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As a marketer, you must stay on top of trends and have strategies to keep current.

The data privacy realm is no exception. Here are three data protection and privacy trends you must be aware of and a few marketing strategy ideas to help you address them.

Increased consumer privacy concerns

Data privacy awareness has gained traction over the last decade. For instance, Big Tech's abuse of user data is old news. Pair that with consumer sentiment regarding the safety and privacy of their data, and you can predict where this trend is headed.

Consider these statistics:

• 95% of Americans are concerned about companies collecting and selling their personal information

• 66% of consumers want more privacy laws

• 52% of Americans decided not to use a product or service due to privacy concerns

Restoring confidence in your target audience will be challenging, but trust is everything. Start with this:

• Minimize the data you're acquiring and be transparent about it.

• Let them know what you're collecting (and not collecting) and why.

• Show them how you protect their data, and always allow them to manage it, including deleting it and opting out.

More states are passing privacy laws

Although the United States has a handful of data privacy laws, there isn’t a comprehensive U.S. federal privacy law similar to the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

In the absence of federal law, at least five states have enacted their own laws, with California passing two. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) was the first (effective 2020) and most well-known, but here's a rundown of the others, with undoubtedly more on the way:

• California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) - effective January 1, 2023

• Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) - effective January 1, 2023

• Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) - effective July 1, 2023

• Connecticut Act Concerning Personal Data Privacy and Online Monitoring - effective July 1, 2023

• Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA) - effective December 31, 2023

These laws have many things in common such as how they define personal information, consumer's data rights, and privacy notice requirements.

The takeaway? The trend to protect consumer data is not only the right thing to do; it's the law in many states now, with more to come.

Google Chrome - no more third-party cookies

When Google announced in 2020 its path toward making third-party cookies obsolete, some thought it marked a "major shake-up" in digital marketing. Since the announcement, Google has delayed its plans until late 2023 to allow more time for developing and testing alternatives to third-party cookies.

Cookies are small information files sent to your browser from websites you visit. They help customize the user experience (dark mode, anyone?) or store session data like your login credentials. Those are good examples of first-party cookies.

Third-party cookies, on the other hand, are created by websites other than the ones you visit. Third-party cookies track you across multiple sites, send you targeted ads, and can compromise your privacy.

Time will tell what the extinction of third-party cookies means for the digital marketing world, but one thing's for sure: have a strategy to prepare for the change.

For example, do you need to fine-tune your SEO? How's your content marketing? Do you need to take a more dynamic approach to content without access to third-party cookies? Consider creating more valuable and engaging web content and social media posts. 

Conclusion

As the cliché goes, change is the only constant, and in our digital marketing world, we must navigate and embrace it as part of the gig. Know the latest privacy, technology, and marketing trends and take proactive steps to take advantage of such trends.

Does your marketing meet modern data security standards and relevant privacy laws? Sign up for a 1-hour Secure Mail assessment to review your current program to see if we have ways we can help you keep your business secure now and in the future.