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• 7 Best Marketing Attribution Software in 2024

  22 février 2024, par Erin

  It can be hard to accurately track the impact of your marketing efforts across marketing channels and campaigns. That’s where marketing attribution software comes in. 

  It goes beyond basic web analytics solutions that just look at the final click. Instead, it shows how different channels, content, and ads are performing at every step of the buyer’s journey, which gives a more accurate picture than just focusing on the last click.

  In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of marketing attribution, list the top marketing attribution software and explain how the issue of privacy is transforming the web analytics industry.

  What is marketing attribution ?

  Marketing attribution is the process of assigning credit to each touchpoint in a buyer’s journey that leads to a desired action (such as a conversion or sale) in order to understand the effectiveness of various marketing channels and campaigns in influencing the customer’s decision-making process.

  Marketers use software tools like website analytics to to track and analyse customer interactions across different touchpoints, allowing them to attribute conversions or sales to specific marketing efforts and optimise their strategies and budgets accordingly.

  Why is marketing attribution so important ?

  If you don’t track your campaigns correctly, it’s easy to spend thousands (or even millions) in an ineffective way. A 2022 survey by Australian marketing agency Next&Co revealed their clients wasted AU$5.46 billion in ineffective ad spend.

  

  That’s 41% of all the ad spend tracked by Next&Co in 2022. A wasted marketing spend percentage this high isn’t exactly a recipe for a high marketing return on investment (ROI). And yet, it’s the average.

  Why is that ? 

  Most companies don’t actively track the results of their marketing campaigns actively enough.

  By improving your marketing attribution, you can determine which channels, ads, and campaigns work and which don’t. Then, you can move the budget from ineffective channels to effective ones.

  Even if you can only identify half of your wastage, this could be 20% or more of your total spend. Just imagine what your bottom line would look like if your marketing budget were 20% more effective.

  That’s the power that marketing attribution, when done right, brings to the table. It’s the road to a higher marketing ROI.

  Common marketing attribution models and how they’re different 

  The default model for attributing completed goals in most analytics tools is either the last interaction or the last non-direct interaction.

  However, some multi-touch models can help you get a more holistic view of the impact of your marketing efforts.

  

  • Last interaction model : attributes the conversion to the final interaction or referring source (campaign or ad).
  • Last non-direct interaction model : attributes the conversion to the final touchpoint that was not a direct visit to your website. (For example, if a search ad took them to a product page, the user bookmarked it and returned directly the next day to finish the purchase. The credit would go to the search ad as it’s the last non-direct touchpoint.)
  • First interaction model : attributes the conversion to the first referring event alone.
  • Linear model : gives equal value to every touchpoint throughout the customer journey. 
  • Time decay model : gives more value to touchpoints the closer they were to the actual sale.
  • Position-based model : gives more value to the first and last touchpoints — often 40% each, while splitting 20% among the rest.

  You can read our guide dedicated to marketing attribution models for more details on these models.

  Types of marketing attribution software and the impact of privacy regulations

  Until recently, digital advertising was the “scientific” advertisers’ utopia. Everything could be measured, with cookies from giants like Google and Facebook stalking every user across the web.

  But with the advent of regulations like GDPR and the CCPA, you can no longer blindly trust Google Analytics or the Meta Pixel without consequences.

  Multi-channel attribution tools with third-party cookies and GDPR

  Google, Meta, and other companies used to track and combine user data from their own platforms and websites across the web that installed their tags. These third-party cookies have long been under fire and have caused several GDPR fines.

  

  The alternative : analytics platforms with first-party cookies

  In a post-GDPR digital marketing landscape, a compliant-by-default web analytics platform like Matomo is a more reliable and accurate alternative.

  Plus, with a platform like Matomo, you don’t need to rely on data from digital advertising platforms like Facebook Ads and Google Ads. You can accurately track referral sources using our campaign tracking parameters.

  7 best marketing attribution software in 2024

  Below is the list of our favourite marketing attribution tools in 2024. If you find and use one that suits your needs correctly, you can quickly boost your marketing performance.

  1. Matomo — Accurate and easiest to set up for marketing attribution

  Matomo is a privacy-friendly web analytics suite that empowers you to accurately attribute marketing efforts and gain valuable insights while prioritising user privacy and compliance.

  Matomo integrates with e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce and Magenta. That makes it easy for B2C marketing teams to track the revenue impact of their campaigns.

