What is first-party data?

What is first-party data?

If you’re looking to collect valuable and reliable data, or are curious to find out more about first party data, then you’ve come to the right place. Find out how it can be useful to businesses and its crucial role in the world of modern marketing.

What is first-party data?

This data is collected from customers whenever they interact with a brand. By buying products or signing up to a loyalty program, for example. This information can be used to improve the customer experience on the merchant site or to send personalised offers to a database. It may include information such as name, age, telephone number or e-mail address.

Considered to be the most reliable source, the collection of first-party data is a highly prized objective for marketing teams.

Description of the data collection process

Collecting data, although systematic in marketing, is not trivial. We’re talking about sensitive information, but it’s also a commercial issue for companies.

The first step is to identify what the company needs. This could be information about the location of their prospects and customers, or their age.

Once the needs have been identified, the format for collecting the information needs to be chosen. This can be a form or a survey.

First party data in digital marketing

Data collection strategies have become commonplace for marketers. Indeed, the digital sector has grown considerably in recent years, and some abuses have been reported.

Respect for privacy is a subject that is affecting more and more users. Users are increasingly demanding about how their data is used, which explains the recent restriction on third-party cookies on various browsers. Google has announced the end of these cookies in the face of growing mistrust on the part of Internet users. It is therefore urgent for marketers to find new solutions that are more respectful of both data confidentiality and the environment.

This is why it is a real asset for marketers.

A valuable source of data

First-party data is a collection strategy that is now very popular in digital marketing. Why ? Simply because information submitted voluntarily is qualifying data.

Thanks to customisable forms, it is possible to collect the data that brands need. Whether it’s to generate leads or to get to know your customer base better, it is a valuable source of information. Collected transparently, it contains valuable and reliable information.

The role of first-party data

A stronger relationship with the customer

Getting to know your customers is the key to forging closer links and building loyalty. Offering personalised content or offers is what today’s users expect.

Participating in campaigns and voluntarily filling in information on a form provides a transparent data collection solution.

A more effective way of prospecting

Collecting first-party data enables companies to better understand their customers’ needs and preferences. However, this strategy can also identify the prospects most likely to become customers of the brand. Based on online behaviour and purchase history, companies can create target audiences for subsequent conversion. Offering personalised offers and getting prospects to spend time with the brand can make all the difference.

Better control of customer relations

First-party data collection has the advantage of being both reliable and transparent. Thanks to this strategy, companies can capture their customers’ intentions as well as any relevant information. This makes it possible to propose personalised content or offers and respond to potential customer needs. It’s an ideal way of improving the relationship between the company and its customers.

The different uses of first-party data

This is a powerful tool for companies and brands to better understand and target their customers. It can be collected from a wide range of sources, including websites, mobile applications and social networks. It is a source of data that companies can collect, analyse and exploit. This makes it easier for them to improve their products or services, their advertising campaigns and their marketing strategy. The Swiss army knife of data can be adapted to any situation!

First party data, very useful for your marketing team

It has become an indispensable tool for marketing teams. Data collection helps marketers to better understand customer journeys, discover the most effective communication channels and identify weak points in the customer experience. This enables marketing teams to implement more effective and profitable campaigns, while improving the overall customer experience.

This strategy is also effective for identifying market trends and preparing future collections or campaigns.

Analysing customer behaviour

By collecting information voluntarily provided by users, it is possible to create detailed customer profiles for analysing purchasing behaviour. First party data includes information on past purchases, shopping baskets created on the merchant site and comments left on the site.

Through the use of this data, a conversation takes place between the company and its customers. Customers talk to you, and if they are listened to, you can build loyalty and ensure that your marketing actions are effective.

Easier to improve conversion rates

Improving conversion rates is a real challenge for businesses. By using first-party data, you can distribute targeted offers to trigger purchases. Thanks to the valuable information collected upstream, you can respond to customers’ real needs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, gearing your strategy towards the collection of first-party data allows you to develop an ethical and more transparent approach. It is essential to listen to users’ concerns, while taking into account the changes on the horizon in terms of digital marketing.

This will enable companies to strengthen customer relations by learning about their preferences and purchasing intentions. What’s more, personalising offers and improving the customer experience will only improve the conversion rate!

Need advice on your first-party data collection strategy?

