data.

First-party data relates directly to an identifiable individual or device-- whether a known customer or anonymous consented user. 

Business data is a broader category that includes first-party data, and may include stripped down versions of the same information. 

All business data is not personal data, subject to privacy regulations.

A count of sessions per day does not require first-party data at all. 

Recording the number of total sessions sourced through a specific utm_campaign parameter-- for example "Branded Campaigns - Facebook"-- also does not require first-party data.

And, if a conversion event happens within that session, personal data is not a requirement for tracking and optimizing off that information.

We help clients achieve business goals. Personalization is a terrific tactic and part of the overall strategy, but it generally requires consent. In order to include all customers in the analysis, perform these exercises in a uniform, business metrics approach to supplement strong first-party datasets.

Obtaining consent and winning customers is the ultimate goal, but that can only be maximized through optimization that is able to perceive the customer base as a whole.