  

  You can also compare a variety of attribution models against each other. B2B teams can use our API to integrate Matomo with their CRM.

  Pros :

  • Relies on first-party cookies for tracking, ensuring accurate data collection and attribution of user actions
  • Includes additional features like Heatmaps, Session Recordings, Form Analytics, A/B Testing, and more
  • Easy to set up and use
  • Features most common multi-touch attribution models

  Cons :

  • Limited to owned channels (website and e-commerce store) due to first-party cookies and data (but you can integrate other data sources through a CRM)

  Pricing

  The self-hosted version is free. The cloud hosted version starts at $19 per month and includes a 21-day free trial. No credit card requierd. 

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  2. WhatConverts — Great option for leads-based businesses with high ad spend

  WhatConverts is a marketing attribution tool with a focus on lead tracking. With most web analytics setups, it adds call and text tracking to the typical form-only tracking.

  

  Pros :

  • Reliable call and text tracking
  • Revenue attribution to specific leads (and, by extension, campaigns and ads)

  Cons :

  • Focused exclusively on leads — little utility for e-commerce companies 

  Pricing

  The cheapest plan starts at $30/month but does not include analytics integrations or form tracking. To access this and advanced flow tracking and attribution features, you need the Elite plan, which starts at $160/month.

  3. HubSpot Marketing Hub — Ideal CRM for larger B2B companies

  HubSpot is a marketing CRM with attribution features for tracking and analysis.

  

  The platform is very broad — encompassing CRM, email automation and other tools — which makes it challenging to use effectively. The price tag is also quite steep for smaller companies and marketing teams.

  Pros :

  • Concretely tracks revenue to multiple different touchpoints and marketing channels
  • Includes several different multi-touch attribution models
  • Allows offline conversion tracking

  Cons :

  • The price point is too high for smaller teams
  • Cam be difficult to set up effectively

  Pricing

  Since marketing attribution is only included in HubSpot Marketing Hub’s Professional and Enterprise plans, pricing starts at $800/month (paid annually). If you commit for a year but pay monthly, the price is $890/month for the professional plan. This goes up with additional add-ons and as your contacts increase as well. 

  4. ActiveCampaign — Good CRM option for small B2B companies

  ActiveCampaign is a CRM and marketing automation platform that can help you trace leads and revenue back to their source.

  

  Although it has a similar scope of features to HubSpot, it is more affordable and slightly easier to use for beginners.

  Pros :

  • Tracks sales revenue back to specific marketing touchpoints
  • Powerful marketing automation features

  Cons :

  • B2B companies may need to purchase two plans, one ActiveCampaign marketing and one CRM.

  Pricing

  Unlike HubSpot, ActiveCampaign offers a much more affordable plan, starting at $29/month billed annually (for up to 1,000 contacts). The marketing and sales CRM bundle starts at $93/month with up to five users.

  5. Salesforce Data Cloud for Marketing — Ideal CRM for enterprises

  Salesforce is a robust and feature-rich CRM that many enterprises rely on for their sales teams.

  

  That makes Salesforce’s marketing attribution platform a logical choice for existing Salesforce users.

  Pros :

  • Uses prospect and sales data from CRM to attribute revenue
  • Revenue prediction analytics
  • Lead scoring to help your sales team focus on high-value leads

  Cons :

  • Difficult to set up and use
  • Clunky and aged user interface
  • Relatively high price point

  Pricing

  The limited Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Growth plan starts at $1,250/month, billed annually. To access advanced cross-channel journeys, you need the Pro plan, which starts at $2,750 monthly.

  6. Terminus — Great for account-based marketing

  If your marketing team uses an account-based marketing (ABM) approach, Terminus might be the right option for you.

  

  It offers ABM tools like target account event tracking and revenue attribution tools for your marketing campaigns.

  Pros :

  • Advanced multi-channel revenue attribution tools with a wide range of reports
  • Track intent touchpoints back to target accounts
  • Reliable revenue predictions help you focus your marketing activities

  Cons :

  • Complex and difficult to set up, understand and use effectively
  • Lacks native integrations with many common advertising platforms and analytics tools

  Pricing

  Terminus offers no standard pricing plans. You must contact their sales team for a custom quote based on your needs.

  7. Adobe Analytics — An analytics for enterprises

  Adobe Analytics is part of the Adobe Experience Cloud, with plenty of big data analysis tools for enterprises. Although the platform is quite powerful, it is equally complex and difficult to use. The price point is also prohibitive for many smaller companies.

