Key Takeaways

• Zero-party data is information users intentionally share (preferences, feedback, interests)
• First-party data is collected from user behaviour (clicks, sessions, engagement)
• The key difference lies in intent vs observation
• Both are privacy-first alternatives to third-party data
• Combining zero and first-party data creates stronger audience insights and higher monetisation potential
• Publishers who build data strategies around both will outperform in a cookieless ecosystem

Introduction: The Shift Toward Owned Data in Publishing

The digital publishing sector is currently experiencing one of the largest changes due to modern advertising that has ever happened. Historically, third-party cookies have been an essential tracking tool for publishers to create advertising profiles and deliver targeted ads. However, this model is going away faster than the publishers could make the shift in terms of using third-party cookies to track their audience.

As browsers phase out and privacy regulations become more stringent across the globe, publishers won’t be able to use third-party services to help them track their audiences any longer. The regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and the many other emerging privacy regulations have altered how user data can be collected and used, as well as how it can be stored and how it can be activated. Additionally, consumers are becoming more aware of how their data is used in a digital space, forcing publishers to rethink their data strategy.

With this change, creating a direct audience relationship with their users has become priority one for the publishing industry.

Rather than tracking users across external domains, publishers are increasingly focusing on understanding users in their environments through their platforms and content ecosystems and their user interactions. In essence, the industry is moving from:

“Tracking users externally” to “Understanding users directly.”

As a result of this change, owned data is going to be among the most valuable assets for any publisher. There are two types of owned data that are dominating the industry conversations regarding audience monetisation and personalisation:

·        First-party data

·        Zero-party data

First-party data has become a key component of the publisher’s strategy. Publishers can use first-party data to create better profiles of their users by tracking their on-site behaviour (such as their interactions), how often they engage, and their browsing activity.

Zero-party data is the next layer of this, and it’s becoming even more powerful. Instead of simply predicting a user’s interests or behaviours, publishers can also collect the information that the user has elected to provide about themselves (including preferences, interests, etc) to help them understand the user.

The conversation regarding zero-party vs first-party data is not about which one of these will replace the other; it is about the idea of how each can complement each other in the future of publishing.

First-party data provides scalability as well as behavioural intelligence. Zero-party data provides accuracy as well as intent. When both types of data are combined, they will provide publishers with a complete picture of an audience that neither can provide independently.

What Is First-Party Data?

First-party data refers to information collected directly from users through interactions on a publisher’s owned digital properties. This includes websites, mobile apps, email newsletters, subscription systems, and other owned platforms.

Unlike third-party data, which is purchased or collected externally, first party data comes directly from audience behaviour within a publisher’s own ecosystem.

This data is generated automatically as users interact with content and digital experiences. Publishers analyse these interactions to better understand audience engagement, interests, and monetisation opportunities.

Examples of first-party data include:

• Website page views
• Session duration
• Scroll depth
• Ad clicks and engagement
• Video watch behaviour
• Email opens and clicks
• Subscription activity
• Content consumption patterns

For example, if a user regularly reads articles about sports, technology, or finance, the publisher can infer those interests based on behavioural activity. Similarly, if a visitor frequently clicks on product recommendation articles, publishers can identify high commercial intent.

One of the biggest strengths of first-party data is scalability. Every audience interaction generates additional behavioural insights, allowing publishers to continuously improve audience segmentation and targeting strategies over time.

However, first-party data is largely observational. It tells publishers what users do, but not always why they do it.

A user might spend significant time reading travel content, but are they planning a vacation, researching destinations casually, or comparing prices for an upcoming trip? Behavioural signals alone cannot always answer those questions accurately.

That is why first-party data works best when paired with deeper audience understanding.

Put simply:

First-party data tells you what users do.

What Is Zero-Party Data?

Zero party data refers to the information individuals deliberately and knowingly provide to a publisher at their request, in contrast to data derived from inferences about user behaviours. This distinction was driven by consumer desire for more transparency about how companies collect and utilize their data, especially as concerns over privacy have increased.

