What a sovereignty-first marketing stack actually looks like

Reimagining our marketing operations starts with a simple but powerful question: what would it look like if sovereignty was built in from the beginning?

A sovereignty-first marketing stack embraces platforms and technology without necessarily rejecting them. It focuses on making conscious choices – selecting tools and building structures that enhance autonomy, adaptability, and transparency at every level – rather than abandoning what already works.

So, what does that look like in practice?

• Data lives where we choose in a sovereignty-first stack, our data isn’t trapped in a black box. We decide where it’s stored, whether that’s a private server, a regional cloud provider, or a self-hosted environment. The key is portability and visibility. We know where the data is, who has access, and how to move it if we ever need to.
  
• Interoperability is the norm, not the exception. Our tools talk to each other via open APIs or standard protocols. No closed ecosystems. This gives us the flexibility to evolve, swap out tools, or expand our stack without rebuilding from scratch.
  
• Open source plays a major role where possible, our core systems are open source or at a minimum, based on open source, whether it’s our marketing automation, analytics, or CMS. These tools offer transparency, community-driven improvements, and fewer surprises when compared to closed platforms.
  
• Workflows are modular, not monolithic. Rather than locking our strategy into one mega-suite, we connect best-fit tools for specific tasks: lead scoring, segmentation, campaign delivery, content hosting, and analytics. This modularity helps us adapt quickly when priorities shift or new regulations emerge.
  
• Privacy is a design choice. From the first campaign to our ongoing data strategy, privacy is baked in rather than treated as an afterthought. We should use tools that minimize tracking by default, respect user consent, and make compliance easier across markets.

This kind of stack goes beyond simply being ethical or future-proof; it also emphasizes agility. In a rapidly changing environment where platforms evolve, regulations shift, and customer trust is delicate, maintaining control over our tools and data offers a significant competitive advantage.

In a sovereignty-first stack, data lives where we choose, whether that’s on a private server, regional cloud, or a self-hosted environment. We know who has access, how data moves, and how easily it can be backed up or migrated if needed. Interoperability is baked in through open APIs and standard protocols, reducing lock-in and making change easier.

Open source tools are the backbone of this approach. They give us visibility into how data is handled and allow us to customize workflows, integrate with other tools, and adapt quickly. Workflows are modular, not monolithic, each piece of the stack is selected for its purpose, with flexibility to swap or expand without rebuilding everything from scratch.

If digital sovereignty is the goal, then open source tools are one of the clearest paths to getting there. We explored why sovereignty matters in marketing – from data ownership to vendor independence. But for many marketers, the next big question is: where do I start?

The good news is that a privacy conscious, customizable, and resilient marketing stack is more accessible than ever. A growing number of open source tools are built with marketers in mind, offering the flexibility and transparency we need without locking ourselves into proprietary systems.

Auditing your marketing stack to uncover hidden dependencies

Before making any changes, it’s essential to understand the tools we currently rely on. Every marketer uses platforms to execute campaigns, track engagement, and nurture customers but how deeply are we tied to them?

A thorough audit helps us spot where lock-ins and risks exist. Start by listing every tool you use across your marketing lifecycle from awareness, engagement, conversion to retention and ask:

• What critical function does this tool serve?
• Where is the data stored, and who controls it?
• Can we export all data, including historical activity?
• Are workflows dependent on this tool, or adaptable elsewhere?
• What happens if this tool becomes unavailable?

You may uncover surprising vulnerabilities: proprietary analytics that restrict data export, platforms that fragment user insights, or tools that amplify risk if a policy change occurs.

Identifying these gaps helps us prioritize where sovereignty matters most. Do we need to swap out tools immediately? Not necessarily. The goal is to understand dependencies and introduce flexibility where possible starting with tools that create the biggest risk or inefficiency.

Exploring open source alternatives for sovereignty

Once we’ve mapped our dependencies, we can start exploring open source solutions that align with our sovereignty goals. These tools are designed to give us more control, greater transparency, and stronger privacy protections all while being supported by thriving communities.

1. Content Management Systems (CMS)

Content is still king. We use it everywhere on websites, in emails, and even on billboards or display boards. It helps us tell our story, educate customers, and build trust. A CMS makes it easy to create, organize, and share content without needing technical expertise, allowing teams to collaborate and publish quickly.

Beyond these basics, having control over where and how content lives is essential. Proprietary systems can limit customization, integration, or scalability. Open source CMS platforms give us the freedom to tailor layouts, manage content securely, and scale easily all while keeping data where we choose. They also help with SEO, multilingual support, and seamless integrations, making content management more flexible, transparent, and future-ready.

When we want full control over how and where it lives, open source CMS platforms are our friend.

Drupal: Powerful for complex websites with custom content types, strong security, and enterprise-level scalability.

Joomla!: Versatile and user-friendly, ideal for mid to large-sized sites with powerful built-in multilingual and SEO features.

TYPO3: Enterprise-focused CMS built for large-scale, multilingual websites with advanced access control and workflow management.

Ghost: Great for blogs, newsletters, and content marketing. Clean UI and optimized for performance.

Strapi: A headless CMS that lets us manage content across multiple channels through APIs.

2. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Owning our customer data and the journey they have with our business is central to ensuring digital sovereignty. A CRM helps us gather and organize customer information like contact details, purchase history, interactions, and preferences in one place. This makes it easier to understand our audience, build stronger relationships, and offer personalized experiences.

CRMs are used to track leads, manage sales pipelines, automate follow-ups, and deliver targeted campaigns. They help teams work more efficiently by providing a complete view of every customer’s interactions and needs. With this insight, we can tailor offers, improve customer service, and build trust over time.

Using an open source CRM means we control how data is stored and shared. We can customize workflows, integrate with other tools, and avoid being locked into expensive or rigid systems. This gives us the flexibility to grow and adapt while ensuring our customer data stays secure and under our control.

There are many open source CRM tools out there, including:

EspoCRM: A simple yet powerful CRM that can be self-hosted. Useful for small teams who want full visibility and control.

SuiteCRM: A more robust alternative, with marketing, sales, and service modules.

3. Web Analytics

To build effective campaigns, we need visibility into what our users are doing. Web analytics platforms collect and analyze data from websites, apps, and other digital channels to help us understand audience behavior, track engagement, and measure campaign performance.

They show us which pages users visit, how long they stay, what actions they take, and where they drop off. With these insights, teams can optimize content, improve user experience, refine targeting, and make data-driven decisions that maximize impact.

Open source analytics tools also let us own our data and prioritize privacy.

By keeping analytics in-house, we gain both transparency and flexibility, ensuring that the data we collect works for our marketing goals and respects user privacy.

Plausible: A lightweight, privacy-first analytics platform. It does not use cookies or collect personal data, making it easy to comply with regulations like GDPR.

Matomo: Offers deeper analytics and session-level tracking similar to Google Analytics (with options to turn off tracking beyond 24 hours), but with data ownership and privacy at the core.

4. Marketing Automation

Marketing automation has become a cornerstone of modern marketing strategies. It helps teams stay connected with their audience, deliver timely messages, and personalize experiences at scale all without having to manually manage every interaction. From nurturing leads with tailored email sequences to scoring prospects based on behavior and driving repeat engagement, automation tools have made it possible to work smarter, not harder.

However, not all marketing automation tools are created equal. Some are built to serve large enterprises with complex workflows, while others focus on simplicity and accessibility for small teams. As organizations grow, they often face difficult choices between ease of use, cost, and how much control they have over their data and processes.

HubSpot, Marketo, Mailchimp, and Zoho are widely used tools that have helped countless organizations manage campaigns, nurture leads, and grow customer relationships. Each platform offers a range of useful features tailored to specific needs whether that’s ease of use, enterprise-level personalization, or affordability.

Yet, as teams increasingly prioritize data ownership, customization, and long-term flexibility, it’s important to recognize the limitations these proprietary solutions present. From restricted data control to costly premium plans, they can create dependencies that slow down innovation or tie growth to vendor terms.

For teams aiming to build a resilient marketing strategy, exploring open source alternatives or hybrid setups can offer more freedom and control without sacrificing functionality. The key is not to reject established platforms outright, but to thoughtfully assess where sovereignty matters most and where flexibility can be introduced.

One of the most powerful tools in any marketer’s arsenal, marketing automation helps us nurture leads, personalize experiences, and stay relevant.

Mautic: A feature-rich open source marketing automation platform that offers email campaigns, segmentation, lead scoring, and CRM integrations. Mautic lets users control data and infrastructure while enjoying flexibility to customize workflows.

BillionMail: It is an open source platform primarily focused on email delivery, newsletters, and customer management, but lacks advanced automation functionalities such as workflows, lead scoring, segmentation, or triggered campaigns that are key components of marketing automation platforms like Mautic.

Plunk: Plunk is an open-source platform for managing marketing, transactional, and broadcast emails with basic automation features, but it lacks advanced capabilities like multi-channel marketing, lead scoring, sales stages, and account-based marketing features that Mautic offers for more comprehensive and targeted marketing.

erxes: It is an open source platform that offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing customer experiences, making it a strong choice for businesses seeking an integrated platform. However, potential users should be aware of its limitations, particularly concerning email integration, user interface consistency, customization options, scalability, and licensing terms that Mautic provides.

5. Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)

For teams looking to build meaningful relationships with their customers, having access to unified, accurate, and actionable data is essential. This is where Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) come into play. A CDP helps organizations bring together customer information from multiple sources such as web interactions, email responses, transaction history, support tickets, and more into a single, comprehensive view.

With this unified data, teams can better understand their audience, create personalized experiences, and deliver relevant messages at the right time. Whether it is tailoring a product recommendation, segmenting users for targeted campaigns, or automating workflows based on customer behavior, CDPs unlock insights that can transform how brands engage with their customers.

But beyond simply collecting data, CDPs help ensure that the way customer information is handled is consistent and compliant with privacy laws like GDPR or CCPA. They enable marketers to manage consent, respect user preferences, and build trust while improving the efficiency of their campaigns.

For those looking to unify customer data and power personalization, open source CDPs are emerging fast. These platforms provide the same benefits such as data unification, personalization, segmentation, and automation, but with greater transparency and flexibility.

Apache Unomi: An open-source customer data platform designed to centralize user profiles and deliver personalized experiences while respecting privacy and consent standards.

Tracardi: A real-time, open-source CDP and marketing automation platform that tracks user behavior, segments audiences, and automates actions across channels.

