In MarTech’s “MarTechBot explains it all” feature, we pose a question about marketing to our very own MarTechBot, which is trained on the MarTech website archives and has access to the broader internet.
Question: What’s the biggest shift in marketing tech and media beyond AI — and how should marketers adapt right now?
The most urgent shift facing marketers isn’t generative AI — it’s the growing wave of privacy regulations and the decline of third-party data. With laws like GDPR, CCPA, and others gaining traction globally, marketers are being forced to rethink how they collect, use, and protect customer data.
What’s changing:
- Consent is non-negotiable. Users expect transparency and control over their data — and regulators agree.
- Third-party cookies are disappearing. Browsers and platforms are phasing them out, which means behavioral targeting is getting harder.
- First-party data is now gold. Marketers need to collect it directly and use it responsibly.
How to adapt your strategy:
- Double down on first-party data. Incentivize sign-ups, create gated content, and build value-driven email lists. Loyalty programs and surveys also help you gather data with consent.
- Prioritize trust and transparency. Make your privacy policies human-readable. Tell users what data you’re collecting and why — and actually follow through.
- Adopt privacy-compliant tech. Use tools like customer data platforms (CDPs) that unify, protect, and activate your data while staying compliant.
- Shift to contextual targeting. Instead of tracking users, place ads based on the content they’re already engaging with. It’s privacy-safe and increasingly effective.
- Use zero-party data wisely. This is data customers intentionally share with you — preferences, interests, and feedback. Collect it through quizzes, polls, or preference centers.
- Train your teams. Privacy isn’t just legal’s job. Marketers need regular updates and training to stay compliant and competitive.
The upside:
Adapting to this shift won’t just keep you out of legal trouble. It will also build brand trust, improve data quality, and make your marketing more resilient in a privacy-first world.
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