What is zero-party data?

Zero-party data is data that customers intentionally and proactively share.

This zero-party data can include purchase intentions, personal context, and how the individual wants the brand to recognize them. Zero=party data is collected directly from the customer and with full consent, making it the most accurate and valuable data you can get.

Unlike first-party data, which is observed from user behaviors or interactions with a company's website, app, or product, zero-party data is what consumers willingly share. It could be in survey responses, subscription details, preference center data, or social media profile information. For example, one way POPSMASH obtains zero-party data is through Instagram giveaways.

The term "zero-party data" gained popularity due to its high value in marketing personalization. It represents a consumer's latest preferences and intents. This is especially important as new AI tools allow dynamic personalization of marketing content (e.g. email, SMS, ads, etc.) at scale, informed by rich customer data profiles (CDP) built with zero-party data.