  

  Pros :

  • Very extensive reporting tools
  • Predictive analytics give you solid leading indicator for future campaign performance
  • Track multiple digital touchpoints across the entire customer journey

  Cons :

  • Like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics aggregates your visitor data by default, making compliant “consent-free tracking” — tracking user actions without asking for consent — impossible according to GDPR. (See more differences in Matomo’s comparison against Adobe Analytics and Google Analytics.)
  • Prohibitively expensive for most smaller companies
  • Very steep learning curve for setting up and using it correctly

  Pricing

  Adobe Analytics uses usage-based pricing — which means they adjust the pricing based on the traffic volume to your website. Still, their lower price points aren’t exactly SMB-friendly — multiple sources put Adobe’s lowest starting price point at $2,000–2,500 per month.

  Get accurate marketing attribution with Matomo (without privacy concerns)

  Matomo allows you to do marketing attribution effectively and accurately without compromising your users’ privacy. By default, we only use first-party cookies and offer consent-free tracking – meaning no more annoying cookie consent banners (excluding in Germany and the UK).

  If you want to boost your marketing performance without disregarding your users’ privacy, get started with our 21-day free trial. No credit card required. It’s time to make more informed decisions about your marketing campaigns.

  Try Matomo for Free

  21 day free trial. No credit card required.

  
  

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• Google Analytics 4 and GDPR : Everything You Need to Know

  17 mai 2022, par Erin

  Four years have passed since the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, also known as DSGVO in German, and RGPD in French) took effect.

  That’s ample time to get compliant, especially for an organisation as big and innovative as Google. Or is it ? 

  If you are wondering how GDPR affects Google Analytics 4 and what the compliance status is at present, here’s the lowdown. 

  Is Google Analytics 4 GDPR Compliant ?

  No. As of mid-2022, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) isn’t fully GDPR compliant. Despite adding extra privacy-focused features, GA4 still has murky status with the European regulators. After the invalidation of the Privacy Shield framework in 2020, Google is yet to regulate EU-US data protection. At present, the company doesn’t sufficiently protect EU citizens’ and residents’ data against US surveillance laws. This is a direct breach of GDPR.

  Google Analytics and GDPR : a Complex Relationship 

  European regulators have scrutinised Google since GDPR came into effect in 2018.

  While the company took steps to prepare for GDPR provisions, it didn’t fully comply with important regulations around user data storage, transfer and security.

  The relationship between Google and EU regulators got more heated after the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) invalidated the Privacy Shield — a leeway Google used for EU-US data transfers. After 2020, GDPR litigation against Google followed. 

  This post summarises the main milestones in this story and explains the consequences for Google Analytics users. 

  

  2018 : Google Analytics Meets GDPR 

  In 2018, the EU adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — a set of privacy and data security laws, covering all member states. Every business interacting with EU citizens and/or residents had to comply.

  GDPR harmonised data protection laws across member states and put down extra provisions for what constitutes sensitive personal information (or PII). Broadly, PII includes any data about the person’s :

  • Racial or ethnic origin 
  • Employment status 
  • Religious or political beliefs
  • State of health 
  • Genetic or biometric data 
  • Financial records (such as payment method data)
  • Address and phone numbers 

  Businesses were barred from collecting this information without explicit consent (and even with it in some cases). If collected, such sensitive information is also subject to strict requirements on how it should be stored, secured, transferred and used. 

  7 Main GDPR Principles Explained 

  Article 5 of the GDPR lays out seven main GDPR principles for personal data and privacy protection : 

  • Lawfulness, fairness and transparency — data must be obtained legally, collected with consent and in adherence to laws. 
  • Purpose limitation — all personal information must be collected for specified, explicit and legal purposes. 
  • Data minimisation — companies must collect only necessary and adequate data, aligned with the stated purpose. 
  • Accuracy — data accuracy must be ensured at all times. Companies must have mechanisms to erase or correct inaccurate data without delays. 
  • Storage limitation — data must be stored only for as long as the stated purpose suggests. Though there’s no upper time limit on data storage. 
  • Integrity and confidentiality (security) — companies must take measures to ensure secure data storage and prevent unlawful or unauthorised access to it. 
  • Accountability — companies must be able to demonstrate adherence to the above principles. 

