How will GDPR affect email campaigns?

GDPR is a measure that is being taken to ensure that the European Union is planning to take to protect the personal data of all its citizens. This will prevent marketing agencies to use any kind of personal information of the individuals to their advantage of promoting any kind of services and products. This will ensure that all the private personal data of the individuals stay protected.

How will GDPR affect email marketing? 

The key point involved in GDPR is giving the power to the private data. It gives people the final say in how they want their information to be handled, shared and for how long. Implementing this would maintain strong relations between the business and the individuals who work with the company, helping to assure that the data that is shared won't be misused in any way. 

After GDPR comes into action, the marketing agencies will have to come up with new ideas and methods to keep their business ranked on the top. This will make business to take data privacy more seriously which otherwise will cause them to pay a huge penalty. The one noticeable change will be that spam emails will be blocked which will prevent individuals from getting promotional emails and junking the spam folder which could also contain a virus. After GDPR is official, the emails will be protected by the government. This, of course, will improve the privacy of the users by keeping their anonymity, although this can affect businesses. But if users allow marketing agencies to send promotional offers then it is accepted. 

How will this measure affect marketers?

Under the GDPR guidelines, email marketers will have to consider the following points with their future email campaigns. 

• Unbundled: When you ask individuals for their consent with using their personal information, you should clearly mention all the terms and conditions so that they are aware of what they are giving up. Consent will not be taken for granted unless he/she signs up for the particular service that requires it.
• Active opt-in: Pre-ticked boxes are not allowed for accepting consent from individuals. Therefore, an individual's consent will rely on the clear opt-in boxes that are going to be used.
• Granular: Often there are various degrees where data handling takes place, therefore, email marketers will have to ensure that the individuals are aware of different varieties of how their data will be used and should be asked for consent separately. This will ensure that people will hold the complete control over the information that they are giving up.
• No imbalance: Email marketing teams will have to work harder to ensure that there is no imbalance in between the individuals and the business. This should be done by them asking for consent regularly so that the individuals are constantly reminded of what they have given up in case they want to change their preference or want it to be reconsidered. This gives the individuals the ultimate power over their data of its usage by the organization. 

• Easy to withdraw: GDPR allows individuals to easily withdraw their consent in regard to sharing their personal information. This will affect email marketers and they have to put in extra efforts to facilitate the option of withdrawing the email transactions after the users chose to change their consent.
• Named: Email marketers will have to reveal to the individual who will be handling their data along with the names of all the third-party suppliers with whom the data might be shared. It will require them to tell the name of each organization.
• Evidence: There will be records that will hold all the instances of the individual's consent. This will help know in detail when they have subjected to provide their personal data with their consent, and what information was given to them when they were asked for their consent and method of the same. 

What if a Data Breach Happens?

There is a chance that a number of marketing agencies will not be abiding by the rules that are provided by the GDPR after it comes into action. Breaches could happen by accident and marketers might also not have any idea after its implementation. But there will be few who will break the rules willingly on purpose. This will carry a lot of risks and will have bad consequences when discovered. Marketing agencies will have to pay huge penalties and might also be punished. Which is why staff should be properly trained to ensure keep the businesses reputation. 

This GDPR regulation and its implementation are to the advantage of the people as it ensures their privacy and safety though it will be affecting marketing strategies in the long run. Although slowly its effect will have a positive impact and will have transparency between businesses and its people.