Users participate voluntarily in sharing zero party data about themselves with a publisher, expecting that the publisher will use that information to provide them with a better experience.

Examples of zero party data includes survey responses, poll results, information provided through preference centres, and responses to interactive quizzes and feedback forms. Some examples of when publishers can collect zero party data are by asking a reader what topics they would like to see more frequently in newsletters or using an interactive quiz to identify a reader’s investment interests or shopping preferences.

The primary difference between zero party data and behavioural data is that with zero party data, the user has the intention to communicate their preference, and the information is expressed clearly to the user.

Unlike behavioural data, where a publisher analyzes the behaviour of users through an analysis of trends and statistics, zero party data includes information that the user provides directly.

Zero party data is immensely beneficial to ensuring personalization, offering audience segmentation, and providing advertisers with targeting capabilities. Furthermore, as zero party data are collected directly from users, they are typically more accurate and easily able to be utilized responsibly within privacy regulations.

Furthermore, by providing users with the opportunity to disclose their information, zero party data enhances the bond of trust between a publisher and its audiences. Users are completely aware of what information they will be providing and to what purposes that information will be used. In return, the publisher can then provide users with more relevant content, improved recommendations, and create a more enjoyable overall experience for the user.

However, the collection of zero party data also comes at an expense to publishers. They must be able to create enough perceived value in the exchange process between the user and the publisher to encourage participation by users. Users will only provide information when they are rewarded in exchange for doing so.

Because of this, many publishers rely on creating interactive experiences, giving access to premium content, providing personalized newsletters and providing exclusive recommendations to customers to enhance the likelihood that they will participate in the zero party data exchange process.

In summary:

Zero party data is a representation of what a user desires.

Zero-Party vs First-Party Data: Key Differences

Understanding zero party vs first party data is essential for publishers building sustainable audience strategies in a privacy-first ecosystem. While both data types are collected directly from audiences, the way they are gathered, interpreted, and activated differs significantly.

Source

The biggest difference lies in where the data comes from.

First-party data is collected through observed user behaviour. Publishers track how users interact with websites, apps, emails, or advertisements.

Zero-party data, on the other hand, is provided directly by users themselves. Audiences intentionally share information through forms, surveys, quizzes, or preference settings.

In simple terms:

• First-party data = observed behaviour
• Zero-party data = declared preferences

User Intent

Another major difference is user participation.

First-party data collection is mostly passive. Users generate behavioural signals naturally as they browse and engage with content. In many cases, they may not actively think about the data being generated.

Zero-party data collection is active. Users intentionally participate and knowingly provide information to publishers.

This active participation often creates stronger transparency and trust because audiences understand exactly what data they are sharing.

Accuracy

First-party data requires interpretation.

For example, if a reader visits multiple fitness articles, publishers may infer interest in health and wellness. However, behavioural signals can sometimes be misleading or incomplete.

Zero-party data is usually more precise because the user directly states their preferences, interests, or intentions.

Instead of guessing what a reader wants, publishers receive explicit answers.

That makes zero-party data especially valuable for personalisation and high-intent audience targeting.

Consent & Transparency

Privacy compliance has become a critical issue for publishers.

Zero-party data naturally aligns with privacy-first principles because users willingly provide the information themselves. The collection process is transparent and consent-driven.

First-party data also operates within owned environments, but consent may sometimes be implied through cookie banners or website interactions.

As regulations evolve, transparency is becoming increasingly important for maintaining user trust.

Data Collection Method

The technologies used to collect both data types are also different.

First-party data is typically gathered through:

• Analytics platforms
• Ad servers
• CRM systems
• User activity tracking
• Engagement monitoring tools

Zero-party data is usually collected through:

• Surveys
• Polls
• Quizzes
• Preference centres
• Feedback forms

Ultimately, the biggest difference between zero-party data vs first-party data comes down to intent versus inference.

