With the gradual disappearance of third-party cookies, companies can no longer afford to remain passive when it comes to their data.
It is better to focus on what they already have.
This brings us to first-party data. And the good news is that it is often the most valuable data.
Why? Because it is reliable, relevant, 100% GDPR compliant... and, above all, it belongs to you.
But you still need to know what it really is, how to collect it and, above all, how to use it intelligently to improve customer loyalty.
Let us explain everything.
First-party data refers to all data that you collect directly from your own users, customers or prospects.
You don't need to purchase this information or rely on a partner: it comes to you naturally, via your customers.
This could be data entered in a form, purchase history, browsing behaviour on your website or even an exchange with customer service.
Every interaction counts, every click, every preference, every opinion shared.
And that's the power of this data. Because it comes from a direct relationship with your users, it accurately reflects their needs, expectations and habits.
No random guesswork or vague algorithms: you have the right information, in the right place.
Add to that the fact that it is free (or almost free), easily actionable, and much more privacy-friendly than most other types of data.
It's simple: first-party data is your best ally for understanding your customers and building lasting relationships with them.
It's not always easy to navigate all these different types of data.
However, understanding their differences is essential for building an effective (and compliant) data strategy.
Here is a quick overview of the four main categories of data used in digital marketing:
This is data you collect directly from your users via your own channels: website, app, email, customer service interactions or loyalty program.
It is the most reliable, the most actionable... and above all, it belongs to you.
It is also the only data that is free (or almost free) and collected in full compliance with GDPR.
Examples: a subscriber's email address, purchase history, browsing behaviour.
This is another company's first-party data, shared or sold as part of a strategic partnership.
Less common, it can be useful for enriching your targeting if the partner is trustworthy and the audience is complementary.
Examples: behavioural data from a partner media site, shared with an e-commerce brand to refine its advertising campaigns.
Collected by external aggregators on multiple sites, this data has long been used for mass targeting via third-party cookies.
However, it is becoming less and less usable: between the planned disappearance of cookies and compliance requirements, its value is declining sharply.
Examples: audience segments purchased from data brokers, behavioural targeting via advertising DMPs.
This is data that users provide voluntarily, without any implicit incentive. They tell you directly what they like, what they are looking for or what they would like to receive.
It is a gold mine for personalising the experience, strengthening the relationship of trust and avoiding any approximation.
Examples: preferences entered in a quiz, responses to a survey, choice of email frequency in a preference centre.
The countdown has begun: Google plans to permanently remove third-party cookies in 2025.
This is a revolution for digital marketing, which has relied on these trackers for years to target internet users.
At the same time, the GDPR continues to change practices. Consent, transparency, the right to be forgotten: users are regaining control of their data.
The result? Brands must reinvent how they get to know their customers.
But beware, it's no longer just about ‘targeting’ or ‘converting’. It's about building a relationship of trust based on voluntary and useful exchanges.
First-party data is therefore becoming essential.
It allows high-quality information to be collected with the user's consent, while offering value in return: personalisation, rewards and improved service.
It's a win-win approach... and now essential for remaining competitive.
Implementing a first-party data collection strategy cannot be improvised. Here are the basics you need to know to avoid mistakes and get real value from your data.
Before collecting data, you need to know why you are doing it.
Do you want to segment your customers better? Increase retention? Optimise your email campaigns?
Each objective determines which data to prioritise.
Without a clear vision, you won't know what data to collect.
Forms, purchase funnels, emails, customer service, social media...
Your customers interact with you in many places.
It's up to you to identify the moments when they are most likely to share information and make this collection smooth and frictionless.
Scattered data is lost value. Use a CRM for your e-commerce or a Customer Data Platform to easily centralise and activate your data.
Your future platform will allow you to cross-reference transactional data, for example, to activate more relevant, faster and better targeted campaigns.
In other words, it saves you from having 15 different solutions for collecting your data, meaning less loss and more value.
Check out our guide to the 8 best CRMs for e-commerce.
Data is worthless if it stays in a spreadsheet.
Use it to personalise your messages, reward loyal customers, re-engage those who drop out or activate ambassadors.
In short: turn it into a customer experience.
Data collection should not be a constraint for your customers, but a lever for engagement.
Here are the most powerful channels for enriching your first-party data base without compromising the user experience.
Every purchase is a gold mine. Order date, purchase frequency, average order value...
This information allows you to better understand your customers' purchasing behaviour and segment them effectively.
It is the basis for identifying your best profiles and personalising your marketing actions without any additional effort on the user's part.
Which products are viewed? How much time is spent on a page?
Your visitors tell you a lot... without saying anything.
This passive data, collected via your website, reveals their interests, purchase intentions and any friction in your journey.
A good loyalty program is not just a retention lever: it's a first-party data machine.
