What is customer data? Definition, collection methods, trends and more

Customer data is any information a business collects on its audience. It’s an essential component of any successful marketing strategy. But as global data privacy regulations increase, and consumers become increasingly conscious of how their personal data is used, brands need to innovate new ways of gathering and using customer data. 
Consumers need to feel they can trust brands and businesses need to respect customer privacy preferences. For that reason they’re turning to new ways of collecting and validating customer data.