  Google claimed to have taken steps to make all of their products GDPR compliant ahead of the deadline. But in practice, this wasn’t always the case.

  In March 2018, a group of publishers admonished Google for not providing them with enough tools for GDPR compliance :

  “[Y]ou refuse to provide publishers with any specific information about how you will collect, share and use the data. Placing the full burden of obtaining new consent on the publisher is untenable without providing the publisher with the specific information needed to provide sufficient transparency or to obtain the requisite specific, granular and informed consent under the GDPR.”

  The proposed Google Analytics GDPR consent form was hard to implement and lacked customisation options. In fact, Google “makes unilateral decisions” on how the collected data is stored and used. 

  Users had no way to learn about or control all intended uses of people’s data — which made compliance with the second clause impossible. 

  Unsurprisingly, Google was among the first companies to face a GDPR lawsuit (together with Facebook). 

  By 2019, French data regulator CNIL, successfully argued that Google wasn’t sufficiently disclosing its data collection across products — and hence in breach of GDPR. After a failed appeal, Google had to pay a €50 million fine and promise to do better. 

  2019 : Google Analytics 4 Announcement 

  Throughout 2019, Google rightfully attempted to resolve some of its GDPR shortcomings across all products, Google Universal Analytics (UA) included. 

  They added a more visible consent mechanism for online tracking and provided extra compliance tips for users to follow. In the background, Google also made tech changes to its data processing mechanism to get on the good side of regulations.

  Though Google addressed some of the issues, they missed others. A 2019 independent investigation found that Google real-time-bidding (RTB) ad auctions still used EU citizens’ and residents’ data without consent, thanks to a loophole called “Push Pages”. But they managed to quickly patch this up before the allegations had made it to court. 

  In November 2019, Google released a beta version of the new product version — Google Analytics 4, due to replace Universal Analytics. 

  GA4 came with a set of new privacy-focused features for ticking GDPR boxes such as :

  • Data deletion mechanism. Users can now request to surgically extract certain data from the Analytics servers via a new interface. 
  • Shorter data retention period. You can now shorten the default retention period to 2 months by default (instead of 14 months) or add a custom limit.  
  • IP Anonymisation. GA4 doesn’t log or store IP addresses by default. 

  Google Analytics also updated its data processing terms and made changes to its privacy policy. 

  Though Google made some progress, Google Analytics 4 still has many limitations — and isn’t GDPR compliant. 

  2020 : Privacy Shield Invalidation Ruling 

  As part of the 2018 GDPR preparations, Google named its Irish entity (Google Ireland Limited) as the “data controller” legally responsible for EEA and Swiss users’ information. 

  The company announcement says : 

  

  Initially, Google assumed that this legal change would help them ensure GDPR compliance as “legally speaking” a European entity was set in charge of European data. 

  Practically, however, EEA consumers’ data was still primarily transferred and processed in the US — where most Google data centres are located. Until 2020, such cross-border data transfers were considered legal thanks to the Privacy Shield framework. 

  But in July 2020, The EU Court of Justice ruled that this framework doesn’t provide adequate data protection to digitally transmitted data against US surveillance laws. Hence, companies like Google can no longer use it. The Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) reached the same conclusion in September 2020. 

  The invalidation of the Privacy Shield framework put Google in a tough position.

   Article 14. f of the GDPR explicitly states : 

  “The controller (the company) that intends to carry out a transfer of personal data to a recipient (Analytics solution) in a third country or an international organisation must provide its users with information on the place of processing and storage of its data”.

  Invalidation of the Privacy Shield framework prohibited Google from moving data to the US. At the same time, GDPR provisions mandated that they must disclose proper data location. 

  But Google Analytics (like many other products) had no a mechanism for : 

  • Guaranteeing intra-EU data storage 
  • Selecting a designated regional storage location 
  • Informing users about data storage location or data transfers outside of the EU 

  And these factors made Google Analytics in direct breach of GDPR — a territory, where they remain as of 2022.

  2020-2022 : Google GDPR Breaches and Fines 

  The 2020 ruling opened Google to GDPR lawsuits from country-specific data regulators.

  Google Analytics in particular was under a heavy cease-fire. 

  • Sweden first fined Google for violating GDPR for no not fulfilling its obligations to request data delisting in 2020. 
  • France rejected Google Analytics 4 IP address anonymisation function as a sufficient measure for protecting cross-border data transfers. Even with it, US intelligence services can still access user IPs and other PII. France declared Google Analytics illegal and pressed a €150 million fine. 
  • Austria also found Google Analytics GDPR non-compliant and proclaimed the service as “illegal”. The authority now seeks a fine too. 