First-party data infers audience interests from behaviour.

Zero-party data captures audience intent directly from users themselves.

Why Both Data Types Matter for Publishers

The modern publishing industry is increasingly shaped by privacy-first advertising, declining third-party tracking, and rising demand for personalised user experiences. In this environment, both first-party and zero-party data have become essential strategic assets.

Publishers can no longer rely on external platforms to provide audience intelligence. Instead, success depends on how effectively they collect, understand, and activate owned audience data.

This is where both data types play complementary roles.

Why First-Party Data Matters

First-party data offers scalability and continuous behavioural insights. Every interaction across a publisher’s website, app, or email ecosystem contributes to a growing pool of audience intelligence.

This helps publishers:

• Understand content performance
• Measure engagement trends
• Build audience segments
• Optimise ad inventory
• Improve retention strategies

Because behavioural data is collected automatically, publishers can gather large volumes of information without requiring direct user input.

For monetisation, this scale is extremely valuable. Advertisers increasingly want access to high-quality publisher audiences as third-party cookies disappear.

Why Zero-Party Data Matters

Zero-party data adds a layer of precision that behavioural tracking alone cannot provide.

When users voluntarily share preferences, interests, or intentions, publishers gain much clearer insight into audience motivations.

This improves:

• Content personalisation
• Email targeting
• Subscription experiences
• Audience segmentation
• Advertiser relevance

Zero-party data also strengthens trust. Since users explicitly share information themselves, publishers can create more transparent and privacy-friendly relationships.

In a privacy-conscious digital environment, this trust becomes a competitive advantage.

Why Publishers Need Both

The debate around first party data vs zero party data often misses an important reality:

These data types are not competitors.

They solve different problems.

First-party data reveals behaviour patterns at scale.

Zero-party data explains the motivations behind those behaviours.

For example:

• First-party data may show that a reader frequently visits investment articles.
• Zero-party data may reveal that the same user is specifically interested in retirement planning.

Together, these insights create richer audience profiles and stronger monetisation opportunities.

Put simply:

First-party data shows behaviour, while zero-party data reveals motivation.

How Publishers Collect First-Party Data

Publishers collect first-party data through the everyday interactions users have with their owned digital platforms. Unlike zero-party data, this information is generated automatically as audiences browse, engage, subscribe, and interact with content.

Because it is continuously collected, first-party data forms the foundation of most modern audience analytics and monetisation strategies.

Website Analytics

One of the most common sources of first-party data is website analytics.

Publishers use analytics platforms to track:

• Page views
• Session duration
• Bounce rates
• Scroll depth
• Traffic sources
• Device usage
• Content engagement

These behavioural signals help publishers understand what content resonates with audiences and how users move through the site.

For example, publishers can identify which topics drive the highest engagement or which articles generate the most conversions.

Login and Registration Systems

User registration systems provide another valuable source of first-party data.

When users create accounts or subscribe to newsletters, publishers can connect behavioural activity to authenticated user profiles. This allows for deeper audience segmentation and personalised experiences.

Registration systems can also support subscription strategies and premium content models.

Ad Engagement Tracking

Publishers also collect first-party data through advertising interactions.

This includes:

• Ad impressions
• Click-through rates
• Video ad completion rates
• Sponsored content engagement

These insights help optimise advertising performance and improve targeting opportunities for advertisers.

CRM and Email Systems

Email engagement is another powerful first-party data source.

Publishers track:

• Email opens
• Clicks
• Newsletter subscriptions
• Unsubscribes
• User engagement patterns

CRM platforms combine these interactions into audience profiles that support retention and monetisation efforts.

The key advantage of first-party data collection is continuity.

Publishers gather information automatically and continuously as audiences engage with their platforms.

In short:

First-party data is continuous and automatic.