RudderStack: Collects and routes customer event data across tools. Developer-friendly and privacy-focused.

Start where we need the most freedom

We don’t need to overhaul everything at once. A sovereignty-first approach is a mindset that starts with conscious choices. Whether it’s selecting a new tool, revising a workflow, or planning a campaign, each step should enhance autonomy and resilience.

Open source communities are eager to help, and service providers offer support when needed. It’s not about doing it alone, it’s about being intentional and informed.

Every change we make today builds a stronger, more adaptable marketing stack for tomorrow. Let’s start where we need freedom most, audit where hidden dependencies lie, and lean into tools that support long-term growth, trust, and agility.

We don’t need to switch everything at once, but we can start with one decision: the next tool we onboard, the next process we revise, or the next campaign we build, we should do it with sovereignty in mind.

If you’re interested in exploring features that help maintain control and transparency in your marketing stack, see how Mautic approaches digital sovereignty: https://mautic.org/features/data-sovereignty/

When our marketing stack is built entirely on proprietary platforms, what we actually have is access, not ownership. We rely on third-party systems to collect, store, and interpret our customer data. While that may feel convenient, it also means our insights, audience intelligence, and long-term relationships are dependent on external systems that operate on their own terms.

Now consider what happens when one of these platforms increases its prices, removes a feature we rely on, or even discontinues a service altogether. Suddenly, what once felt like a stable system begins to feel fragile. Many marketers are just one unexpected product decision away from a campaign delay, a data gap, or worse. And if we ever try to move our data to another platform, we quickly realize how limited our options are. We may be able to export a list of contacts or segments, but not the valuable behavioral history or interaction data that gives us marketing depth and meaning.

Understanding digital and data sovereignty

This is where the idea of digital sovereignty becomes critical. Digital sovereignty is the belief that individuals, organizations, and even governments should have the authority and ability to control their own digital ecosystems. For marketers, this means choosing how and where data is collected, stored, and processed. It also means having the power to select tools based on values and strategy, rather than being locked into one company’s timeline or pricing model. When we operate with digital sovereignty in mind, we stop being a passive user of technology and start becoming the designer of our own infrastructure.

Connected to this is the principle of data sovereignty, which focuses on the physical location of our data and the legal systems that apply to it. When our marketing platform stores data in a different country from where our customers are based, that data becomes subject to the laws of the hosting country. This can lead to unexpected challenges around compliance, privacy, and governance. With growing regulatory pressure and rising consumer expectations around data protection, marketers can no longer afford to overlook where their data is stored and how it is being managed.

How open source empowers marketers

Open source tools offer a clear and powerful solution. For marketers, open source is no longer just a technical curiosity. It is a strategic decision that allows for independence, innovation, and better alignment with privacy values. By using open source software for marketing automation, analytics, or customer data management, we can host data where it makes sense for our business, shape the tools to fit our exact needs, and choose how and where our tools are hosted, whether by ourselves or through the provider that best fits our needs, with the freedom to change that choice at any time, a flexibility rarely possible with proprietary software.

Open source also gives us transparency and clarity. We can review how the code works, understand exactly what happens with our data, and adapt the software to support our marketing objectives. If a team has a unique requirement, chances are someone else in the open source community has faced the same challenge and already contributed a solution. We gain the benefit of collective intelligence without sacrificing control.

This approach also supports ethical marketing. When we know what our systems are doing with our data, and when we have control over it, we are more likely to build campaigns that respect customer privacy and meet regulatory standards. We are not only protecting a brand but also strengthening trust with the people we are trying to reach.

Choosing digital and data sovereignty is not about rejecting innovation, excluding working with specific countries or avoiding external tools. It is about making sure those tools serve our goals, rather than shaping them. It is about long-term flexibility, sustainable growth, and staying ready for whatever comes next.

This conversation stayed with me because it highlights one of the most important challenges we face in marketing today: how do we create personalized experiences that genuinely serve people without crossing the line into creepy surveillance?

The trust equation in personalization

In my experience leading the Mautic community, I’ve learned that ethical marketing comes down to a simple equation: transparency + genuine value + respect for boundaries = trust. When we get this right, personalization becomes a tool for building relationships rather than exploiting data.

The reality is that people want relevant content. They want to feel understood and valued. But they also want to maintain their dignity and privacy. These aren’t competing interests – they’re complementary when we approach them thoughtfully.

Building consent that actually means something

Our open source approach to marketing automation gives us a unique opportunity here. Unlike closed systems where consent often feels like a legal checkbox, we can build genuine preference management into our strategies.

Start with clear conversations

Instead of burying data collection in terms and conditions, have honest conversations with people about what you’d like to know and why. When someone subscribes to your newsletter, explain: “We’d love to send you content about topics that interest you most. Would you like to tell us which areas you’re curious about?”

Make preferences easy to manage

In Mautic, you can create preference centers that put people in control. Let them choose not just what they want to hear about, but how often they want to hear from you and in what formats or through what channels. Some people love daily tips, others prefer monthly roundups. Some like to get email updates, others prefer SMS or WhatsApp. Honoring these choices builds the foundation for long-term relationships.