  The Dutch Data Protection Authority and  Norwegian Data Protection Authority also found Google Analytics guilty of a GDPR breach and seek to limit Google Analytics usage. 

  New privacy controls in Google Analytics 4 do not resolve the underlying issue — unregulated, non-consensual EU-US data transfer. 

  Google Analytics GDPR non-compliance effectively opens any website tracking or analysing European visitors to legal persecution.

  In fact, this is already happening. noyb, a European privacy-focused NGO, has already filed over 100 lawsuits against European websites using Google Analytics.

  2022 : Privacy Shield 2.0. Negotiations

  Google isn’t the only US company affected by the Privacy Shield framework invalidation. The ruling puts thousands of digital companies at risk of non-compliance.

  To settle the matter, US and EU authorities started “peace talks” in spring 2022.

  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that they are working with the Biden administration on the new agreement that will “enable predictable and trustworthy data flows between the EU and US, safeguarding the privacy and civil liberties.” 

  However, it’s just the beginning of a lengthy negotiation process. The matter is far from being settled and contentious issues remain as we discussed on Twitter (come say hi !).

  

  For one, the US isn’t eager to modify its surveillance laws and is mostly willing to make them “proportional” to those in place in the EU. These modifications may still not satisfy CJEU — which has the power to block the agreement vetting or invalidate it once again. 

  While these matters are getting hashed out, Google Analytics users, collecting data about EU citizens and/or residents, remain on slippery grounds. As long as they use GA4, they can be subject to GDPR-related lawsuits. 

  To Sum It Up 

  • Google Analytics 4 and Google Universal Analytics are not GDPR compliant because of Privacy Shield invalidation in 2020. 
  • French and Austrian data watchdogs named Google Analytics operations “illegal”. Swedish, Dutch and Norwegian authorities also claim it’s in breach of GDPR. 
  • Any website using GA for collecting data about European citizens and/or residents can be taken to court for GDPR violations (which is already happening). 
  • Privacy Shield 2.0 Framework discussions to regulate EU-US data transfers have only begun and may take years. Even if accepted, the new framework(s) may once again be invalidated by local data regulators as has already happened in the past. 

  Time to Get a GDPR Compliant Google Analytics Alternative 

  Retaining 100% data ownership is the optimal path to GDPR compliance.

  By selecting a transparent web analytics solution that offers 100% data ownership, you can rest assured that no “behind the scenes” data collection, processing or transfers take place. 

  Unlike Google Analytics 4, Matomo offers all of the features you need to be GDPR compliant : 

  • Full data anonymisation 
  • Single-purpose data usage 
  • Easy consent and an opt-out mechanism 
  • First-party cookies usage by default 
  • Simple access to collect data 
  • Fast data removals 
  • EU-based data storage for Matomo Cloud (or storage in the country of your choice with Matomo On-Premise)

  Learn about your audiences in a privacy-centred way and protect your business against unnecessary legal exposure. 

  Start your 21-day free trial (no credit card required) to see how fully GDPR-compliant website analytics works ! 

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• Data Privacy Issues to Be Aware of and How to Overcome Them

  9 mai 2024, par Erin

  Data privacy issues are a significant concern for users globally.

  Around 76% of US consumers report that they would not buy from a company they do not trust with their data. In the European Union, a 2021 study found that around 53% of EU internet users refused to let companies access their data for advertising purposes.

  These findings send a clear message : if companies want to build consumer trust, they must honour users’ data privacy concerns. The best way to do this is by adopting transparent, ethical data collection practices — which also supports the simultaneous goal of maintaining compliance with regional data privacy acts.

  So what exactly is data privacy ?

  

  Data privacy refers to the protections that govern how personal data is collected and used, especially with respect to an individual’s control over when, where and what information they share with others.

  Data privacy also refers to the extent to which organisations and governments go to protect the personal data that they collect. Different parts of the world have different data privacy acts. These regulations outline the measures organisations must take to safeguard the data they collect from their consumers and residents. They also outline the rights of data subjects, such as the right to opt out of a data collection strategy and correct false data. 

  As more organisations rely on personal data to provide services, people have become increasingly concerned about data privacy, particularly the level of control they have over their data and what organisations and governments do with their data.

