22 Jun 2011: Almost 40% of consumers are now unwilling to provide any data about themselves when creating a social media account and just 32% said they were willing to provide their name, according to the new Direct Marketing Association/fast.MAP Data Tracking Study sponsored by Equifax and Communisis.

Only just over a quarter of the 1,032 consumers polled for the study said they always or frequently provide the information required to get access to information online, signalling perhaps a shift in both their willingness to engage with brands online.

Consequently, it’s becoming ever harder for marketers to capture the demographic data they require – and the rate of change is remarkable. The number of respondents that stated they are not willing to share their name when requesting further information online has shot up some 31% in just six months ago.

Unsurprisingly, trust in a brand is cited by 54% of consumers as the most important factor in determining whether or not they choose to share their data.

Chris Combemale, Executive Director, DMA, said: “The mechanics of data capture is changing fast. It’s predominantly because social media are shifting consumer’s expectations. Many now like to interact online in an anonymous fashion without providing any personal information. Therefore, the old certainty that individual data would be available, accessible and usable is being eroded by technology that have put consumers back in control.

“Moving forward marketers need to reverse the value exchange, so must build trust with consumers first before asking for personal data. Only once engagement has taken place and trust earned will it become possible to start a real conversation and obtain data.”

Charles Ping, Director, Communisis Data Intelligence, commented: “Trust remains the holy grail of good marketing. It’s at the heart of brand consideration, and equally should be a key factor within data driven marketing. Trust is built on a shared understanding of values.

“The difficulty marketers must appreciate is that when trust is lost, the damage is often irreparable. Marketers need to place emphasis on understanding both the customer and the data that will make a difference to them. Only then will customers abandon their preference for online anonymity.”

Chris Sherlock, Director of Marketing Services at Equifax, added: “It is no wonder that trust in a company brand is an overriding factor as to whether or not a consumer chooses to share their personal data. But trust can never be taken for granted, especially with companies who have experienced a data breach or are alleged to have misused personal data.

“The key to engendering trust is to ensure engagement with consumers is meaningful to them.  Meaningful engagement builds loyalty and provides a strong base for earning trust, which should lead consumers to share more personal data with the expectation that it will further enhance their relationship with the brand.”

The biannual Data Tracking Study monitors people’s attitudes to personal information security and investigates the circumstances under which consumers may be willing to divulge data for marketing purposes.