Be specific about data use

When someone shares information with you, be clear about how you’ll use it. “We’ll use your job title to send you resources relevant to your role” is much more trustworthy than vague promises about “improving your experience.”

Moving beyond demographic assumptions

One pattern I’ve noticed in our community discussions is how often demographic targeting reinforces harmful stereotypes. Instead of assuming that age, gender, or location determine someone’s interests, we can use behavioral data more thoughtfully.

Focus on demonstrated interest

If someone downloads three whitepapers about email marketing, that tells you more about their current needs than their age or industry. Use Mautic’s progressive profiling to gradually understand what people actually care about based on their actions.

Let people self-identify

Rather than making assumptions, create opportunities for people to tell you about themselves. Progressive forms, survey campaigns, and preference updates allow people to share what’s relevant to their current situation.

Question your own biases

Before creating any campaign, ask yourself: “What assumptions am I making about who needs this content?” Challenge those assumptions by testing different approaches and measuring results.

Quality over quantity in messaging

This principle connects deeply to what’s becoming ever more important in today’s world of messaging overwhelm – the concept of mindful communication. Every message we send should have a clear purpose and genuine value for the recipient.

The four-question test

Before sending any marketing message, I encourage our community to ask:

1. Would a reasonable person expect to receive this communication based on the consent they have provided?
2. Does this genuinely help the person receiving it?
3. Is this the right time and the right channel for this message?
4. Would I appreciate receiving this if I were in their situation?

If you can’t answer yes to all four, consider waiting or reframing the message.

Ask these questions again any time there is a major incident happening in the world or in a specific country or community that you work with when you have campaigns in-flight – perhaps it’s appropriate for you to pause all outbound communication if there’s a particularly upsetting situation whereby your marketing messages could cause upset to the communities involved.

Respect natural rhythms

Use Mautic’s send time optimization and frequency capping features to respect when and how often people want to hear from you. Business to business communications might be more appropriate to only be sent during weekdays. It’s unlikely that someone is going to want to receive multiple marketing messages from you within the same day, so put in place  caps to prevent that from happening.

The real cost of getting this wrong

I’ve seen organizations struggle with the aftermath of creepy marketing practices. Beyond the immediate damage of lost trust and unsubscribes, there’s a deeper cost to your team’s morale and your organization’s reputation in your community.

When we treat people as data points rather than humans, we lose sight of our purpose as marketers: to create valuable connections that serve real needs.

Building for the long term

Our commitment to open source principles gives us an advantage here. We’re not beholden to advertising revenue models that prioritize data extraction over user welfare. We can build marketing strategies that align with our values and serve our communities authentically.

Create value first

Every interaction should leave the person better off than before. Whether it’s a helpful tip, relevant resource, or simply respect for their time, lead with generosity.

Build systems for accountability

Use Mautic’s reporting capabilities to track not just opens and clicks, but also unsubscribe patterns and feedback. Create regular reviews of your marketing practices with your team.

Stay connected to your purpose

Remember why you’re doing this work. If your goal is to genuinely help people solve problems and achieve their goals, that intention will guide you toward ethical practices naturally.

Moving forward together

The conversation about ethical personalization is ongoing, and it’s one where our community’s voice matters. As users of open source marketing automation, we have the opportunity to model a different approach – one that prioritizes human dignity alongside business goals.

I’m curious about your experiences with this balance. What strategies have you found effective for personalizing without being invasive? Where do you draw the line between helpful and creepy?

The future of marketing depends on how thoughtfully we navigate these questions together. Let’s continue this conversation in ways that honor both our business objectives and our shared humanity.

What ethical challenges have you encountered in your marketing personalization efforts? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences in building trust-based relationships with your audiences.

The question shouldn’t be whether we should personalize, as much of the research shows that it leads to a better experience for customers. The question we need to be asking, as responsible marketers, is how we can collect and use information about our customers in a way that genuinely serves our customers’ interests, rather than just our commercial interests, and while ensuring that every step of the way we’re respecting their privacy.

Understanding data sovereignty in marketing

Data sovereignty refers to the concept that data is subject to the laws and governance structures of the jurisdiction where it is collected, stored, and processed – and crucially, who has ultimate control over that data. For marketing professionals, this creates two distinct but related challenges.

Business-level data sovereignty

This is about where your marketing automation platform operates, who controls the infrastructure, and which legal jurisdiction governs your data processing. When you use an EU-hosted SaaS platform, for example, your customer data may be subject to EU laws regardless of where your customers are located. That might be totally fine for you, but problematic if that country’s laws are in conflict with your own values, or that of your customers.

Customer-level data agency

This is about giving your customers meaningful control over their personal information – how it’s collected, used, and shared within your marketing systems. While related to data sovereignty, this is more accurately described as data agency or user empowerment.

The distinction matters, because you can have strong customer privacy practices while still operating in a data sovereignty model that doesn’t serve your business interests – or vice versa. True digital independence requires addressing both levels.

Why this matters for marketing professionals

Consider the practical implications: if you’re using a major cloud-based marketing platform, your customer data may be:

• Subject to foreign government access requests
• Processed in data centres outside your jurisdiction

• Controlled by, and/or accessed by, a third-party company whose interests may not align with yours or your customers’

This is where platforms like Mautic provide genuine advantages – self-hosted, open source solutions give you actual control over both the infrastructure and the data processing.

