The American Data and Privacy Protection Act (ADPPA) Enters the House

At the end of June, the Energy and Commerce Committee introduced a bipartisan bill, ADPPA (the American Data Privacy and Protection Act), to the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill could be a major step forward for congressional data privacy negotiations. It aims to create a national data privacy framework to support consumer privacy rights and to act as the U.S. equivalent of the European GDPR law.

The ADPPA will regulate what are known as “covered entities,” which includes most organizations that collect, process, or transfer “covered data.” Covered data is information that identifies or is linked to an individual or a device that may include derived data and unique identifiers. Under this bill, even smaller nonprofits and local businesses will be required to maintain practices that protect covered data against unauthorized access and acquisition. This process of protection is being called “privacy by design” and would also prohibit entities from preventing users access to services or products if individuals do not wish to waive their privacy rights.

For Americans, this means more control over their digital footprint, full access to owned data, the ability to restrict certain uses of data, and the right to have data permanently deleted. The provision will allow between 30 and 60 days for consumer-data-usage changes to be processed. Marketers should take note and begin reviewing the current processes for ways to ensure compliance or consider adopting other privacy-centric technologies.

Social Commerce in 2022

Social commerce has skyrocketed during the pandemic, growing 38% in 2020 alone and reaching $26.77 billion in annual sales—and that number is expected to reach $80 billion by 2025. Channable, an e-commerce integration program, has assembled a playbook of best practices and curated stats on social commerce performance on the top social media channels. Creating an effective social-selling strategy, according to Channable, starts with a top-to-bottom review of the brand’s digital footprint, and below are nine steps to consider.

1. Start with a robust, fully completed profile.
2. Find and engage with influencers relevant to the brand’s niche.
3. Join and participate in groups and relevant forums.
4. Share valuable content with users.
5. Engage with followers in the comments.
6. Accept reviews to build credibility.
7. Build owned credibility and authority by sharing testimonials.
8. Leverage social media advertising.
9. Customize and maintain social media storefronts.

Are Your Social Channels Driving ROI?

GRIN, a creator management platform, surveyed 530 brands of consumer goods, home goods, apparel, travel, food, and other industries to gauge what social platforms yielded the highest ROI for their business and industry vertical. Facebook was top ranked for most industries, and that makes sense, since Facebook accounts for 73% of Americans’ total social media visits. LinkedIn was a top ROI channel for the travel industry, and interestingly enough, Twitch performed well with the pet industry businesses that were surveyed.

According to GRIN, there are a few somewhat obvious guidelines that will help you in choosing the optimal channels for your brand to invest in. First, look for existing communities that already align with your brand values and product offering. What channels are they on, and are there established influencers or authorities on your niche? Are there opportunities to partner with them or, at minimum, gain proximity to their audience? Next, when selecting your channel, consider how your brand can authentically fit among the platform’s other content. Promoting business travel on TikTok doesn’t make much sense, and neither does sharing a makeup tutorial on a LinkedIn post. Matching your content to the channel is just as important as ensuring your brand values, messaging, and creative all align in a genuinely authentic way.

(Editorial) Methodology: We help brands grow based on data, research, data analysis and synthesis, and a hefty dose of proven processes, tactics, and channel-specific strategies. | Objective: To distribute timely insights and information about tools, trends, and research and data strategies that work. | Sample size: n=the entirety of the Internet. | Audience: Smart brand marketers that understand the importance of using data and research to inform strategic decision-making.