Mother’s Day competition: 4 scenarios for your campaigns

Mother’s Day competition: 4 scenarios for your campaigns

Mother’s Day is a tradition that has been rigorously respected and perpetuated since childhood. This year, once again, all mothers are expecting a gesture from their children, often with the support of their spouses for the younger ones. According to a Yougov survey, 61% of French people think this is an important holiday. It’s the perfect opportunity for brands and chains to launch a competition to mark this commercial highlight and promote their flagship products!

There are 3 main reasons for consumers to take part in a promotional game on Mother’s Day:

  • Finding the perfect gift for their mum
  • Win an attractive prize to give away on the big day
  • Declare their love for their mother in a fun and original way

A marketing game to identify the tastes and preferences of mothers

On Mother’s Day, consumers give themselves around 2 weeks to find the ideal gift, and almost half make up their minds in 2-3 days at the last minute. This usually leads to a spike in sales, particularly online, with a growing proportion of mobile purchases.

Influence their buying habits by guiding them in their choice of the ideal gift using a marketing game! Children know their parents well enough to indicate their preferences.

mother's day mobile game

The swiper, perfect for collecting user preferences

Help players find the perfect Mother’s Day gift by collecting their preferences, thanks to an easy-to-use and highly entertaining mechanic. Swiping right or left, depending on product preference, is as easy as child’s play. At the end of the journey, enter a Mother’s Day competition to win the selection.

Personality tests are ideal for segmenting a database

With the personality test, players determine which profile their mother matches by answering a number of questions, and discover the most suitable products via a profile-based selection.

Shopping-list: a mechanism for gathering crucial information about products and services.

Players create their own special Mother’s Day wishlist from the brand’s products and submit it to a photo gallery, a simple way of generating user-generated content.

An instant win game to win the most beautiful Mother’s Day gift

Here, it’s important to choose the right equipment

Looking for something simple and effective? Instant-win games are a sure bet! The ideal way to reach a wide target quickly. Offer a particularly attractive prize for the occasion, or vouchers to spend on your site or at points of sale. Dress up your brand with festive branding via a One-Armed Bandit, a Scratch Game, a Wheel of Fortune or a Shuffler!

A creative competition to declare your love on Mother’s Day

Encourage your users to create their own content

Take advantage of the general craze to promote User Generated Content around your brand on this occasion. Photo, video or text competitions… encourage players to put themselves in the picture to wish Happy Mother’s Day in a fun, original and personalised way. It’s an excellent way of engaging users and developing your brand equity around a sacred holiday!

Why not capitalise on Mother’s Day with a post-purchase game?

Take advantage of this opportunity to generate in-store traffic

With a high level of purchase intent and an allocated budget, Mother’s Day always generates a spike in traffic and sales among the French. Take full advantage of the crowds to collect qualified data using a game. With Gatecode, encourage users to enter the code for their Mother’s Day gift and fill in a form to win a cash-back offer on their purchase, for example. A great way to collect leads and opt-ins!

Need some advice on how to prepare for the year’s upcoming highlights?

Using marketing games effectively to promote a product

Using marketing games effectively to promote a product

Promote a product is a key strategy for your brand’s sales and marketing challenges. It accompanies the product throughout its development from the moment it is created and involves all your communication channels. Marketing games are an excellent advertising medium for promoting a product. Find out how to use marketing games effectively at every stage of your product’s sales cycle.

The teasing game to announce the launch of your product

Objective: To create a buzz

The art of teasing allows you to create a buzz during the pre-launch period, even before the official release of your new product. Whether it’s a new arrival in the catalogue or an improvement to an existing product. At this stage, the marketing competition can be used in a variety of ways to create expectation and need.

  • Encourage consumers to discover its name, shape or packaging.
  • Use a hashtag to spread the word about the campaign on social media
  • Offer customers the chance to preview the product
  • Solicit feedback from your community and make final improvements to your product before launch
  • Gather data on interested players so that you can personally retarget them on the product once it has been released.
  • Inform players interactively and offer pre-orders
  • Benefit from potential press coverage thanks to the buzz generated by the originality of your teasing game

Launch your marketing game at least 3 weeks before the launch to promote a product and engage users with it.

The game to accompany your to promote a product 

A promotional tour on the agenda?

