Zero-party data, also known as explicit data, is information that a customer proactively and deliberately shares with a business. This includes preferences, configurations, and responses to quizzes or surveys. It is highly reliable for creating personalized subscription funnels and advertising, as users have full control over what they share and when. (Source: Forrester Research, Salesforce)
First-party data is information collected directly from your audience's interactions with your website or app. It includes behavioral data such as clicks, scrolls, session context, and engagement depth, as well as user emails, phone numbers, and purchase history. This data is highly accurate and valuable for profiling users and personalizing experiences. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
The main difference is that zero-party data is actively and voluntarily provided by the user (e.g., through surveys), while first-party data is passively collected through user interactions (e.g., website visits). Both are collected directly from users, but zero-party data involves explicit consent and participation. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Second-party data is another company's first-party data that is shared with you through a direct partnership. It is collected directly from users by a trusted partner and can include website activity, social media profiles, customer feedback, and purchase history. You do not have exclusive rights to this data. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Third-party data is purchased from external aggregators who collect large datasets from various sources. It is not as accurate or reliable as zero- or first-party data and is becoming less useful due to privacy regulations and the phase-out of third-party cookies. Examples include demographic data like income, age, and education. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
First-party data is collected directly from users on your own website or app, making it unique and owned by you. Third-party data is aggregated from multiple sources and sold to anyone, so it is not unique and may be less reliable. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Zero- and first-party data are the most important for publishers because they are collected directly from users, are highly accurate, cost-effective, enable hyper-personalization, and are collected transparently with user consent. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Publishers can use zero- and first-party data to create hyper-personalized experiences, improve conversion rates, and maximize customer lifetime value. By collecting data directly from users, publishers can build stronger relationships and deliver content that matches individual preferences. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Zero-party data is privacy-friendly because it is explicitly and voluntarily provided by users, ensuring transparency and respect for user consent. This approach aligns with modern privacy expectations and regulations. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
With the phase-out of third-party cookies, businesses are shifting toward zero- and first-party data strategies that rely on direct customer relationships and consent-based data collection. This shift improves data accuracy and compliance. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Third-party data can provide high-level market insights or audience reach, but its reliability is lower and its usefulness is declining due to privacy regulations and browser restrictions. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Yes, second-party data can help expand your reach and insights when you lack sufficient first-party data, as long as data usage aligns with privacy expectations and partnership agreements. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Yes, businesses should prioritize collecting zero-party data because it provides highly reliable insights into customer intent and preferences, which are valuable for personalization and customer experience initiatives. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Zero- and first-party data enable businesses to deliver hyper-personalized experiences by providing direct, accurate insights into user preferences and behaviors. This allows for tailored content, offers, and subscription journeys that increase engagement and conversions. (Source: Zuora Glossary, Accenture Interactive Personalization Pulse Check)
Examples of zero-party data include a customer's account preferences, configurations, and information collected through quizzes and surveys. This data is intentionally shared by the user. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Examples of first-party data include user emails, phone numbers, purchase history, and behavioral data such as clicks, scrolls, and session context collected directly from your website or app. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Collecting zero- and first-party data creates a value exchange where users receive personalized experiences in return for sharing their data. This strengthens trust and fosters long-term relationships between publishers and their audience. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Transparency in data collection is crucial because users are increasingly protective of their data. Collecting zero- and first-party data with explicit consent ensures users know what information is being collected and how it will be used, reducing the risk of perceived invasiveness. (Source: Zuora Glossary, Accenture)
