1 First-party data in the digital marketing space

This chapter covers

First-party data and its importance
Comparing first-party data with other data types (zero-party, second-party, and third-party data)
Understanding how first-party data improves marketing strategies
Challenges, potential, and opportunities associated with first-party data

First-party data is the most valuable data a company has.
— David Raab, Founder of the CDP Institute and marketing influencer

As a marketing leader, you’re no stranger to pressure. The demand for growth is constant, competition is fierce, and staying ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving digital landscape feels like a never-ending race. You’re tasked with making strategic decisions, often with limited resources and under intense scrutiny. As of 2024, the marketing technology landscape—mapped annually by martech expert Scott Brinker in his “Marketing Technology Landscape Supergraphic” (https://mng.bz/5grD)—features over 14,000 solutions (and counting). Navigating this crowded landscape can feel like stepping through a minefield, with every new platform, automation tool, or AI-powered solution promising to be the silver bullet that will propel you to success. Yet chasing these trends often feels like running on a treadmill: you’re putting in the effort, but are you truly moving forward? Are you building something sustainable or simply piling more complexity onto your already overflowing plate?

1.1 The evolving data landscape

1.2 Why first-party data matters more now

1.3 Understanding the data ecosystem

1.3.1 Zero-party data

1.3.2 First-party data

1.3.3 Second-party data

1.3.4 Third-party data

1.3.5 From zero to third: Strategic recap and key takeaways

1.4 Many faces of first-party data

1.4.1 Behavioral data

1.4.2 Psychographic data

1.4.3 Transactional data

1.4.4 Engagement data

1.4.5 Contextual data

1.4.6 Technographic data

1.4.7 Beyond these six faces of first-party data

1.5 Challenges of first-party data

1.5.1 Unifying diverse data streams