However, achieving infrastructure sovereignty is only the foundation. Once you have control over where and how your marketing data is processed, the next challenge becomes how you collect and use that data ethically. 

For marketing professionals, this means acknowledging that the data we use to personalize experiences doesn’t belong to us. It belongs to the individuals who generated it, and they have trusted us to take care of that data when it’s in our custody. Our role, therefore, is to be responsible stewards of that data, using it in ways that create genuine value for the people who have entrusted it to us.

With most people experiencing varying degrees of information overload and severely limited attention spans nowadays, we also have to ensure that when we’re asking for consent, the individual is actually able to understand what we’re asking and consent accordingly, instead of clicking whichever button gets the popup out of the way quickest.

This is where the distinction between different types of customer data becomes crucial – and where zero-party and first-party data offer the greatest opportunities for building truly sovereign data relationships, because we are in control of how, when and why we ask for consent and capture information.

Read more about the four types of marketing data in our blog post: Understanding the four types of marketing data: A beginner’s guide.

The challenge of personalization – value vs intrusion

The challenge with personalization involves walking a tightrope, because the more effectively we want to personalize, the more data we typically need to collect and process, yet increased data collection often correlates with decreased user trust and increased privacy concerns.

So, how do we keep our balance as we walk this tightrope?

Four critical questions every marketer should be asking

A simple test you might consider asking yourself before you consider using customer data in your personalization efforts:

• Would a reasonable person expect this use of their data in this context?
  
  • Using purchase history to recommend similar products based on buying behaviour modelling might be acceptable, however inferring health status or specific conditions and then marketing that to the user based on that assumption may feel more intrusive
    
• Is the outcome clearly beneficial to them (not just to us)?
  
  • Showing localized recommendations when a user provides their location which are relevant to the user’s interests can help them to find things they’re interested in, however showing third party revenue-generating advertisements targeted to their geographic region will probably feel more uncomfortable than beneficial to the user
    
• Can they easily opt out, opt down, or change preferences at any time?

  
  • A granular consent preference centre where users can control the kind of information they receive and how their information is used (for example opting out of personalization all together), rather than an ‘all or nothing’ unsubscribe, or a preference centre that only allows you to turn on or off marketing communications without any customization, means the user feels more in control of their digital experience with your brand
    
• Are we collecting the minimum necessary data – and only when it becomes relevant?
  
  • As trust builds, providing users with reasons to share more with you to deliver more useful information and provide a better service is a much more natural way of developing your dataset for a customer, rather than asking for everything upfront ‘on the first date’. Data should also be removed when it’s no longer relevant to retain it.

If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no,’ you’re likely crossing the ethical line, and in many jurisdictions, the legal one too
McKinsey’s research on consumer data protection reveals that personalized advertising and marketing represent significant global value in digital ecosystems (McKinsey, 2020¹), however this value is only sustainable when it’s built on a foundation of trust and genuine user benefit.

Finding your own approach

Sadly there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to the level of personalization that will be appropriate, as every customer base and audience will have different levels of tolerance and expectations for both providing the data necessary and receiving a tailored experience based on their data.

In our next post we’ll be sharing some tips on how to create an ethical strategy for using personalisation in your marketing campaigns. In the meantime, leave a comment and share how you’ve got started with personalization and what you’ve found to be the most impactful way of personalization with your customers?

1. McKinsey & Company (2020) ‘Consumer data protection and privacy’, McKinsey, 27 April. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/the-consumer-data-opportunity-and-the-privacy-imperative (Accessed: 18 August 2025). ︎

In this guide, we’ll break down the four main types of marketing data, explain how each one works, and show you how to use them effectively in your marketing automation campaigns.

What are the four types of marketing data?

Marketing data is typically classified into four categories based on how it’s collected and who controls it:

1. Zero-party data – Information customers intentionally share
2. First-party data – Information you collect directly from customers
3. Second-party data – Information shared by trusted partners
4. Third-party data – Information purchased from external data companies

Let’s explore each type in detail.

Zero-party data: when customers choose to share

Definition

Zero-party data is information that customers intentionally and proactively share with your brand. This is data that people choose to give you, usually in exchange for some value or benefit.

Examples of zero-party data

• Survey responses and feedback forms
• Preference center settings (email frequency, topics of interest)
• Product ratings and reviews
• Quiz results (like “Find your perfect product” quizzes)
• Stated preferences during onboarding

• Communication channel preferences

• Wishlist items
• Account profile information voluntarily provided

Why zero-party data matters

• It often has the highest accuracy, because your customers are giving you the information directly, and often they are telling you exactly what they want

• It usually comes with strong consent signals, because the customers have actively chosen to share this information with you
• It’s usually the best to use for personalization as you’re getting direct insight into customer preferences from them
• It’s usually very privacy-friendly because it’s possible to get clear consent and purpose for data collection directly from the customer at the point of sharing the information

How to collect zero-party data with Mautic

• Create preference centers where contacts can manage their interests

• Use Mautic’s form builder to create surveys and feedback forms to capture information
• Set up progressive profiling to gradually collect information over time
• Build campaigns that provide value while gathering insights

First-party data: Information you collect directly

Definition

First-party data is information you collect directly from your customers through your own channels and touchpoints. You have a direct relationship with the customer and collect this data through your owned platforms.

