Individuals value their privacy more intensely than many might assume — a lesson brands need to learn.

Ponder a scenario where your personal data has been compromised due to a corporate security breach. Most likely, you'd experience a mix of outrage, exasperation, and scepticism.

Now, visualise yourself navigating a business's website and sensing a dull commitment to privacy. What would be your reaction?

Fresh research carried out by Google and Ipsos reveals that individuals, confronted with a similar hypothetical situation, express similar sentiments towards both scenarios in one fundamental regard — they're less inclined to entrust their personal data to a brand. For companies, this suggests that the adverse repercussions of failing to provide robust privacy can rival those of a data breach.

The investigation, which surveyed 20,000 individuals across Europe, emphasised the corporate and brand ramifications of neglecting a solid privacy policy.

Indeed, 43% of individuals claim they'd switch allegiance from their preferred brand to an alternative if the latter demonstrated superior privacy commitment.

Here's how you can elevate your privacy protocols to foster trust:

Customers desire to 'experience' control, which extends beyond merely 'having' control

Google’s latest findings suggest that when customers feel they command their data, their trust in and preference for a brand noticeably grows.

Critically, for customers, experiencing control surpasses just having control.

Privacy tools such as those allowing individuals to alter their cookie preferences or unsubscribe from email marketing can assist customers in commanding their data. However, these tools alone can't furnish customers with the deeper sense of control required to trust a brand and its data policies.

Brands need to surpass the fundamentals to truly deliver positive privacy experiences. This involves explaining why their data is being collected, its intended use, and how it will enhance the customer experience. These elements collectively foster transparency and establish trust with your clientele.

A research participant from the U.K. expressed it in his own words:

“Being informed” would make me feel more comfortable about my data being shared. I would trust the company for being open.

The privacy protocols that help individuals experience control of their data

Google’s 2021 privacy investigation suggested that brands can make individuals feel in control by ensuring their marketing and digital experiences are meaningful, memorable, and manageable. Here's what that entails:

• Meaningful: Illustrate to individuals the benefits they receive in exchange for sharing their data

• Memorable: Remind individuals about the data they've shared and when

• Manageable: Supply tools for individuals to control their privacy

According to Google’s latest findings, certain privacy practices contribute significantly to a positive customer experience. For instance, querying individuals on their preferred frequency and method of privacy settings reminders made customers feel more in control.

This practice can reassure customers that their data sharing will be memorable. Offering a privacy digest email also amplified feelings of control and fostered trust. This practice can make the privacy experience both manageable and memorable.

Here are the privacy practices that had an impact:

The cascading effect of strong privacy

When we evaluated the influence of implementing two or more privacy practices concurrently, the results were markedly superior. Let's consider three of the highest-performing practices:

• Querying customers on the frequency and method they'd like to be reminded of their preferences

• Dispatching an email privacy digest

• Requesting consent for website personalisation
  

Individually, these practices enhanced feelings of control by 14%, 9%, and 8%, respectively. However, when utilised collectively, they led to a combined 37% increase — exceeding the sum of the three practices executed independently.

In addition to boosting customers' feelings of control, Google’s study showed this amalgamation of practices also:

• enhanced trust with personal data (+11%)

• amplified positive emotional response to ads displayed (+27%)

• improved perceived relevance of ads displayed (+11%)
  

The advantages of mastering privacy

In the Google study, we initially addressed the grave consequences of poor privacy management. Thankfully, the research has unearthed a tried-and-tested method to master it.

Incorporating privacy practices that are meaningful, memorable, and manageable — especially when combined — assists brands in making people feel in control, thereby elevating brand trust and marketing effectiveness. For customers and marketers alike, this creates a mutually beneficial situation.