  Why should organisations take data privacy issues seriously ?

  Organisations should take data privacy seriously because consumer trust depends on it and because they have a legal obligation to do so. Doing so also helps organisations prevent threat actors from illegally accessing consumer data. Strong data privacy helps you : 

  Comply with data protection acts

  Organisations that fail to comply with regional data protection acts could face severe penalties. For example, consider the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is the primary data protection action for the European Union. The penalty system for GDPR fines consists of two tiers :

  • Less severe infringements — Which can lead to fines of up to €10 million (or 2% of an organisation’s worldwide annual revenue from the last financial year) per infringement.
  • More severe infringements — This can lead to fines of up to €20 million (or 4% of an organisation’s worldwide annual revenue from the last financial year) per infringement.

  The monetary value of these penalties is significant, so it is in the best interest of all organisations to be GDPR compliant. Other data protection acts have similar penalty systems to the GDPR. In Brazil, organisations non-compliant with the Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados Pessoais (LGPD) could be fined up to 50 million reals (USD 10 million) or 2% of their worldwide annual revenue from the last financial year.

  Improve brand reputation

  Research shows that 81% of consumers feel that how an organisation treats their data reflects how they treat them as a consumer. This means a strong correlation exists between how people perceive an organisation’s data collection practices and their other business activities.

  

  Data breaches can have a significant impact on an organisation, especially their reputation and level of consumer trust. In 2022, hackers stole customer data from the Australian private health insurance company, Medibank, and released the data onto the dark web. Optus was also affected by a cyberattack, which compromised the information of current and former customers. Following these events, a study by Nature revealed that 83 percent of Australians were concerned about the security of their data, particularly in the hands of their service providers.

  Protect consumer data

  Protecting consumer data is essential to preventing data breaches. Unfortunately, cybersecurity attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated. In 2023 alone, organisations like T-Mobile and Sony have been compromised and their data stolen.

  One way to protect consumer data is to retain 100% data ownership. This means that no external parties can see your data. You can achieve this with the web analytics platform, Matomo. With Matomo, you can store your own data on-premises (your own servers) or in the Cloud. Under both arrangements, you retain full ownership of your data.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, while respecting user privacy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  What are the most pressing data privacy issues that organisations are facing today ?

  Today’s most pressing data privacy challenges organisations face are complying with new data protection acts, maintaining consumer trust, and choosing the right web analytics platform. Here is a detailed breakdown of what these challenges mean for businesses.

  Complying with new and emerging data protection laws

  Ever since the European Union introduced the GDPR in 2018, other regions have enacted similar data protection acts. In the United States, California (CCPA), Virginia (VCDPA) and Colorado have their own state-level data protection acts. Meanwhile, Brazil and China have the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) and the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), respectively.

  For global organisations, complying with multiple data protection acts can be tough, as each act interprets the GDPR model differently. They each have their own provisions, terminology (or different interpretations of the same terminology), and penalties.

  A web analytics platform like Matomo can help your organisation comply with the GDPR and similar data protection acts. It has a range of privacy-friendly features including data anonymisation, IP anonymisation, and first-party cookies by default. You can also create and publish custom opt-out forms and let visitors view your collected data.

  

  Today’s most pressing data privacy challenges organisations face are complying with new data protection acts, maintaining consumer trust, and choosing the right web analytics platform. Here is a detailed breakdown of what these challenges mean for businesses.

  Complying with new and emerging data protection laws

  Ever since the European Union introduced the GDPR in 2018, other regions have enacted similar data protection acts. In the United States, California (CCPA), Virginia (VCDPA) and Colorado have their own state-level data protection acts. Meanwhile, Brazil and China have the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) and the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), respectively.

  For global organisations, complying with multiple data protection acts can be tough, as each act interprets the GDPR model differently. They each have their own provisions, terminology (or different interpretations of the same terminology), and penalties.

  A web analytics platform like Matomo can help your organisation comply with the GDPR and similar data protection acts. It has a range of privacy-friendly features including data anonymisation, IP anonymisation, and first-party cookies by default. You can also create and publish custom opt-out forms and let visitors view your collected data.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, while respecting user privacy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  Maintaining consumer trust

  Building (and maintaining) consumer trust is a major hurdle for organisations. Stories about data breaches and data scandals — notably the Cambridge Analytical scandal — instil fear into the public’s hearts. After a while, people wonder, “Which company is next ?”