How Publishers Collect Zero-Party Data

Unlike first-party data, zero-party data cannot simply be tracked in the background. Users must intentionally choose to share it.

This means publishers need to create experiences that encourage participation and provide clear value in return.

Zero-party data collection is based on trust, transparency, and mutual benefit.

Surveys

Surveys are one of the most direct ways publishers collect zero-party data.

Publishers use surveys to ask audiences about:

• Content preferences
• Shopping interests
• Demographics
• Subscription expectations
• Feedback on user experience

Because responses come directly from users, survey data is often highly accurate and actionable.

Polls

Quick polls offer a lightweight method for gathering audience insights.

Publishers frequently use polls within articles, newsletters, or apps to learn about reader interests and opinions while increasing engagement at the same time.

Poll participation can also help identify emerging audience trends.

Interactive Quizzes

Quizzes have become increasingly popular because they combine engagement with data collection.

For example, a finance publisher might create a quiz titled:

“What Type of Investor Are You?”

Based on responses, the publisher gains valuable zero-party data while simultaneously delivering personalised content recommendations.

This creates a strong value exchange for users.

Preference Centres

Preference centres allow users to customise their experiences directly.

Users may choose:

• Preferred newsletter topics
• Content categories
• Frequency of communication
• Ad preferences
• Notification settings

These preferences help publishers personalise experiences more effectively while improving user satisfaction.

Why Value Exchange Matters

The most important principle behind zero-party data collection is value exchange.

Users are unlikely to share personal preferences without a clear benefit.

Successful publishers provide incentives such as:

• Better recommendations
• Exclusive content
• Personalised newsletters
• Interactive experiences
• Improved user journeys

Unlike behavioural tracking, zero-party data must be earned.

That is why many publishers see it as one of the most trust-driven forms of audience intelligence.

Put simply:

Zero-party data is not collected – it is earned.

How Zero vs First-Party Data Impacts Monetisation

As publishers adapt to the cookieless future, owned data has become central to monetisation strategies. Both first-party and zero-party data help publishers improve audience targeting, increase advertiser confidence, and drive higher revenue performance.

However, they contribute to monetisation in different ways.

Better Audience Targeting

Advertisers increasingly want access to accurate audience segments within privacy-compliant environments.

First-party data enables publishers to build scalable behavioural segments based on:

• Content consumption
• Browsing behaviour
• Engagement patterns
• Ad interactions

This allows publishers to create audience packages around interests such as sports, technology, finance, travel, or lifestyle.

Zero-party data adds another level of precision.

Because users directly state their preferences and interests, publishers can create highly specific audience segments with stronger intent signals.

For example:

• A user who reads travel articles may indicate casual interest through first-party data.
• A user who explicitly selects “luxury travel” in a preference centre provides far clearer commercial intent through zero-party data.

Higher CPMs

High-quality audience data often leads to higher CPMs.

Advertisers are willing to pay premium rates for inventory backed by accurate audience intelligence and strong contextual relevance.

First-party data helps publishers scale audience targeting across large user bases.

Zero-party data improves targeting precision and campaign relevance.

Together, they create stronger advertiser value propositions.

Improved Audience Segmentation

Combining both data types allows publishers to build more sophisticated audience profiles.

For example, publishers can combine:

• Behavioural engagement patterns
• Stated interests
• Subscription preferences
• Purchase intent signals

This creates richer segmentation opportunities for direct advertising deals and programmatic monetisation strategies.

Scale vs Precision

The relationship between zero-party data vs first-party data is especially important in monetisation.

• First-party data provides scale
• Zero-party data provides precision

One helps publishers understand large audience patterns.

The other helps identify explicit user intent.

Combined, they create stronger audience intelligence for advertisers and significantly improve monetisation potential.

Together, they help publishers build richer audience profiles that increase revenue opportunities.

Zero-Party Data vs First-Party Data: Real Publisher Use Cases

The difference between zero-party data vs first-party data becomes easier to understand when applied to real publishing scenarios. While both data types improve audience experiences and monetisation, they operate differently in practice.