Examples of first-party data

• Website behaviour and analytics (pages visited, time spent, click patterns)
• Email engagement metrics (opens, clicks, forwards)
• Purchase history and transaction data
• Customer support interaction records
• Mobile app usage data
• Social media engagement on your owned accounts
• Event attendance and participation
• Downloads and content consumption

Why first-party data is valuable

• It’s often of high quality because you’re in control of the collection process

• It’s usually extremely relevant to the customer, because it’s directly related to your business and customers
• It’s usually pretty cost-effective because you connect up all your own systems and don’t therefore need to purchase from external sources
• Usually first-party data is compliant with privacy legislations because you’ve captured the information on your own systems, so you can more easily manage consent and privacy requirements
• First-party data is generally very actionable and can be used to deliver value, because it’s directly tied to customer interactions with your brand

How Mautic helps with first-party data

• Track website visitor behaviour automatically
• Monitor email campaign performance in real-time
• Create detailed contact profiles from multiple touchpoints
• Segment contacts based on their actual behaviour
• Trigger automated campaigns based on specific actions
• Integrate with your other business systems to bring together a centralised overview of your customer

Second-party data: trusted partner information

Definition

Second-party data is essentially someone else’s first-party data that they share with you. This typically happens through partnerships, collaborations, or direct business relationships.

Examples of second-party data

• Customer insights from strategic business partners
• Data from co-marketing campaigns with other companies
• Industry consortium or association member data

• Supplier or distributor customer information
• Event partner attendee lists
• Joint venture customer data

• Affiliate partner insights

When second-party data makes sense

• Second-party data helps you to expand your reach by having access to new, relevant audiences
• It can help you with filling data gaps by providing you with the information you can’t collect directly
• Business relationships can be strengthened by sharing data between partners
• Second-party data is often of higher quality than third-party data, and you often have more say in the format that you receive it in
• It’s often easier to maintain compliance because there’s a clearer consent chain than third-party sources, but remember that you’ll still need to have a data processing agreement in place with any partner you share data with

Using second-party data responsibly

• Ensure clear consent from the original data source

• Verify data sharing agreements are in place
• Understand how the data was originally collected
• Apply the same privacy standards as your first-party data
• Be transparent with customers about data sources

Third-party data: external commercial data

Definition

Third-party data is information collected by companies with no direct relationship to your customers. This data is typically aggregated from multiple sources and sold commercially to marketers.

Examples of third-party data

• Purchased email lists and databases
• Data broker customer profiles
• Social media platform advertising audiences
• Market research company demographics
• Credit bureau information
• Location data from mobile apps (although this could be first party, if you own the apps)
• Browsing behaviour from ad networks
• Lifestyle and interest segments from data vendors

The challenges with third-party data

• There’s generally decreasing availability of third-party data streams because privacy regulations are limiting access
• Quite often there are quality concerns – the lists may be outdated or inaccurate, which can do more harm than good
• Sometimes there are consent issues – it might be unclear how the data was obtained, and whether the person giving consent knew that their data could be sold for this purpose
• There’s often ongoing costs for using third-party data which can be expensive
• Sometimes the dataset can be too generic, which means it’s less relevant to your specific business niche or customer interests
• There are sometimes compliance risks because it’s quite difficult to verify privacy compliance and whether correct consenting methods were used
• There can be very large fines if you’re found to be improperly using third-party data sources

Why we recommend focusing elsewhere

While third-party data has been popular in marketing, recent privacy regulations (like GDPR) and changing technology (like the phase-out of third-party cookies) are making it less viable. 

Most successful marketing automation strategies now focus on zero-party and first-party data instead.

The data quality and value hierarchy

From a marketing automation perspective, here’s how these data types rank in terms of value and reliability:

Here’s a handy quick-reference table of the main advantages and challenges

Practical applications in marketing automation

Getting started: focus on first-party data

If you’re new to marketing automation, start by maximizing your first-party data collection:

1. Set up proper tracking (using a consent system) on your website and campaigns
2. Create valuable content that encourages engagement
3. Use progressive profiling to gradually learn more about contacts
4. Monitor email engagement to understand preferences
5. Track customer journey stages to improve targeting

Level up: add zero-party data collection

Once you have first-party data systems working well, enhance them with zero-party data:

1. Build preference centers where customers can share more than just their consent, but they can tell you about their interests
2. Create helpful surveys that provide value to participants and enable you to shape the way you communicate with the customer
3. Develop interactive content like quizzes and assessments which encourage people to share relevant information with you
4. Offer personalization options in exchange for the customer setting their preferences
and telling you more about themselves
5. Ask for feedback regularly to improve experiences

Advanced: strategic second-party partnerships

For more advanced marketers, consider second-party data partnerships if you need them:

1. Identify complementary businesses that serve similar audiences
2. Develop data sharing agreements with clear privacy protections
3. Create joint campaigns that benefit both parties
4. Share insights while protecting individual privacy
5. Maintain transparency with your audience about partnerships

Frequently asked questions

Q: Which type of data should beginners focus on?

A: Start with first-party data collection through your website, emails, and customer interactions. This provides the foundation for effective marketing automation.

Q: Is third-party data still useful?

A: Third-party data is becoming less viable due to privacy regulations and technology changes. Focus on zero-party and first-party data for better compliance and results.