Repeat purchases, participation in a challenge, use of a referral code... every action tells you more about the user.
With Loyoly, you can go even further: users can complete gamified missions in exchange for rewards.
This is the perfect opportunity to get them to fill out forms, subscribe to your newsletter, enter their birthday or join a WhatsApp group.
These are simple but highly effective actions that will enrich your database.
Forms remain essential for collecting declarative information such as name, email address or product preferences.
And for a seamless experience, Loyoly integrates directly with Typeform.
The result: you collect accurate insights without breaking your funnel.
Pssst... You might find this interesting!
Loyoly allows you to collect first-party data via 40+ engagement mechanics. Check out our platform!
Collecting data is good. Using it is better. Here's how to turn your first-party data into concrete actions that boost your marketing performance and customer loyalty.
Before segmenting, start by analysing overall behaviour: purchase frequency, favourite products, engagement rates.
This initial analysis gives you a clear view of your customer base and helps you identify key trends.
Once you've analysed your data, it's time to take action.
Segment your customers according to their lifecycle, history or preferences.
Create groups such as ‘VIP customers’, ‘new customers’ or ‘inactive customers’.
You'll then be able to communicate with them in a much more relevant way.
Thanks to your segments, you can send targeted emails, make tailored offers or recommend the right products.
The result: more engaging messages and improved performance across all your indicators: open rates, click-through rates and conversion rates.
Have you noticed a drop in purchase frequency? A visit without adding anything to the basket?
These are weak signals that deserve a quick response.
By automating reminders or upsell offers based on this data, you stay one step ahead.
Behavioural data also helps you improve your website.
You can adapt the UX, highlight the right products or offer personalised content.
The experience becomes smoother, more relevant, and therefore more effective.
Collecting first-party data is one thing, but to get the most out of it, you need the right tools.
These tools must enable you to centralise, analyse and activate data smoothly and efficiently.
Here are the key solutions to integrate into your ecosystem.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is the fundamental tool for managing your customer relationships.
It allows you to centralise all the information collected about your users across different touchpoints, whether it be forms, purchases or email and telephone communications.
With CRM, you can:
CDPs (Customer Data Platforms) enable you to collect, unify and centralise data from multiple sources (website, mobile, e-commerce, CRM, etc.) to create a unique, 360° customer profile.
Unlike traditional CRMs, a CDP automatically cross-references transactional, behavioural and declarative data.
With a CDP, you can:
To enrich your first-party databases, tools for collecting declarative data (forms, surveys, quizzes) are essential.
These platforms allow you to collect information directly from your users, offering them opportunities to interact with you in a transparent and frictionless way.
For example:
Once you have collected your data, the next step is to analyse it.
Analytics tools help you understand how users interact with your website, products and marketing campaigns.
These tools allow you to measure the performance of your actions and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Tools to consider:
It's not enough to have the right tools; they need to be connected to each other to ensure maximum fluidity.
An isolated platform, whether CRM, CDP or other, loses its effectiveness if it does not exchange data with other tools used in your marketing stack.
Integration between your tools allows you to:
Interconnection is usually achieved via APIs, connectors such as Zapier, or directly via native integrations offered by each tool.
First-party data has enormous potential... provided it is used intelligently.
Here are 3 mistakes we still see too often and how to avoid them to get the most out of your data.
Data is not an isolated topic: it should feed into your entire CRM strategy, your campaigns, your retention and even your product choices.
Too many teams collect data without ever linking it to their real business objectives. The result: data is stored but never transformed into action.
GDPR, explicit consent, managing the right to be forgotten... these are not just boxes to tick at the end of a project.
They are prerequisites for building a lasting relationship.
And today, it's not just a matter of compliance: it's a lever for trust. If your data collection is clear, useful and proportionate, your users will be much more inclined to share their information.
When your CRM doesn't talk to your emailing tool, your customer service doesn't have access to purchase history, or your forms don't feed back into your CDP, you lose the value of the data.
Without centralisation, there is no activation.
And without activation, there is no ROI.
A connected stack is what enables you to trigger the right action, at the right time, with the right message.
First-party data is much more than just a marketing tool. It is the foundation of a lasting customer relationship built on trust, transparency and added value.
In a world without third-party cookies, it is impossible to build customer loyalty without really knowing your customers.
And to get to know them, there's nothing more reliable than their own data, collected with their consent at key moments in their journey.
That's exactly what Loyoly offers with its loyalty and referral programmes.
You collect qualified data with every interaction (purchase, referral, review, etc.), personalise your actions in real time, and strengthen long-term engagement.
Loyoly is a loyalty and referral platform combined with UGCs, which helps to engage customers in 40+ ways to increase LTV and social proof, while reducing CAC.
