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Enrichment of data – what is that, and what does it do?
Adding third-party data from an external authoritative source to an existing database of first-party customer data is characterized as data enrichment. Companies do this to improve the information they currently have so they can make more educated choices about their products and services. Every piece of consumer data, no matter where it comes from, starts out in its rawest form. When this collected data is sent into a central data repository, it is frequently ingested into the system in separate datasets rather than as a single stream. A data lake (or swamp) is frequently the result when this happens. It’s full of raw information, which isn’t usable outside of specific settings.
Data Enrichment Comes in Two Forms
Many forms of data enrichment exist, but two of the most prevalent include:
Demographic data enrichment
Adding new demographic data, such as marital status and income level, to an existing customer database is known as demographic data enrichment. Both the types and the sources of demographic information are extensive. Your data may include the number of children, the type of automobile driven, and typical house worth, among other things. When it comes to demographic enrichment, it’s important to know what your final goal is. So if you want to provide credit cards, you may purchase a database that contains information on a person’s credit score. Enhanced data may be used to enhance the targeting of marketing offers, which is crucial in an era where customized marketing reigns supreme.
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Geographic Data Enrichment
It is possible to improve a customer address database by adding postal data or latitude/longitude. Some companies sell data such as ZIP codes, geographic borders between cities, mapping insights, and so on. It’s useful to add this type of information to your data in a few different situations. Retailers might utilize geo-enhanced data to decide where to open their next shop. Customers within a 30-mile radius of a retailer’s store might be targeted with the use of their enhanced data. If marketers want to cut costs, they can utilize geographic enrichment.
Data enrichment may take several forms, depending on your company objectives. For a favorable outcome, it’s vital to know what sort of data you require. With that said, a word of caution. In order to match datasets from different sources, there must be a common characteristic that connects them.
Customers who do not wish to reveal their identity might use this ID to identify their mobile device or desktop PC. A customer’s initial and last name or postal address may suffice for established customers. In order to match and combine two different datasets, even an email address might be utilized. Other than that, there’s no way to tell whether the two datasets are related.
Conclusion
For a modern brand, a well-functioning data enrichment process is essential. If the brand’s data is kept current, it will be easier to target consumers, whether it’s based on geography, to place new stores, or demographics to target the next best offers better. This leads to improved client experiences, which in turn generates more data, ensuring that your business can continue to operate with the most current customer information available.