Q: How can I collect zero-party data without being intrusive?

A: Offer clear value in exchange for information. Use preference centers, helpful surveys, and interactive content that benefits your audience.

Q: What’s the difference between zero-party and first-party data?

A: Zero-party data is what customers intentionally tell you (surveys, preferences). First-party data includes both what they tell you and what you observe about their behaviour (website visits, email opens).

Q: How does Mautic handle different data types?

A: Mautic is designed primarily for first-party and zero-party data collection through forms, preference centers, behaviour tracking, and campaign automation – all while maintaining user privacy and control.

Conclusion

Understanding the four types of marketing data helps you make informed decisions about your marketing automation strategy. Focus on building strong zero-party and first-party data collection systems first, as these provide the best combination of quality, compliance, and customer value.

Remember: the goal isn’t to collect as much data as possible – it’s to collect the right data that helps you serve your customers better while respecting their privacy and preferences.

This November, the global Mautic community is discussing these topics. In person in London and online all over the world. 

The experience awaits

Monday, 3rd November – The main event kicks off at Sea Containers London, where the Thames meets innovation. This isn’t your typical conference talking shop – up to 150 of marketing automation’s brightest minds are gathering to chart the course ahead. 

Tuesday, 4th November – Community Day. Roll up your sleeves and contribute directly to the platform that’s changing the face of marketing automation. Code, documentation, strategy, copy – whatever your skill, there’s a place for you in building Mautic’s future.

Thursday-Friday, 6-7th November – The conversation goes global with our online conference days. Can’t make it to London? Join Mauticians worldwide as we extend the community dialogue across time zones, languages and continents.

Why London, why now?

London has always been where innovation meets opportunity. From the Thames to the tech corridors, this city understands reinvention. And right now, marketing needs reinventing.

AI is rewriting the rules of customer discovery. Traditional touchpoints are shifting. Brand relationships that took decades to build can vanish with an algorithm update. But here’s what the smartest marketers already know: the companies that will thrive are those that control their own customer conversations.

Marketers and decision makers need to be empowered to make savvy decisions when choosing their technology stack. Technology that serves your brand, not the other way around. Technology that keeps your customer relationships in your hands, not scattered across platforms you don’t control.

Answer the call – speakers wanted

We’re building a speaker lineup that reflects our community’s diversity and expertise. Whether you’re a Mautic veteran sharing hard-won insights, an expert in email or SMS deliverability, a newcomer bringing fresh perspectives, or someone bridging marketing automation with emerging technologies – we want to hear from you.

The Call for Speakers is open now. Share your story on London’s stage (or on the virtual stage, if you can’t make it in-person) and help shape the conversation that will define marketing automation’s next chapter.

Back the movement – sponsors welcome

This conference runs on community spirit, but it needs practical support. Our sponsors get great brand visibility and become part of a movement reshaping how marketing works. From privacy-first automation to platform independence, your support directly advances the future we’re building together.

Current sponsors include KumoMTA, Sales Snap, Dropsolid, EmailExpert, enable.services and VML, but there’s room for many more organisations ready to back real change in marketing technology. Sign up today!

The numbers that matter

• Early Bird tickets: £129 (until 31st August 2025)
• General admission: £149
• Online only: £29
• Maximum physical capacity: 200 attendees
• Expected online attendance: 300 attendees
• Location: Sea Containers London, 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD

This is your call

The marketing world is changing whether we’re ready or not. Platform algorithms shift overnight. Privacy regulations tighten. Customer expectations evolve. But communities like ours don’t just adapt to change – we drive it.

London calling to developers building the next generation of marketing tools. London calling to marketers breaking free from platform dependence. London calling to organisations choosing data sovereignty over convenient captivity.

The question isn’t whether marketing automation will evolve.

The question is whether you’ll be part of shaping that evolution.

Register now. Submit your speaker proposal. Join the movement.

London is calling. Will you answer?

Mautic World Conference 2025 takes place 3-7 November. Physical events Monday-Tuesday in London and streamed online, online-only components Thursday-Friday globally. Register at 2025.mauticon.org

While accessibility has long been a best practice, the EAA will soon make it a legal requirement for many organisations, including those who send emails within or into the European Union. If you’re using Mautic to manage email communications, here’s what you need to know.

Importance of EAA and why it matters

The EAA is a directive designed to ensure digital products and services are accessible to people with disabilities. It applies to a wide range of services, including websites, mobile apps, e-commerce platforms… and yes, emails. If your organisation operates within the EU, or targets EU citizens, this law could affect you. Failure to comply may result in legal penalties, loss of trust, or being excluded from public sector partnerships. This is serious stuff.

While the EAA primarily targets larger companies and public sector organisations, small businesses shouldn’t ignore these requirements. Microenterprises, defined as having fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover below €2M, may be temporarily exempt from certain obligations, but this could change as the regulation evolves, and EU is will known for that.

Being proactive now not only prevents costly future adjustments but also signals a genuine commitment to accessibility and user inclusion from the outset.

How does it affect Mautic users?

Here are some common areas where Mautic users may fall short:

Missing alt text for images

Images without descriptive alt attributes can create major barriers for users relying on screen readers. If your email includes buttons, banners, or visual CTAs rendered as images, those users won’t understand their purpose unless meaningful alt text is provided. Mautic users should ensure all image elements include concise, descriptive alternatives.

