Whether you’re marketing to hot or cold leads, you will inevitably be impacted by GDPR. GDPR is now a basic requirement which needs to be actively factored into your lead generation strategies. With companies like Amazon and WhatsApp being fined hundreds of millions in 2021 due to GDPR noncompliance, it’s clear that the same rules apply to any business, large or small; GDPR significantly impacts industries across the globe, no matter their size, region, or industry.
Therefore, the following questions are more pertinent than ever before: Is your data secure? Are privacy disclaimers up to date? Have you recently audited your systems for collecting, storing and utilising data? Is your website’s privacy policy GDPR compliant?
When it comes to GDPR, it’s not just about checking a box, but creating secure systems that engender a sense of transparency and trust for the user. Keep reading for tips to make sure the data you’re collecting in 2022 is GDPR compliant.
Are you obtaining consent properly in 2022?
Possibly the most significant (and overlooked) element of GDPR compliance is obtaining consent. Currently, you need to gain consent from users before collecting their information. This will particularly affect marketing to cold leads, because even if you have their email address, you won’t be able to send them promotions, newsletters, outreach etc. Lead generation has become more complex with the addition of GDPR compliance, as this affects how businesses use cold outreach to collect user information – it can no longer be achieved by simply obtaining an email address.
But even a hot lead in your pipeline can opt out at any time according to proper GDPR practice. If at any point a user requests their information to be removed, they have the ‘right to be forgotten’, and this should happen immediately.
Luckily, gaining consent from users simply requires asking them to opt in to having their data collected and stored. The same applies to cookies, as cookies collect user data, so it’s important to request consent for this too. Again, this is a simple process, which can be achieved by adding a cookie bar pop-up asking users to opt in. The pop up should also direct visitors to a page where they can learn more about your policies, to show them what the cookies are tracking and how their data will be used. If you’re using lead generation forms, you can add a field telling the user that they are opting in, with a box for them to check saying that they give their consent.
Your Privacy Policy
Your privacy policies must be explicit and show users how they can revoke consent. It should also tell people why you are collecting their data, that you are collecting it for lead generation and how this information is being obtained. You should also state that their information will be protected against misuse i.e. the unlawful selling of consumer info to third party companies.
To cover yourself, your privacy policy should highlight clearly:
· How user information is collected
· Why their information is being collected
· How their information will be used
· The legal justification for collecting their information
· Whether the information will be sold and who it will be sold to
· How the user can opt out
Make sure your Privacy Policy is visible and easy to find. This tells users what they are actually consenting to when consenting to let you use their data.
Having the right systems in place
Making sure your lead generation is GDPR compliant is often a case of auditing the systems you are using. This involves examining:
· The transferring of consumer info between servers and browsers
· The encryption of user data
· The storing of user data
· Where data will be stored
· How long the data will be stored for
· Who can access data and how they will access it
· How users access their own data
Why the channel you deploy matters
The channel you use for your lead generation will also impact the way in which you ensure GDPR compliance and vice versa. Whether you are using paid media, social, email, native, etc., you need to make sure any and all channels you are using to obtain leads and user information are GDPR compliant.
This might also impact the strategies you use to advertise. For example, marketers will have less data to draw on in order to fully target ads when using native ads. Whilst you can utilise the data from certain platforms to target those who have consented to give their data to platforms such as Facebook, this becomes more complicated when trying to target those who haven’t already consented.
This might require designing a range of both personalised and broader ads to access a larger audience. It’s important to familiarise yourself with how the different social media platforms comply with GDPR and what impact that will have on the data they harness to deliver your ads.
However, social media native can be useful because platforms such as Twitter and Facebook already provide their users with detailed customisation of the data held on them (for those who have consented) which is helpful when it comes to GDPR compliance. Also, Google puts a greater emphasis on users’ keywords to target ads over relying on personal data, which means whilst consent is still required, search ads are less impacted by GDPR.
Ultimately, taking some time to focus on the channel you’re deploying and running an audit on it will help you to make sure you’re GDPR compliant and utilising the best strategy for your business. Customers realise that their data is valuable, and they appreciate clarity from businesses when it comes to collecting, storing or using it. Whilst this can feel like a lot of work, there are huge benefits to ensuring compliance, not only for the security of your business, data, and lead generation efforts, but ultimately consumers will appreciate seeing these systems have been put in place, and it can help to generate a stronger sense of trust from your customers.
At Lead 365, we provide marketing solutions that work across platforms, generating data that will help you gain valuable insights and acquire new customers with full transparency and compliance. Looking for a fully compliant solution to boost performance and generate quality leads?
Get in touch today.