  One way to build and maintain trust is to be transparent about your data collection practices. Be open and honest about what data you collect (and why), where you store the data (and for how long), how you protect the data and whether you share data with third parties. 

  You should also prepare and publish your cyber incident response plan. Outline the steps you will take to contain, assess and manage a data breach.

  Choosing the right web analytics platform

  Organisations use web analytics to track and monitor web traffic, manage advertising campaigns and identify potential revenue streams. The most widely used web analytics platform is Google Analytics ; however, many users have raised concerns about privacy issues. 

  When searching for a Google Analytics alternative, consider a web analytics platform that takes data privacy seriously. Features like cookieless tracking, data anonymisation and IP anonymisation will let you track user activity without collecting personal data. Custom opt-out forms will let your web visitors enforce their data subject rights.

  What data protection acts exist right now ?

  

  As time goes on and more countries introduce their own data privacy laws, it becomes harder for organisations to adapt. Understanding the basics of each act can help streamline compliance. Here is what you need to know about the latest data protection acts.

  General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

  The GDPR is a data protection act created by the European Parliament and Council of the European Union. It comprises 11 chapters covering the general provisions, principles, data subject rights, penalties and other relevant information.

  The GDPR established a framework for organisations and governments to follow regarding the collection, processing, storing, transferring and deletion of personal data. Since coming into effect on 25 May 2018, other countries have used the GDPR as a model to enact similar data protection acts.

  General Data Protection Law (LGPD)

  The LGPD is Brazil’s main data protection act. The Federal Republic of Brazil signed the act on August 14, 2018, and it officially commenced on August 16, 2020. The act aimed to unify the 40 Brazilian laws that previously governed the country’s approach to processing personal data.

  Like the GDPR, the LGPD serves as a legal framework to regulate the collection and usage of personal data. It also outlines the duties of the national data protection authority, the Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados (ANPD), which is responsible for enforcing the LGPD.

  Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) for the Privacy Act 1988

  Established by the Australian House of Representatives, the Privacy Act 1988 outlines how organisations and governments must manage personal data. The federal government has amended the Privacy Act 1988 twice — once in 2000, and again in 2014 — and is committing to a significant overhaul.

  The new proposals will make it easier for individuals to opt out of data collection, organisations will have to destroy collected data after a reasonable period, and small businesses will no longer be exempt from the Privacy Act.

  United States

  

  The United States does not have a federally mandated data protection act. Instead, each state has been gradually introducing its data protection acts, with the first being California, followed by Virginia and Colorado. Over a dozen other states are following suit, too.

  • California — The then-Governor of California Jerry Brown signed the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) into law on June 28, 2018. The act applies to organisations with gross annual revenue of more than USD 25 million, and that buy or sell products and services to 100,000 or more households or consumers.
  • Virginia — The Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) took effect on January 1, 2023. It applies to organisations that process (or control) the personal data of 100,000 or more consumers in a financial year. It also applies to organisations that process (or control) the personal data of 25,000 or more consumers and gain more than 50% of gross revenue by selling that data.
  • Colorado — Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed the Colorado Privacy Act (ColoPA) into law in July 2021. The act applies to organisations that process (or control) the personal data of 100,000 or more Colorado residents annually. It also applies to organisations that earn revenue from the sale of personal data of at least 25,000 Colorado residents.

  Because the US regulations are a patchwork of differing legal acts, compliance can be a complicated endeavour for organisations operating across multiple jurisdictions. 

  How can organisations comply with data protection acts ?

  One way to ensure compliance is to keep up with the latest data protection acts. But that is a very time-consuming task.

  Over 16 US states are in the process of signing new acts. And countries like China, Turkey and Australia are about to overhaul — in a big way — their own data privacy protection acts. 

  Knowledge is power. But you also have a business to run, right ? 

  That’s where Matomo comes in.

  Streamline data privacy compliance with Matomo

  Although data privacy is a major concern for individuals and companies operating in multiple parts of the world — as they must comply with new, conflicting data protection laws — it is possible to overcome the biggest data privacy issues.

  Matomo enables your visitors to take back control of their data. You can choose where you store your data on-premises and in the Cloud (EU-based). You can use various features, retain 100% data ownership, protect visitor privacy and ensure compliance.

  Try the 21-day free trial of Matomo today, start your free analytics trial. No credit card required.

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