Content Personalisation

Content recommendation systems are one of the most common publisher use cases.

First-Party Data Example

A publisher analyses a user’s reading history and notices frequent engagement with technology articles.

Based on this behavioural data, the recommendation engine begins suggesting additional technology-related content.

This approach works well at scale and continuously adapts based on audience behaviour.

Zero-Party Data Example

Now imagine the same publisher asks users to select their favourite topics during newsletter signup.

A reader explicitly chooses:

• Artificial intelligence
• Cybersecurity
• Consumer gadgets

Instead of inferring interests from behaviour alone, the publisher now has direct preference data that supports more accurate recommendations.

Ad Targeting

Advertising strategies also benefit from both data types.

First-Party Behavioural Targeting

Publishers use browsing activity and engagement signals to place users into behavioural audience segments.

For example:

• Frequent sports readers
• High-intent shoppers
• Finance enthusiasts

Advertisers can target these segments based on observed engagement patterns.

Zero-Party Intent-Based Targeting

Zero-party data allows for more precise intent signals.

For example, users may voluntarily indicate:

• Upcoming travel plans
• Interest in electric vehicles
• Investment goals
• Shopping preferences

These signals provide advertisers with stronger targeting opportunities because the information comes directly from the user.

Subscription Optimisation

Publishers can also use both data types to improve subscription experiences.

• First-party data identifies users who frequently consume premium content.
• Zero-party data reveals which subscription benefits users care about most.

This combination helps publishers personalise offers more effectively and improve conversion rates.

Ultimately, real-world publisher strategies work best when both behavioural insights and declared preferences are combined into unified audience profiles.

Challenges of Zero-Party vs First-Party Data

Both types of data can be beneficial, but they come with complex challenges. To create robust, long-lasting data strategies, publishers must be aware of these challenges.

Requires Interpretation because first-party data is primarily based on inference, one significant limitation is that it is not always clear what the user intends through their behavioural signals.

Some users reading finance articles might be researching casually, while others might be looking to make an investment decision. Without additional context, publishers can inadvertently misinterpret the behaviour of users.

While first-party data collected within a first-party environment still has privacy laws that must be followed, such as:

• Cookie consent management
• Transparency of data storage
• User permission framework
• Policies for retention of data

Managing privacy compliance requirements for numerous platforms and technologies can bring about considerable operational complexities.

More Difficult to Collect

To be able to collect zero-party data, active participation is needed on the part of the user. Publishers cannot passively collect zero-party data the same way they can with behavioural tracking data; rather, a user must willingly participate in surveys, polls, forms and/or preference centres to provide the information.

To gain users’ participation, publishers need robust engagement strategy and a value exchange that is compelling.

Lower Scalability

Not every user is willing to share their preferences or personal information. Therefore, compared to collecting first-party data through behavioural tracking, the collection of zero-party data is typically less scalable. Publishers will be more likely to collect zero-party data from highly engaged users rather than the entire audience.

The Balance of Both Approaches

The challenge for publishers is to find a balance between both data types.

• First-party data can provide greater scale, but generally provides less precise targeting.
• Zero-party data can provide more precise targeting but will generally not provide as much aggregate volume.

Ultimately, as the development of audience strategies becomes increasingly reliant on both types of data, there will be a growing trend toward publishers combining both zero-party and first-party data, rather than relying exclusively on one or the other.

In laymen’s terms:

Zero-party data is generally more accurate, but first-party data is generally more scalable.

Zero-Party + First-Party Data Strategy

The most effective publisher data strategies no longer treat first-party and zero-party data separately. Instead, leading publishers combine both data types to create unified audience intelligence systems.

This layered approach delivers deeper insights, stronger personalisation, and improved monetisation outcomes.

Step 1: Collect Behavioural Data

The foundation begins with first-party data collection.

