Top 9 'Zero-Party-Data' Growth Hacks to use for Direct-to-Consumer Brands in 2025
The digital marketing landscape is shifting beneath our feet. For years, D2C brands relied on the silent, shadowy world of third-party cookies to track, target, and understand customers. But that era is officially over. With privacy regulations tightening and major browsers phasing out cookies, the old playbook has been thrown out the window.
So, what's next? Panic? A return to billboard advertising? Not quite. The future belongs to a more transparent, powerful, and customer-centric approach: zero-party data.
Unlike third-party data (bought from aggregators) or even first-party data (observed from behavior), zero-party data is information that customers intentionally and proactively share with you. Think preferences, purchase intentions, personal context, and how they want to be recognized by your brand. It’s a direct conversation, a willing exchange of information built on trust. For D2C brands in 2025, mastering the art of collecting and using this data isn't just a "growth hack"—it's the cornerstone of a resilient, customer-obsessed business.
Here are the top nine zero-party data growth hacks you can implement to build stronger relationships and drive explosive growth.
1. Supercharge Your Quizzes for Hyper-Personalization
Quizzes are one of the most effective zero-party data collection tools, but it's time to think beyond the basic "What's your skin type?". In 2025, the winning quizzes will feel less like a test and more like a personalized consultation with an expert. The goal is to understand the customer's lifestyle, goals, and motivations.
Instead of just asking what product they need, ask why they need it. A mattress company shouldn't just ask "Do you prefer a firm or soft mattress?". They should ask, "What's the #1 thing keeping you from a great night's sleep? (Back pain, a restless partner, stress, etc.)". This deeper context allows you to recommend a product and frame its benefits in a way that resonates directly with their pain points.
Actionable Tips:
- Map the Journey: Ensure the quiz results don't just lead to a product page. Use the data to personalize the welcome email series, on-site banners, and future SMS campaigns.
- Use Visuals: Make your quiz engaging with high-quality images, GIFs, or even short videos. Brands like Prose and Function of Beauty are masters of this, making data collection feel fun and interactive.
- Focus on Value: The customer is giving you valuable data. In return, give them a truly valuable, personalized recommendation and perhaps a small discount for completing the quiz.
2. Gamify Your On-Site Pop-Ups
Let's be honest: the standard "Enter your email for 10% off" pop-up is tired. It's transactional and uninspired. Gamification turns this passive experience into an active, enjoyable moment of engagement. Think spin-to-win wheels, digital scratch-cards, or "pick a gift" style pop-ups.
These gamified experiences have a much higher conversion rate because they tap into our natural desire for fun and reward. More importantly, they provide an opportunity to ask for more than just an email in a low-friction way. You can ask for a phone number for SMS marketing or add a single, crucial preference question before they "play."
Actionable Tips:
- Two-Step Opt-in: First, present the game (e.g., a spin wheel). When they click "Spin to Win!", trigger a second pop-up asking for their email to receive their prize.
- Add a Preference Question: Before the spin, ask a simple multiple-choice question like, "What are you shopping for today? (Tops, Bottoms, Accessories)". This immediately segments them.
- Vary the Prizes: Don't just offer discounts. Mix in "Free Shipping," "A Free Gift with Purchase," or "Early Access to our Next Drop" to keep it exciting.
3. Rethink the Post-Purchase Survey
The moment after a customer makes a purchase is a golden opportunity. Trust is at its peak, and they are highly engaged with your brand. Wasting this moment on a generic "How was your checkout experience?" survey is a huge missed opportunity. Instead, use this touchpoint to gather data that will inform their next purchase.
Frame your post-purchase survey as a way to "personalize your future experience." Keep it short, mobile-friendly, and focused on their goals and interests. This is your chance to understand the 'why' behind their purchase and what they might need next. As I, Goh Ling Yong, often advise clients, turning a transactional moment into a relational one is key to building lifetime value.
