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Personalization

Zero-Party Data

Data that customers intentionally and proactively share with your brand, such as preferences and feedback.

Definition

Zero-party data is information that customers willingly provide to a brand, including preferences, interests, purchase intentions, and personal context. Unlike first-party data (observed behavior), zero-party data is explicitly shared. In email marketing, this includes preference center selections, survey responses, and profile information subscribers provide.

Why It Matters

Zero-party data enables highly relevant personalization with explicit consent. As privacy regulations tighten and third-party cookies disappear, zero-party data becomes increasingly valuable. It builds trust because subscribers choose to share it, and it is typically more accurate than inferred data.

How It Works

You collect zero-party data through preference centers, surveys, quizzes, onboarding flows, and explicit profile questions. This data is stored in subscriber profiles and used for segmentation and personalization. The key is to make sharing valuable for the subscriber.

Best Practices

  • 1Make it easy and rewarding for subscribers to share preferences
  • 2Use preference centers to collect frequency and content preferences
  • 3Keep requests for data reasonable and relevant
  • 4Use the data you collect to provide genuinely better experiences

Frequently Asked Questions

Zero-party data is explicitly shared by customers (survey answers, stated preferences). First-party data is observed behavior (purchases, clicks, page views). Both are valuable and owned by your brand, but zero-party data reflects stated intent rather than inferred interest.

Use preference centers, surveys, quizzes, polls, onboarding questionnaires, and profile completion prompts. Offer value in exchange (better recommendations, relevant content). Make the experience quick and easy.