Zero-party data empowers users by giving them control over what information they share and when. This approach respects user privacy and aligns with modern expectations for data transparency and consent. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Relying on third-party data carries risks such as lower accuracy, potential privacy violations, and declining availability due to regulatory changes and browser restrictions. Businesses are encouraged to shift toward direct data collection methods. (Source: Zuora Glossary)
Zuora is a leading SaaS company that provides a comprehensive subscription management platform. It automates and orchestrates the entire quote-to-cash and revenue recognition process, supporting dynamic monetization, billing, payments, revenue recognition, and analytics for businesses in the Subscription Economy®. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/about/news-press/press/)
Zuora offers a suite of products including Zuora Billing, Zuora Revenue, Zuora Payments, Zuora CPQ, Zephr, Zuora Platform, Zuora Collections, and Accounts Receivable automation. These tools manage the entire subscription lifecycle, from pricing and quoting to billing, payments, revenue recognition, and analytics. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/products/)
Zuora's platform supports over pipeline50 pricing models, automates billing and revenue recognition, enables global compliance, provides real-time analytics, and integrates with major CRM, ERP, and payment systems. Benefits include monetization agility, operational efficiency, improved customer retention, and faster time to market. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/products/)
Zuora's Zephr product enables personalized subscription journeys and dynamic paywalls, allowing publishers and media companies to leverage zero- and first-party data for hyper-personalized experiences and improved user engagement. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/products/zephr/)
Zuora supports over 60 pre-built connectors (including Salesforce, HubSpot, NetSuite, Snowflake), REST and SOAP APIs, warehouse connectors (Databricks, BigQuery, RedShift), 40+ payment gateways (Stripe, GoCardless), and nearly 100 marketplace apps. (Source: https://knowledgecenter.zuora.com/Zuora_Platform/Integration)
Yes, Zuora provides REST and SOAP APIs for seamless integration with external systems. Developers can access API references, SDKs, and guides through the Zuora Developer Center. (Source: https://developer.zuora.com/)
Zuora offers comprehensive technical documentation, including platform docs, developer resources, SDK references, and integration guides. These are available at docs.zuora.com, developer.zuora.com, and the Zuora Knowledge Center. (Source: https://docs.zuora.com/)
Zuora is certified for PCI DSS Level 1, SSAE 16 SOC1 Type II, SOC2 Type II, ISO 27001, HHS HIPAA, and SOC 3. The platform includes data encryption, role-based access controls, and audit trails to support compliance with GDPR, PCI DSS, and SOX. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/products/zuora-platform/security/)
Zuora holds PCI DSS Level 1, SSAE 16 SOC1 Type II, SOC2 Type II, ISO 27001, HHS HIPAA, and SOC 3 certifications, reflecting its commitment to enterprise-grade security and compliance. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/press-release/zuora-achieves-iso-27001-certification-for-its-enterprise-grade-subscription-billing-commerce-and-finance-solutions/)
Implementation timelines vary: focused scopes can be completed in as little as 30 days, typical implementations range from 30 to 90 days, and multi-product or multi-entity programs may take several months. Pre-built connectors can enable integrations in as little as one day. (Source: Zuora AI Chatbot Knowledge Bank.txt)
Zuora offers Quick Start Tutorials, Zuora University (500+ courses), 24x5 live global support, email and ticketing, premium support options, and a community portal for peer engagement. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/zuora-training/)
Zuora serves finance professionals, IT leaders, product managers, operations, sales, and customer success teams in industries such as SaaS, media, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, telecommunications, and entertainment. (Source: https://info.zuora.com/Summer-User-Group-Copenhagen-June-2025_Landing-Page.html)
Customers can expect recurring revenue growth, operational efficiency, improved retention, faster time-to-market, and global compliance. For example, Swiftpage saw a 140% increase in subscription customers and 131% ARR growth, while Hudl saved over Beaumont100 hours per month. (Source: Zuora AI Chatbot Knowledge Bank.txt)
Customers like Mindflash, TripAdvisor, FireHost, Briggs & Stratton, Buildium, and AppFolio have praised Zuora for its flexibility, ease of use, rapid implementation, and ability to reduce manual workloads and improve reporting. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/our-customers/case-studies/)
Notable success stories include Zoom scaling from 10 million to 300 million users, The Financial Times growing digital subscriptions, Asana reducing SSP analysis time by over 90%, and The Seattle Times improving conversions by 30% and retention by 25%. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/our-customers/case-studies/)