Publishers gather behavioural insights through:

• Website interactions
• Content consumption
• Ad engagement
• Email activity
• Subscription behaviour

This creates large-scale audience intelligence that reveals engagement patterns and browsing habits.

Behavioural tracking provides the broad understanding necessary for audience segmentation and performance optimisation.

Step 2: Layer User Preferences

Once behavioural data exists, publishers can enrich those profiles with zero-party data.

This involves collecting direct audience input through:

• Surveys
• Preference centres
• Quizzes
• Polls
• Feedback forms

At this stage, publishers move beyond behavioural assumptions and begin understanding explicit audience motivations.

For example:

• First-party data shows that a user reads travel content.
• Zero-party data reveals that the user specifically prefers luxury travel and family vacation recommendations.

This dramatically improves targeting precision.

Step 3: Build Audience Segments

Combining both data types allows publishers to create richer audience segments.

Instead of broad behavioural categories, publishers can develop advanced profiles based on:

• Behaviour patterns
• Declared interests
• Purchase intent
• Subscription preferences
• Engagement frequency

These audience segments become more valuable for advertisers because they combine scale with accuracy.

Step 4: Activate Across Ads & Content

Once audience profiles are built, publishers can activate them across multiple monetisation and engagement channels.

This includes:

• Programmatic advertising
• Direct ad sales
• Personalised content recommendations
• Newsletter targeting
• Subscription offers
• Audience retention campaigns

The result is a more intelligent and privacy-compliant data ecosystem.

Why Combined Strategies Work Best

The debate around first party data vs zero party data often assumes publishers must choose one approach.

In reality, the strongest strategies combine both.

• First-party data captures behavioural reality.
• Zero-party data captures declared intent.

Together, they create complete audience understanding.

A combined strategy allows publishers to move from simple tracking toward true audience intelligence.

When to Use Zero-Party vs First-Party Data

Both data types serve different purposes, which means publishers should use them strategically depending on the goal.

Understanding when to prioritise each approach helps maximise audience insights and monetisation effectiveness.

When to Use First-Party Data

First-party data works best when publishers need scalable behavioural insights.

Because it is collected continuously and automatically, it supports large-scale audience analysis and operational efficiency.

Publishers should prioritise first-party data when:

• Tracking content engagement
• Measuring audience growth
• Analysing browsing behaviour
• Optimising ad performance
• Building broad audience segments
• Understanding site performance trends

For example, publishers can use first-party data to identify:

• Most popular content categories
• High-engagement users
• Returning visitors
• Newsletter engagement patterns

This data forms the operational backbone of audience analytics.

When to Use Zero-Party Data

Zero-party data is most effective when precision and personalisation matter.

Because users explicitly provide the information themselves, it supports highly accurate targeting and trust-driven experiences.

Publishers should prioritise zero-party data when:

• Personalising recommendations
• Building preference-driven experiences
• Improving subscription journeys
• Collecting advertiser intent signals
• Creating high-value audience segments
• Enhancing email targeting

For example, publishers can ask users directly about:

• Preferred topics
• Shopping interests
• Communication preferences
• Subscription expectations

This creates more meaningful user experiences while improving monetisation precision.

The Best Approach

In reality, publishers rarely benefit from using only one type of data.

Behavioural insights without user intent can feel incomplete.

User preferences without behavioural context may lack scalability.

That is why modern publishers increasingly use both together depending on the business objective.

When to Use a Managed Monetisation Partner

Publishers are facing ongoing challenges as audience data strategies continue to grow more complex, thereby preventing them from fully activating the value of their first-party (or so-called “zero-party”) data throughout their organization.

There is still more to this puzzle other than just the problem of data acquisition, as there are some other needs that publishers also have that include:

Managed monetization partners are essential to helping publishers address this.