The life of a product is often punctuated by demonstrations, events and trade fairs to get as close as possible to the target consumers and distributors. These are all opportunities for your brand to make its voice heard by accompanying these events with a marketing competition.

How can you reap the benefits of marketing games?

This allows you to do 2 things: generate traffic to your stand during off-peak periods and collect visitor data during busy periods. It is sometimes difficult at these events to be available for all the visitors. Offer an attractive flash game, and take advantage of the traffic peak to invite interested parties to leave their contact details in just a few clicks via your game. It’s an effective way of exploiting contacts at the end of the roadshow and analysing the event afterwards!

The game to promote a product on the shelf or on the merchant site

The power of multi-channel to promote a product

Launch a multi-channel competition to promote your product to consumers at any time, wherever they are. Mobile phones are at the heart of the operation, and the aim is to create a link between the various devices to maximise participation rates.
Put your points of sale to work, for example. To stand out on the shelves, brands are getting closer to their network of distributors and putting in place special operations at the point of contact with consumers. It is becoming increasingly common to find competitions on point-of-sale displays, in product packaging or on till receipts. Add game banners to your e-commerce site and relay them on your social networks to give them a viral dimension.

A game to highlight the highlights of your product

Marketing calendar or chestnut: it’s essential to use it

Fashion, Sport, Culture and Festivities… Our seasons are full of traditional highlights and emblematic rituals. At least 3 a month, there are plenty of opportunities to promote a product in a fun and festive atmosphere!

Some products are naturally associated with special events, such as duo packs for Valentine’s Day, while others feature flagship packaging. These are generally strategic products, requiring a substantial budget and a great deal of forethought.

In addition to this, you can promote any product by dressing it up seasonally using marketing games. This lever allows you to quickly and easily adapt your branding to all these occasions and deploy it across all your communication channels. An effective cross-channel marketing strategy!

mobile highlights calendar

The game to assess your brand awareness and boost your product sales

Have you thought about participatory marketing?

Game marketing is above all interactive. Based on the goodwill of the players, it relies on genuine brand-consumer exchanges. It is therefore an ideal medium for soliciting users’ opinions, or even getting them to contribute in a participative marketing approach. Marketing competitions can be used in a number of ways to gauge the awareness of your products: sound out your users’ opinions, ask them about their preferences using Votes, or draw on their creativity using User Generated Content.

Zodiac photo competition

Data at the heart of your strategy

The data from your gaming campaign will then enable you to identify which products should be promoted to which consumers as a priority. Send them personalised incentives such as discount vouchers or money-back offers to strengthen your relationship marketing. All the more reason to boost conversion rates!

The marketing game supports your product promotion strategy at every stage, with a focus on customer proximity:

  • Increase & reinforce awareness of your product to make it better known
  • Increased visibility on point-of-sale shelves and e-commerce sites
  • Have the user try out your product
  • Increase the frequency of product purchases and build consumer loyalty

Are you in the process of launching a product? Test the marketing game with us!

The end of printed flyers – why turn to e-catalogues?

The end of printed flyers – why turn to e-catalogues?

The price of paper is soaring, and environmental issues are becoming ever more pressing, which is why there has been talk for some time of the end of the paper catalogue. Initiatives such as Stop Pub and Oui Pub have been around for years. So concern about leaflets is nothing new. But why are we suddenly hearing about the e-catalogue?

This is due to an announcement by a major food group that has sent shockwaves through the world of advertising and marketing. At the end of this year, E.Leclerc will no longer be distributing paper catalogues through French letterboxes. This has reignited the debate on the digitisation of paper catalogues.

Of course, this announcement is not to everyone’s taste. The catalogue represents a certain nostalgia, across all generations. But while the lifespan of a catalogue depends on the amount of time it spends on the coffee table of the French, digitising it appears to be a simpler and more ecological solution, which will be able to follow the consumer wherever he goes.

Not only does this have an impact on the environment, it also means that supermarket chains have to comply with data confidentiality standards. So how can we reach those consumers who have already closed their letterboxes to catalogues, and what solutions exist to anticipate the end of printed flyers this year?

Between the environment and the RGPD, why are printed flyers doomed to disappear?

Why say goodbye to paper catalogues?

Creating a flyer requires a lot of resources and energy, and is considered to be non-recyclable waste. At a time when Europe is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, transporting these catalogues to our letterboxes is considered too polluting.

