The term "Big Data" have gained a sharp popularity in the past few years. It's garnering a lot of following in the marketing industry because it's seen as a high-impact, low-cost difference maker. Done right, Big Data has proven to help further company growth.
As the name suggested, Big Data are collected from a big pool at the end of billions and billions of data pipes. These pipes can originate from pictures and videos you've uploaded to social media, it can start from your transaction records, GPS signal transmitted from your phone, even the things you've searched on Google.
Big online marketers such as eBay, Amazon, and Netflix are the obvious front runners in implementing the concept into their marketing efforts. eBay revamped their homepage and introduce a data-driven feed that constantly updates suggested items to customers based on their past purchases and preferences. Customers can also "follow" categories of items and stay on top of the most recent listings. Amazon and Netflix utilize Big Data in their algorithm to suggest products and film lineups that you might find interesting based on your past behavior.
Privacy Concerns: Big Data's Biggest Roadblock
Despite the evident benefits of its use, not everything is sunshine and rainbow in Big Data Land. When it comes to their personal data and how it's being used, people generally don't like surprises. The leaks of several NSA surveillance programs a couple of years back highlights just how much of us and our lives are actually out there.
The rapid growth of Big Data makes me wonder: when did I even disclose such informations? What are the rules and regulations between companies to use and share my information? As a marketer, where is the line drawn between collecting data and creeping on customers? It presents a greater need for data collectors to provide full disclosure on what they are planning to do with customers' data.
My general feelings toward the idea of my data being collected and shared without my permission.
When implementing Big Data into your marketing effort it is crucial to be transparent with your customers. As Jeff Bertolucci wrote in his blog, "The promises of a data-driven society will fail to resonate with the public if they fear the result will be more dystopian than utopian." Realize that you will have more to gain by keeping your customers' trust, than by being sneaky and risking a perfectly good relationship.
One of the ways you can proactively make data collecting more transparent for your customer is by adapting the "email culture" concept. Make it easier for your customer to opt in and out of having their information used in any marketing efforts.
It might be hard to say what is and is not creepy when it comes to customer data usage. As a brand, a good way to start is by acknowledging that there is no privacy and accept the fact that your customers should have just as much access to their data as yourself! It is not a fact made for the faint hearted and yes, it will still upsets some of your audience, but it will also dampen the outcry and possible backlash. Be accessible when asked to justify your need and use of those data.
