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Data Collection

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Data Collection in ODP

Data collection is the foundation of any successful customer data platform. ODP provides multiple methods to capture, process, and unify customer data from various touchpoints across your digital ecosystem.

ODP Data Collection Overview

Types of Data Collection

1. First-Party Data

Data directly collected from your customers through your owned channels:

  • Website Behavior: Page views, clicks, time on site, scroll depth
  • E-commerce Activities: Product views, cart additions, purchases, reviews
  • Form Submissions: Newsletter signups, contact forms, preference centers
  • Account Data: Profile information, purchase history, support interactions

2. Zero-Party Data

Data that customers intentionally and proactively share:

  • Preference Centers: Communication preferences, interests, demographics
  • Surveys and Polls: Feedback, satisfaction scores, intent data
  • Progressive Profiling: Gradually collected information over multiple interactions
  • Quizzes and Assessments: Product recommendations, style preferences

3. Behavioral Data

Real-time actions and interactions:

  • Click Tracking: Button clicks, link interactions, navigation patterns
  • Engagement Metrics: Email opens, video plays, content downloads
  • Session Data: Device information, referral sources, campaign attribution
  • Cross-Device Tracking: Unified customer journeys across multiple devices

Data Collection Methods

JavaScript SDK Implementation

The most common method for real-time data collection:

// Basic event tracking
zaius.push(['track', 'page_view', {
  page_type: 'homepage',
  category: 'marketing'
}]);

// E-commerce tracking
zaius.push(['track', 'product_view', {
  product_id: 'SKU-12345',
  product_name: 'Wireless Headphones',
  category: 'Electronics',
  price: 199.99,
  currency: 'USD'
}]);

// Custom event tracking
zaius.push(['track', 'video_played', {
  video_title: 'Product Demo',
  video_duration: 120,
  completion_percentage: 75
}]);

Server-Side Integration

For secure data transmission and server-side events:

// REST API example
fetch('https://api.zaius.com/v3/events', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    type: 'purchase',
    data: {
      customer_id: 'customer_123',
      order_id: 'ORDER-456',
      total: 299.98,
      items: [{
        product_id: 'SKU-12345',
        quantity: 1,
        price: 199.99
      }]
    }
  })
});

Email and Marketing Integration

Automatically capture engagement data:

  • Email Interactions: Opens, clicks, unsubscribes
  • SMS Engagement: Delivery status, click-through rates
  • Social Media: Engagement metrics from connected platforms
  • Advertising: Campaign performance, conversion tracking

Data Quality and Governance

Data Validation

  • Schema Enforcement: Ensure consistent data structure
  • Real-time Validation: Catch errors at collection time
  • Data Cleansing: Automatic formatting and standardization
  • Duplicate Detection: Prevent redundant data collection

Privacy and Compliance

  • Consent Management: Respect user privacy preferences
  • Data Retention: Automatic purging based on retention policies
  • GDPR/CCPA Compliance: Built-in privacy controls
  • Anonymization: Remove personally identifiable information when required

Best Practices for Data Collection

1. Start with Key Events

Focus on collecting data that directly impacts your business goals:

  • Purchase events for e-commerce
  • Lead generation for B2B
  • Engagement metrics for content sites
  • App usage for mobile applications

2. Implement Progressive Data Collection

Gather information gradually to avoid overwhelming users:

  • Basic contact information first
  • Preferences and interests over time
  • Detailed profile data for engaged customers

3. Ensure Data Consistency

  • Use standardized naming conventions
  • Implement consistent event schemas
  • Validate data at collection points
  • Regular data quality audits

4. Optimize for Performance

  • Asynchronous data collection
  • Batch processing for high-volume events
  • Edge caching for global performance
  • Minimal impact on page load times

Common Data Collection Scenarios

E-commerce Site

// Product catalog events
zaius.push(['track', 'product_view', productData]);
zaius.push(['track', 'add_to_cart', cartData]);
zaius.push(['track', 'purchase', orderData]);

// User behavior events
zaius.push(['track', 'search', { query: 'wireless headphones' }]);
zaius.push(['track', 'newsletter_signup', { source: 'footer' }]);

Content Website

// Content engagement
zaius.push(['track', 'article_view', {
  article_title: 'Guide to Digital Marketing',
  category: 'Marketing',
  author: 'Jane Smith',
  read_time: 5
}]);

// Lead generation
zaius.push(['track', 'whitepaper_download', {
  title: 'Marketing Trends 2024',
  format: 'PDF'
}]);

SaaS Application

// Feature usage
zaius.push(['track', 'feature_used', {
  feature_name: 'advanced_analytics',
  user_plan: 'premium'
}]);

// Subscription events
zaius.push(['track', 'subscription_upgraded', {
  from_plan: 'basic',
  to_plan: 'premium',
  upgrade_value: 99.99
}]);

Data Collection Strategy

Phase 1: Foundation

  • Implement basic tracking (page views, user identification)
  • Set up core conversion events
  • Establish data governance policies

Phase 2: Enhancement

  • Add detailed behavioral tracking
  • Implement cross-device identification
  • Integrate additional data sources

Phase 3: Optimization

  • Real-time personalization triggers
  • Advanced segmentation data
  • Predictive analytics inputs

Measuring Data Collection Success

Key Metrics

  • Data Completeness: Percentage of complete customer profiles
  • Collection Accuracy: Data validation pass rates
  • Real-time Processing: Event processing latency
  • Coverage: Percentage of user sessions with tracking

Regular Audits

  • Monthly data quality reviews
  • Quarterly privacy compliance checks
  • Annual data collection strategy assessment
  • Ongoing performance optimization

Effective data collection is the cornerstone of successful customer experience optimization. By implementing comprehensive, privacy-compliant data collection strategies, you create the foundation for powerful personalization, segmentation, and campaign optimization capabilities within ODP.

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