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Analytics & Attribution

What is Zero-Party Data?

Zero-Party Data is information a customer intentionally and proactively shares with a company — preferences, survey responses, self-reported needs — as opposed to data inferred from behavior or collected passively.

Who Is It For?

Zero-party data is collected by demand gen and content teams through direct, explicit engagement like surveys or preference centers.

Demand Generation LeadersMarketing OperationsContent Marketers

How Is It Used?

It’s used to personalize experiences with information a customer directly volunteered, which tends to be more accurate and trustworthy than inferred behavioral data.

  • Collect zero-party data through surveys, quizzes, or preference centers
  • Be transparent about how the data will be used to encourage sharing
  • Use zero-party data to personalize content and offers with high confidence
  • Combine zero-party data with first-party behavioral data for a fuller picture

Related Terms & Concepts

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between zero-party and first-party data?

First-party data is collected from observed behavior (website visits, purchases); zero-party data is explicitly and voluntarily shared by the customer, like survey answers or stated preferences.

Why is zero-party data considered especially valuable?

Because it’s directly stated rather than inferred, it tends to be more accurate and requires less guesswork than behavioral data alone.