Managed monetization partner solutions are beneficial in terms of assisting growing publishers who are:

• Utilizing audience data for the purpose of scaling monetization
• Expanding programmatic revenue channels
• Developing privacy-first advertising methodologies
• Enhancing advertiser-targeting capabilities
• Managing multiple demand sources
• Seeking improved CPM results

Small and mid-sized publishers often lack resources or infrastructure to independently and fully monetarily leverage their audience data.

These monetization partners assist publishers in enabling them to monetize their audience data, which can then be used to generate advertising revenue.

The result of utilizing this type of support is that publishers can activate their audience segments through programmatic and direct sales.

This will allow publishers to combine behaviour-based and declared audience data that is used to create higher-value advertiser audience segments.

The end result is that these higher-performing audience segments result in creating the most valued inventory for the publisher.

In this era of ever-evolving privacy regulations, publishers need increased sophistication of their facilities and capabilities to responsibly manage their audience data.

By partnering with a strong managed monetization partner, the managed monetization partner will bridge the gap between the audience intelligence and the revenue generation that an audience can provide.

Most importantly, managed monetization partners turn audience data into measurable and monetarily-valued revenue outcomes.

Best Tools for Data Collection & Activation

To develop a robust data strategy for your publishing business, you need to invest in the necessary full-stack technology that allows for a comprehensive collection, organisation, analysis, and activation of both first-party and zero-party data by pulling information from multiple sources and systems.

Analytics Technologies.

Analytics technologies provide publishers with the first-party data collection foundation. They enable the publisher to track various user behaviours including; content performance, traffic sources, engagement patterns and conversion activities. Among those publishers who are leveraging the various analytical measurement solutions include Google Analytics 4, Adobe Analytics and Matomo.

Together, each of these types of systems provides publishers with an understanding of user behaviour using large-scale behavioural intelligence.

Customer Data Platforms (CDP), enable publishers to take audience data from multiple sources and integrate it into a centralised user profile. Publishers use the CDP technology to combine all information that relates to an audience’s activity including website behaviour, email engagement, subscription activity, preferences, and CRM information. This enables publishers to create more sophisticated segmentation and targeting opportunities.

Publishers use various types of CDP systems. For example, popular CDP systems include Segment, Tealium and mParticle.

Publishers are collecting zero-party data by utilising survey and feedback/engagement tools. Examples of these tools are survey polling, quiz and feedback forms, and preference centres. Their job is to engage and motivate audiences by providing them with the opportunity to provide feedback and support data collection.

Examples of some of the best-known tools are Typeform, SurveyMonkey, and Qualtrics. Using interactive engagement types of tools can also help increase the rate at which audiences engage with the publisher. Managing user relationships and audience engagement is done through the use of a customer relationship management (CRM) solution. The publisher uses CRM software to manage their audience’s email marketing, subscription management, audience segmentation, and retention campaigns.

Popular CRM solutions for publishers include HubSpot, Salesforce and Mailchimp.

Together, each of these types of technologies enables publishers to create a privacy-friendly audience ecosystem that promotes engagement and monetisation.

Final Verdict: Zero-Party vs First-Party Data – Which Is Better?

When it comes to first-party data versus zero-party data, most publishers only seem to ask one question when discussing the pros and cons of the two types of data:

Which one is best?

To the best of my knowledge, neither type is necessarily “better” than the other; they both serve different purposes and in turn yield different types of information about the audience.

First-party data is geared more toward helping you gather large amounts of data.

First-party data assists publishers in the following areas:

• Understanding how users browse
• Understanding user engagement
• Tracking the performance of individual pieces of content
• Understanding shifts in audience demographics

Because first-party data is collected and logged automatically every second, it forms the basis of all modern-day publishing analytics and revenue generation.

Conversely, zero-party data is more helpful when you need accuracy at the granular level.

Zero-party data will help publishers in these areas:

• Understanding explicit preferences
• Understanding users’ intentions
• Requesting what type of content they want
• Understanding users trust.