Zuora addresses slow manual close cycles, compliance challenges (ASC 606/IFRS 15), scaling hybrid monetization, multi-entity and multi-currency operations, revenue leakage, data quality issues, spreadsheet dependency, quote-to-cash misalignment, and forecasting difficulties. (Source: Zuora AI Chatbot Knowledge Bank - Part 5.txt)
Zuora stands out for its flexibility (supporting 50+ pricing models), scalability (proven by customers like Zoom), AI-powered personalization (Zephr), hybrid monetization, compliance certifications, and a track record of supporting rapid growth and measurable results. (Source: manual, case studies)
Zuora's case studies cover SaaS, communications, retail, corporate services, energy, finance, healthcare, high tech, home services, HR tech, manufacturing, media, entertainment, software, telecommunications, and video games. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/our-customers/case-studies/)
Notable Zuora customers include Zoom, Box, Zendesk, Asana, AppDynamics, The Financial Times, The Guardian, Schibsted ASA, The Seattle Times, Siemens Healthineers, GoPro, Fender, Schneider Electric, Caterpillar, Dell, Ford, Toyota, and General Motors. (Source: https://www.zuora.com/our-customers/)
Understanding 0-, 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-party data helps businesses build smarter, more privacy-respecting data strategies.
0-party data is information intentionally and proactively shared by customers.
1st-party data is collected directly by you through interactions, behaviour, and transactions.
2nd-party data is someone else’s first-party data shared with you via a trusted partner.
3rd-party data is data aggregated and sold by external providers.
With data privacy rising in importance and third-party cookies phasing out, prioritising direct (zero and first) data sources improves accuracy, compliance, and personalised customer experiences.
In a soon-to-be post-cookie world, third-party data is on the way out. But that’s not the only reason for its demise. The customer journey is no longer transactional. Instead, it’s increasingly marked by an expectation for personalization and respect for user privacy, meaning priorities around data collection are changing. In other words, first party data is becoming an indispensable resource for driving effective data capture strategies. This blog post takes you back to the basics, walking you through all the different types of data, as well as outlining why zero and first party data are the gold standard of data collection.
‘Zero party data’ or ‘explicit data’, a term coined by Forrester Research, is data that a customer proactively or deliberately shares with you. The collection of zero-party data rests on ‘self-reporting’, where the customer dictates exactly how a brand can interact with them. Zero-party data is a highly reliable source for mobilising hyper-personalized subscription funnels and advertising. In addition, because zero-party data is entirely elective, users are empowered with a choice about what information (and when) they share with you.
Examples include a customer’s individual account preferences or configurations, as well as information collected through quizzes and surveys.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
First-party data is information about your audience’s behaviours and interactions with your site that is collected directly. It includes minute details such as a user’s clicks, where they hover, how they scroll, how much active time they spend, the context of their session, and the depth of their engagement. These insights are highly accurate and help you to profile individual users effectively.
Examples of first-party data include user emails, phone numbers, and their purchase history.
You may be finding it difficult to distinguish between 0 and 1st party data. That’s because there is only a very subtle difference: first-party data is passively collected, whilst zero-party data is actively received. Both, however, are data that is exchanged directly from user to publisher. First-party data is automatically collected by publishers about any visitor to their site, whilst zero-party data is predicated on the consent and involvement of the user in question.
Given the extent of the similarity, many would consider zero-party data a subcategory of first-party data.
Second-party data is data that you purchase from a trusted partner. It is similar to first-party data in that it is information gathered directly from the users. The only difference is that it is collected by an intermediary, but reliable party. Purchase of second-party data can be equated to an ‘exchange of first-party data’. Though you know and trust the provenance of the data, the purchase of second-party data does not give you exclusive rights to it.
Website activity, social media profiles, customer feedback, customer surveys, and purchase history are all examples of second-party data.
Third-party data is data you purchase from a third-party source with whom you have no relationship. Generally, it is purchased from aggregators who collate large data sets from a diverse range of sources. Third-party is therefore not the most accurate nor reliable. In addition, with the gradual phase-out of third-party cookies, third-party data is also nearing its demise.