Poor colour contrast

Text placed over backgrounds, buttons with low contrast, or pastel colour schemes may look elegant, but can be unreadable for users with visual impairments or colour blindness. The EAA requires a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text, which means design choices need to balance style with readability.

Good structure = better experience

Just like a well-organised blog post or a clear landing page, your email also needs a logical structure, not just for the eye, but for assistive technologies like screen readers.

If your email content isn’t structured clearly in the code (even if it looks fine visually), some users might not be able to read or navigate it properly. For example, screen reader users rely on headings, lists, and content order to understand what’s on the page, and where to go next.

Unclear or inconsistent navigation

If you’re using Mautic to create onboarding sequences or multi-step forms, navigation must be intuitive and predictable. Users should always understand where a link leads and what the next action is. Keyboard accessibility and screen reader compatibility are especially important here.

Non-descriptive links (e.g. “click here”)

Generic phrases like “click here” provide no context for screen reader users. Instead, links should describe the destination or action clearly, for example, “Download the accessibility guide” or “View your subscription settings”. This improves both accessibility and usability.

Inconsistent design can create confusion

When users interact with your emails, they rely on familiar patterns to understand what’s clickable and what action to take next. If your buttons, links, or call-to-actions (CTAs) change appearance from one email to the next, or even within the same email, it can make the experience harder to follow.

Using different colours, shapes, or placements for similar actions forces users to relearn the interface each time, which increases cognitive load and may lead to missed opportunities.

Lack of responsive design

Accessibility isn’t just about screen readers or colour contrast, it’s also about making sure your email is easy to read and interact with, no matter the device.

If your email or landing page layout breaks on small screens, uses tiny text, or forces users to pinch and zoom, that’s a barrier. Many people with disabilities rely on mobile devices, and poorly optimised designs make your content harder to access.

Practical steps you can take

You don’t need to stress, here’s what you can start doing now and from now on:

• Audit your existing templates (email, landing page, form): check for missing alt text, poor contrast, lack of headings, and overall structure.
  
• Use free tools to test colour contrast and accessibility. There are plenty available online, no need for advanced knowledge. Some useful tools include:
  • Color Accessibility Checker
  • MJML Accessibility Checker
    
• Ensure responsive design across all assets. Test on both desktop and mobile to guarantee readability and usability.
  
• Check forms for accessibility: labels, focus states and error messages must be clear and usable.
  
• Keep interactive elements consistent: same button styles, colours and behaviours across emails, pages and forms.
  
• Educate your team – designers, developers, marketers – on accessibility principles and the basics of WCAG.

As a community, we help each other!

Accessibility isn’t just a requirement, it’s a shared responsibility, and the good news is that you’re not alone.

If you have questions about the EAA or want feedback on your accessibility efforts, start a thread in the Mautic Forum, the community is here to support you.

A special shout-out to Anderson, whose continuous work on accessibility within Mautic has had a significant impact. From improving screen reader support to refining interface contrast, his contributions show that Mautic is truly committed to aligning with accessibility best practices!

Let’s keep moving in this direction, together.

Official European Parliament Directive (EAA):
Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility requirements for products and services

What will we be doing?

Our goal during this sprint is to take a fresh look at key use cases and workflows, identify opportunities for improvement, review existing issue reports, proposed code changes (pull requests) on GitHub, and ideas from the Mautic forums.

Based on all this input, we aren’t just going to be prioritizing things – we’ll actually be implementing things! This is a great opportunity to join us in working to improve Mautic across many areas.

Who should join?

We’re hoping for 20-30 people to support the effort in Prague. Skills from all angles are needed, mainly:

• Experienced Mautic users: your insights into user experience are invaluable.
• Mautic developers: your coding skills are crucial for implementation.
• Anyone else! Marketing, design, documentation, testing – any perspective is welcome.

If you’ve never attended a Mautic event (and it’s geographically feasible for you to attend) this is the perfect place to get started!

Event details

• Start: Wednesday, July 9th, 12:00 AM CEST (no problem if you arrive later)
• End: Thursday, July 10th evening (most will stay for the night)
• Location: Impact Hub Praha D10, Drtinova 557/10, Smíchov, 150 00 Praha-Praha 5, Czech Republic. View on Map (Railway station is about 20 minutes away).

Sign up & support

Ready to join us in Prague? Sign up for free here: Sign Up for the Sprint!

Can’t make it to Prague? You now have two options: 

1. You can still help! We appreciate any contribution, big or small, to help cover event costs: Sponsor the Sprint (ideally €100,- or as much has you can)
2. You can attend remotely. As much as we would love to see you in person, we also would love to see you attend remotely and participate in the community sprint from the comfort of your (hopefully) cosy home.  

Shoutout

Let’s not forget to give a warm shoutout to the lovely people over at Impact Hub for giving us a nice NGO discount to run our sprint at their venue.  We can’t even begin to tell you how much we appreciate that.

Your feedback is important

Even if you can’t attend, please help us make the sprint a success by giving us your feedback / ideas on the most valuable quality improvements for Mautic: Give Us Your Quality Feedback!

We’re excited to work together to shape the future of Mautic!