Because users provide zero-party data voluntarily and with knowledge, this type of information is much clearer and much more trustworthy than information based on first-party data analysis alone.

When first-party data provides large sets of data and can be collected at scale, zero-party data will provide small sets of data and are generally much more difficult to collect at scale.

The best publishers are using both types of data through their respective use cases:

Use first-party data to identify what users consume; use zero-party data to understand why users consumed the content. These two types of data make for strong audience segmentation, better targeting of advertisers and improved user experience.

When it comes to the industry trending in the direction of privacy-first advertising, publishers that rely only on behaviour-based data are confronting challenges with accuracy.

At the same time, publishers that rely on voluntary participation face challenges when it comes to the ability to collect data at scale.

Publishers that can successfully unite both types of data in a consolidated audience strategy will dictate how things will progress into the future.

To sum up:

·        First-party data provides insight into behaviour.

·        Zero-party data provides insight into intent.

·        Both sources combined provide insight into all of your audience.

Conclusion: The Future of Publisher Data Strategy

The publishing industry is entering a new era shaped by privacy regulations, declining third-party tracking, and rising consumer expectations around transparency.

In this environment, owned audience data has become one of the most valuable assets publishers can build.

Both first-party and zero-party data play essential roles in this transition.

First-party data helps publishers understand audience behaviour at scale. Zero-party data provides direct insight into audience preferences, motivations, and intent.

Neither replaces the other.

Instead, the future of publisher monetisation depends on combining both into a unified strategy that balances scale, accuracy, trust, and personalisation.

As advertisers increasingly prioritise privacy-safe targeting, publishers with strong owned data ecosystems will have a major competitive advantage.

The publishers that succeed in the cookieless future will not simply collect more data.

They will build stronger relationships with audiences by creating transparent, value-driven experiences. For publishers looking to maximise the value of their audience data, partnering with a professional ad management network can help turn first-party and zero-party insights into stronger targeting, higher CPMs, and sustainable revenue growth.

Ultimately:

Publishers that combine data ownership with user trust will be best positioned to grow revenue, improve engagement, and thrive in the privacy-first future.

FAQs

What is zero-party data?

Zero-party data is information users intentionally and proactively share with a business or publisher. This includes preferences, interests, survey responses, feedback, and communication choices. Unlike behavioural tracking, zero-party data is explicitly provided by users themselves, making it highly transparent and accurate for personalisation and audience targeting.

• Users knowingly provide the information
• Common examples include surveys, quizzes, and preference centres

What is first-party data?

First-party data is information collected directly from user interactions on a publisher’s owned platforms, such as websites, apps, and email newsletters. This data is gathered through behavioural activity like page views, clicks, session duration, and engagement patterns, helping publishers understand audience behaviour and optimise monetisation strategies.

• Collected automatically through user activity
• Helps publishers analyse engagement and content performance

What is the difference between zero-party and first-party data?

The main difference is that zero-party data is explicitly shared by users, while first-party data is observed through behavioural interactions. Zero-party data reflects stated preferences and intent, whereas first-party data reflects browsing behaviour and engagement patterns gathered automatically through owned platforms.

• Zero-party data is active and intentional
• First-party data is passive and behaviour-driven

Which is more valuable: zero-party or first-party data?

Both are valuable for different reasons. Zero-party data offers high accuracy because users directly share preferences and intent. First-party data provides scalability by continuously tracking audience behaviour. Publishers achieve the best results when combining both to build richer audience profiles and improve monetisation opportunities.

• Zero-party data improves precision and trust
• First-party data improves scale and behavioural insights

Why is zero-party data important?

Zero-party data is important because it helps publishers personalise experiences while maintaining transparency and user trust. Since users voluntarily share information, publishers can deliver more relevant content, ads, and recommendations without relying heavily on third-party tracking or invasive data collection methods.

• Supports privacy-first personalisation
• Builds stronger publisher-audience relationships