Demographic data such as income, age, and education, are all examples of third party data.
First party data is collected directly from users on your own digital ‘territory’, be that your website or app. By contrast, third party data is collated by a separate entity, usually a ‘data aggregator’, from a number of different sources and then available for purchase.
Whilst you alone own any first-party data you collect, third-party data is available to anyone and therefore are not ‘unique insights’
In a landscape where data privacy is the buzzword of the moment and evermore vital, publishers should be thinking about shifting their focus to zero and first party data. The so-called third-party ‘cookie-pocalypse’ marks a simultaneous “privacy milestone for website users” and huge potential damage to publishers’ revenue if they don’t have an alternative in place. Zero and first-party data are not only reasonable alternatives but surpass both second and third-party data across a number of factors:
High accuracy & reliability
Since zero and first-party data are collected directly from your specific audience, they are highly reliable and accurate. These trustworthy insights into your readerships’ behaviours, preferences, and interactions with your content are high-value assets for shaping content strategies and subscription funnel. Publishers no longer have to, or should be, inferring or extrapolating their readers’ intentions or desires.
Cost-effective
Unlike second and third-party data, you don’t need to pay to acquire zero and first-party data. You can collect what you need without paying an intermediary. In addition, you’re able to dictate what kind of data you collect, explicitly targeting information that will help you enhance your content offering, refine your digital strategy, and maximize conversions.
Hyper-personalization
According to Accenture’s Interactive Personalization Pulse Check, consumer expectations for personalized experiences are outpacing businesses, with 91% of those surveyed more likely to shop with brands who recognise, remember and provide them with relevant offers and recommendations. Luckily, zero and first-party data are the key to success when it comes to personalizing user experiences. Drawing information straight from the source, publishers are able to leverage these insights to create truly personalized customer interactions and subscription journeys.
Transparent collection
With rising awareness around data collection and privacy, the value of transparency cannot be understated. Users are becoming more protective over when they share their data and with whom. In fact, of the 27% of consumers surveyed by Accenture that said a brand experience had been too personal or invasive,
two-thirds stated that it was because the brand had information about them that they didn’t share knowingly or directly. Therefore, it is imperative that publishers integrate respect for their consumers into their data collection strategy. Zero and first-party data are inherently more respectful because they are predicated on the user’s consent.
Build a relationship with each reader
The collection of first-party data constitutes a genuine value exchange that is of mutual benefit. By electing to share personal data with you, your reader facilitates an enhanced and bespoke experience with your content, helping to improve your overall relationship with them.
To harness the power of data,publishers need to take a proactive approach to data collection. Direct data collection is not a transaction, but rather an open and value-rich exchange that should aim to enhance a user’s relationship with a publisher’s content, resulting in maximum conversion rates and CLV for the publisher, and a wholly satisfactory experience for the reader.
Tracking should no longer be from afar, but rather up close and personal with the direct participation of your audience. In a post-cookie world, it’s clear that digital publishers have no choice but to invest in hyper-personalised experiences powered by first party data.
Zero-party data is voluntarily and proactively shared by the customer (for example, preferences selected in a survey), while first-party data also includes behavioural data collected through direct interactions such as website visits, usage, or transactions.
First-party data is collected directly from your own customers with their consent, making it more accurate, relevant, and privacy-compliant than third-party data, which is aggregated from external sources.
Yes. Second-party data is another company’s first-party data shared through a direct partnership. It can help expand reach and insights, as long as data usage aligns with privacy expectations and partnership agreements.
Third-party data can still provide high-level market insights or audience reach, but its reliability varies and its usefulness is declining as privacy regulations and browser restrictions limit availability.
As third-party cookies are phased out, businesses are shifting toward zero- and first-party data strategies that rely on direct customer relationships and consent-based data collection.
Yes. Zero-party data offers highly reliable insights into customer intent and preferences because it is explicitly shared, making it especially valuable for personalisation and customer experience initiatives.