Actionable Tips:
- Embed it on the Thank You Page: Ask 1-2 quick questions directly on the order confirmation page while their attention is still focused.
- Incentivize Completion: Offer a small, immediate reward for completing a slightly longer survey via email, like 50 loyalty points or a 5% coupon for their next order.
- Ask Future-Focused Questions:
- For a coffee brand: "What other brewing method are you curious to try?"
- For a pet food brand: "What's your dog's biggest health challenge? (e.g., Itchy Skin, Joint Pain, Anxiety)"
- For a fashion brand: "Which upcoming occasion are you shopping for?"
4. Build a Loyalty Program That's a Data Goldmine
Your VIP or loyalty program shouldn't just be about earning points on purchases. It should be a central hub for your most engaged customers to build a relationship with you. Treat their customer profile as a living document that they can enrich over time in exchange for rewards.
Encourage members to complete their "profile" by sharing key data points. This turns data collection into a value-add for the customer, not a chore. The more they share, the more personalized their perks, recommendations, and communications become, creating a powerful feedback loop of loyalty.
Actionable Tips:
- "Profile Completion" Quests: Award points for specific actions: "Add your birthday for a special gift (50 points)," "Tell us your style preference for curated picks (100 points)," "Share your top fitness goal (75 points)."
- Exclusive Content Tiers: Use the data to create tiers or segments within your loyalty program. Customers who identify their interest as "running" could get early access to new running shoes, while those interested in "yoga" get a first look at new leggings.
- Birthday and Anniversary Data: This is the easiest piece of ZPD to collect and act on. A personalized birthday message with a special offer is a simple but incredibly effective way to build an emotional connection.
5. Make SMS/WhatsApp a Two-Way Conversation
Too many brands use SMS as a one-way megaphone for promotions. The real power of text-based marketing in 2025 is its conversational nature. Use it to ask questions, gather feedback, and collect data in a way that feels like you're texting a friend.
This conversational approach is highly effective because it's personal, immediate, and convenient for the customer. You can use automated flows to ask simple questions or have real customer service agents engage in two-way conversations that provide immense value and insight.
Actionable Tips:
- Onboarding Questions: When someone subscribes to your SMS list, start with a conversational welcome: "Hey [Name], so glad you're here! To make sure we only send you the good stuff, what are you most interested in? Reply A for new arrivals, B for sales."
- Post-Purchase Check-in: A week after they receive their product, send a text: "Hi [Name]! Just checking in, how are you loving your new [Product Name]? Reply with a rating from 1-5." If they reply with 4 or 5, you can ask for a review. If they reply 1-3, you can trigger a customer service follow-up.
- Use Keywords for Segmentation: "Text us STYLEQUIZ to get started" or "Text us COFFEE to get our top 3 brewing tips." This automatically segments subscribers based on their interests.
6. Create Value-First Interactive Tools & Calculators
One of the best ways to get customers to share data is to offer them a genuinely useful tool in return. Instead of asking for data, help them solve a problem, and collect the data as a byproduct of the solution. This is the ultimate win-win.
Think about the common questions or challenges your customers face and build a simple calculator, configurator, or generator to help them. This positions your brand as a helpful expert, not just a seller of goods. The data you gather is highly specific and immediately actionable.
Actionable Tips:
- Supplement Brand: A "Daily Vitamin Calculator" that asks for age, diet, and health goals to recommend a personalized supplement stack.
- Home Decor Brand: A "Gallery Wall Generator" where users input wall dimensions and select art styles to get a layout recommendation.
- Skincare Brand: A "Routine Builder" that asks about their current products and skin concerns to suggest the right order of application and new products to fill any gaps.
7. Master the Art of Progressive Profiling
Asking for 15 pieces of information on a sign-up form is a guaranteed way to kill your conversion rate. Progressive profiling is the strategy of gathering this information bit by bit over the entire customer lifecycle. It's less intimidating for the user and allows you to collect data at the most relevant moments.