When it comes to the RGPD standard, the printed flyer is very difficult to make compliant with data confidentiality and security requirements. As a result, companies are increasingly opting to switch to digital format for their advertising campaigns in order to comply with environmental and regulatory imperatives.

Digital solutions as an alternative to flyers

Digital media, which can offer richer and more interactive content, are attracting more consumers today. Information and communication technologies enable companies to communicate directly with customers. At the same time, they can provide them with relevant, personalised information, enriching the e-catalogue. More and more companies are opting for digital promotion for their products and services. What’s more, the cost of digital media is much lower than that of paper, offering many advantages to businesses.

When will flyers be a thing of the past?

It is not possible to say with any certainty when the printed flyer will disappear for good. However, more and more brands and retailers are opting for digital alternatives. Digital promotional solutions help to reduce production costs and collect data in compliance with the RGPD. These new solutions offer advantages in terms of traceability and engagement.

Social networks and e-catalogues: all the solutions you need to prepare for the end of flyers

How do you set up digital promotions?

There are ways of preparing for the shift from flyers to e-catalogues. There are several platforms that can be used as communication channels, offering a number of advantages in terms of engagement and data tracking. It’s true that a catalogue in a letterbox is no guarantee that it will be read.

The digital catalogue is easy to update and share, and can be freely accessed by a wide online audience. It is a very useful tool that will delight even the most nostalgic, as it retains the very essence of the paper catalogue. The e-catalogue can also detail offers or products, just like its predecessor.

Les newsletters can contain current offers or a redirection to the e-catalogue, merchant site or mobile application. E-mails can introduce new product ranges, with personalised discount vouchers based on customer preferences, just like a catalogue.

There’s no turning away from social networks these days. You probably already have several accounts yourself! These platforms are an excellent way of promoting a catalogue and interacting with an audience. The ability to detect trends and respond directly to customers makes catalogue distribution more comprehensive. Between ‘likes’, shares and comments, these are all ways for customers to share their opinions!

What would it look like to create an interactive catalogue?

The days of the customer passively turning the pages of a catalogue are over!

Today, not only can you spend time with your brand, but you can also detect customer preferences, facilitate the user journey and help them discover your offers more effectively.

The advantage of this new model is the number of options that can be added. Filters, searches or browsing options – all this data can be collected and used to build loyalty among a customer base, but also to convert customers into buyers. Images, videos, reviews or even links to additional services can be used to increase the engagement of an e-catalogue. The possibilities are endless.

Our advice on how to stand out from the crowd and kick-start your digital transition

Capturing users’ attention can be difficult. Games remain an effective way of interacting with consumers and getting them to spend time with your brand. Promoting an e-catalogue through games is simple and will also enable you to meet your marketing objectives, whatever they may be. Enough to make you forget about the paper version!

End of e-catalogue flyers

A native gaming experience in display slots

The interactive display banner boosts ad engagement and performance. It optimises the visibility of banner ads and encourages interaction to help you achieve your marketing objectives!

IIdeal for boosting the visibility of campaigns, these display banners increase recall and time spent on campaigns. It will be possible to highlight products or promotions. By redirecting to the e-catalogue or merchant site, you can optimise the user journey while engaging your audience.

interactive display format

Social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok are ideal platforms to promote a digital catalogue. Adapt your strategy to the age, format and trend of your target consumer. It’s just as precise as putting a flyer in a letterbox, I promise!

Each social network offers a different interface with specific advantages. All of them can promote an e-catalogue and redirect users to a website, Facebook shop or Instagram shopping page. In this new digital age, creating an interactive catalogue is simple and effective.

Facebook / Instagram & Tik-Tok examples

end of flyers facebook social network
tiktok ads

Conclusion

The end of flyers may frighten some people. After all, they have been part of our daily lives for decades. But as consumers increasingly question their ecological impact, it’s time to look at other alternatives for promoting products or services.

Whether through games, emailing, display banners or social networks, let consumers tell you what they want by interacting with them. This will be more effective than monitoring the stickers stuck on the letterbox!

You’re now ready to take the plunge and anticipate this change this year. We look forward to leafing through your new catalogues… and swiping, of course!

Need advice on how to prepare for the end of the flyer and switch to the e-catalogue?