What is Wrong with Online Marketing Anymore?

What the hell is wrong with online marketing these days? I don’t have a particular opinion of companies like KISSmetrics. I’ve never used their product. But, seriously. If a customer deletes his or her cookies, is it really a good idea to undelete them? The company now says that their privacy policy discloses what they do. Now there’s a lawsuit to boot.

Is it any wonder that practices such as these, or Facebook’s privacy missteps or Apple and Google’s geo-tracking issues cause consumers heartburn?

I’ve suggested for some time that businesses need to care for their customers’ privacy as if it were their own. As I’ve said,

“Customer relationships are built on trust. All relationships are. “

I’m a marketer. I make no bones about it. And I’m proud of what I do. I also respect the need of all marketers to use tags and tracking codes to figure out how best to help customers. I frequently help clients figure out how to use all sorts of technology to better understand their customers’ behaviors. But, we all need to continually ask ourselves if what we’re doing is truly in the best interest of our customers. And, if what you’re doing ever feels the slightest bit creepy or over the line, it isn’t worth doing at all. You may risk a minor point of conversion in the short-term, but your customers will appreciate you much more in the long-term.

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