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GDPR & Digital Marketing: What To Be Aware Of

04 December 2018, 17:58 CET

Although we are well into the swing of the new GDPR laws, for those who are yet to catch up, this handy guide can help clear up any potential concerns you may be facing with your digital marketing approach and the new EU laws that have been in place since 25 May 2018.

Understanding GDPR

On a basic level, the new regulations and laws that are now in place across the European Union mainly concern an individual's data, and how it is used. It refers to any personal data of an individual that is currently or will be withheld by a company.

This modernising of data regulation in the EU can directly affect business in the way they market to potential clients and customers, particularly when it comes to strategies such as email marketing.

With a focus on giving control back to the individual about how their data is used, companies worldwide need to be very aware of any intrinsic marketing practices that may need to be reassessed to comply with the GDPR laws.

What data is affected?

Defined by the EU, the data included refers to any information that can be used to identify, indirectly or directly, an individual. It encompasses an individual's name, email address, real address, IP address, photo and more, such as spending habits.

Marketers need to be very aware of how they handle this data.

Who is affected most in the marketing world?

  • Email marketing managers

For this particular avenue of digital marketing, GDPR could cause severe problems in the way email marketing is carried out by businesses. The new GDPR laws mean it may be much harder for companies to contact potential clients and customers, due to the fact that those they wish to target now have a choice to 'opt-in' or 'opt-out' of receiving emails. No longer can emails be automatically added to an email list without their consent. Therefore, those working within email marketing need to be very aware of this, which may mean you need to assess the way you are marketing your business on the web.

  • Marketing automation specialists

Marketing automation specialists also need to be aware of the changes in rules and regulations. For example, if you have a marketing automation system in place, and it sends out emails for your CRM system, this could have serious implications for your company if an email is sent to an individual who has opted out. Specialists will also need to be careful of automated email sequences, where an individual opts out, to ensure no further emails are sent.

What other avenues are there?

If your business' digital marketing strategy largely revolves around email marketing, you may need to reassess your approach so that your marketing eggs aren't in one basket. Other important aspects of your digital marketing approach include:

  • Your website, and it's ease of use
  • Your social media presence
  • Your approach to SEO
  • Preparing your website for future trends, such as voice search optimisation

Digital marketing nowadays encompasses much more than just email marketing alone. Optimising your website is essential so that you can boost traffic and visitors to your webpage. This is achieved through SEO techniques including optimised keywords, and a strong social media presence where you engage with your target market. For those unsure of the best SEO techniques and website optimisation solutions, don't panic, as you can turn to digital marketing experts such as those at Web Presence to guide you through a suitable strategy, with a focus on web development and making a good first impression.

Focusing on different avenues can ensure you not only embrace the GDPR changes but have more strings to your bow when it comes to gaining traction and boosting interest in your business.

The next steps

Simple solutions to manage GDPR include adding designated checkboxes to the email subscription process, keeping a record of all subscriptions, and removing any personal data of customers held previously from 25 May. You should also aim to use simple language, and provide transparent information to your customers about how their data is managed. Remove all jargon throughout a subscription process, for example, so that your target market is fully aware of the processes involved.

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