Your email and account pages are perfect canvases for progressive profiling. Each interaction is a small opportunity to learn a little more about your customer. Over time, these individual data points build a rich, detailed mosaic of their preferences and needs.
Actionable Tips:
- Email Footer Links: Add a simple, one-click question in the footer of your newsletters. "Help us improve your emails: What content do you love most? [Product News] [How-To Guides] [Behind the Scenes]".
- The "My Account" Page: Add a "Profile Completion" progress bar. Encourage users to fill out sections like "My Style Preferences," "My Health Goals," or "My Interests" to unlock perks or simply get a more personalized shopping experience.
- Contextual Pop-ups: If a user has viewed three different pairs of running shoes, a small pop-up could ask, "Looks like you're a runner! What's your preferred terrain? [Road] or [Trail]".
8. Turn Customer Service into a Data Intelligence Hub
Your customer service team is sitting on a goldmine of zero-party data every single day. Every email, phone call, and live chat is filled with customer pain points, desires, product feedback, and personal context. The key is to have a system in place to capture, tag, and utilize this information.
Train your support agents to be more than just problem-solvers; they are relationship-builders and data collectors. By equipping them with the right tools and processes, you can turn your cost center into a powerful intelligence hub that informs marketing, product development, and personalization efforts. From my experience with Goh Ling Yong's consulting projects, brands that integrate their support and marketing data see a massive uplift in customer retention.
Actionable Tips:
- Implement a Tagging System: Use your helpdesk software (like Gorgias, Zendesk, etc.) to create tags for common issues, product requests, and customer preferences (e.g., "request-new-color," "preference-vegan," "complaint-shipping-speed").
- Integrate with Your CRM/ESP: Ensure that key data from support conversations is passed to the customer's profile in your central marketing platform (like Klaviyo or Attentive). An agent learning a customer is vegan should trigger a tag that ensures they only receive marketing for vegan products.
- Log "Golden Nuggets": Train agents to listen for unsolicited information. If a customer mentions they're buying a gift for their daughter's 16th birthday, that's a "golden nugget" of ZPD that can be logged and used for future personalization.
9. Build Hype with Data-Driven Waitlists
Product launches are a perfect time to collect high-intent zero-party data. Instead of a simple "Be the first to know" email capture for a new product, create a waitlist form that asks one or two strategic questions about what potential customers are looking for.
This accomplishes two things: First, it builds anticipation and makes the audience feel like they are part of the product development process. Second, it provides you with invaluable data to segment your launch-day marketing. You can tailor your messaging based on the features or benefits that different segments of your audience said were most important to them.
Actionable Tips:
- Ask About a Key Feature: If launching a new backpack, ask: "What's the most important feature for your new backpack? (A) Laptop Protection, (B) Max Storage, (C) Sleek Design."
- Understand Purchase Intent: For a new line of supplements, ask: "What is the primary goal you're hoping to achieve? (A) Better Sleep, (B) More Energy, (C) Muscle Recovery."
- Segment Your Launch Emails: On launch day, send three different emails. The "Better Sleep" segment gets an email with the subject line "Your Best Night's Sleep Awaits," while the "More Energy" segment gets "Unlock Your All-Day Energy." This level of relevance can dramatically increase conversion rates.
The Future is a Conversation
The shift away from third-party cookies isn't a crisis; it's a massive opportunity for D2C brands to build better, more sustainable businesses. Zero-party data is about moving from a model of surveillance to one of conversation. It's about earning trust, providing genuine value, and treating customers like the unique individuals they are.
By implementing these strategies, you're not just collecting data points; you're building a direct line of communication with the people who matter most to your brand. You're creating a feedback loop that will inform everything from your marketing campaigns to your product development, ensuring that you're always building a brand that your customers truly love.
What's the first zero-party data strategy you're going to implement? Share your ideas and questions in the comments below
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
Stay updated with the latest posts and insights by following on your favorite platform!