Tracking website visitors is a hot topic, especially with the growing focus on privacy. If you’re looking to identify your website visitors legally and ethically, here’s what you need to know.
TL;DR
- You can track website visitors by identifying individuals or companies, but company-level tracking is safer and privacy-compliant.
- It avoids legal risks, complies with GDPR, and helps in B2B by targeting multiple stakeholders within a company.
- To implement this ethically, use clear cookie notices, transparent privacy policies, and provide easy opt-out options.
- Ethical tracking builds trust, ensuring compliance and long-term success in B2B marketing.
Two Approaches to Website Visitor Identification
There are two main methods companies use to track website visitors:
- Personal Identification: Collecting details like names, emails, and LinkedIn profiles.
- Company Identification: Identifying the company a visitor works for without collecting personal data.
The first approach is legally ambiguous and could violate privacy laws. The second approach—company-level tracking—is much safer because it avoids collecting personal information, keeping you compliant with GDPR and other privacy regulations worldwide.
Why Company-Level Tracking is the Better Choice
Identifying companies instead of individuals has significant advantages, especially in B2B:
- You’ll engage with multiple people at the company anyway.
- You avoid privacy and legal challenges.
- It future-proofs your business against evolving privacy laws.
How to Implement Website Visitor Tracking Ethically
To ensure your tracking practices are both effective and compliant, follow these steps:
1. Use Proper Cookie Practices
Don't try to sneak your tracking cookies in as "essential"
- Label your tracking cookies as marketing cookies and let visitors opt-out.
- Avoid IP tracking, as it doesn’t provide an opt-out option for users.
- Stick with cookies—users are familiar with them, and regulations around cookies are clearer.
2. Be Transparent About Your Tracking
Make it clear what you’re doing by providing:
- A detailed terms of use page for your website.
- A cookie notice that explains how you use tracking cookies.
- A privacy policy that outlines your practices clearly.
3. Make Data Access and Deletion Easy
Set up a dedicated privacy@yourcompany.com email or a simple form for requests.
Allow users to view or delete their data without unnecessary hurdles.
4. Filter Out Small Businesses
Exclude companies with fewer than five employees to avoid inadvertently identifying individuals at very small businesses.
Should You Use Person-Level Identification?
If you're thinking about using tools that identify individual visitors, you need to weigh some factors:
- How many visitors can you accurately identify?
- How accurate is the data?
- Is it worth the privacy risks?
In most cases, company-level tracking is sufficient. It allows you to see which businesses are interested in your product and reach out to the right people through appropriate channels.
How Factors Ensures Privacy and Security
Factors takes your privacy & security very seriously.
- SOC Type II and GDPR compliant.
- Customer data hosted on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
- Comprehensive Privacy Policy and Data Processing Policy.
Bottom Line
Tracking website visitors isn’t just about following privacy laws—it’s about building trust. Identify companies, be transparent about your practices, and give people control over their data.
By balancing effective marketing with respect for privacy, you’ll not only stay compliant but also foster trust—an essential foundation for success in B2B.
If you have questions or want to discuss this further, feel free to reach out to us at Factors.
