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Marketing isn’t getting any easier. The intensifying pressure of audience saturation requires more from your data. As a result, the precision of your targeting relies on not only the quality of your data, but a variety of insights.
The 2026 B2C Marketing Audience Building Report reveals that marketers consider several factors when evaluating the right consumer data provider.
It’s not just about having data; it’s about having the right data, at the right time, with the right assurances.
Top Factors Marketers Prioritize When Choosing a Consumer Data Provider
Here are the nine factors marketers prioritize when choosing a consumer data provider in 2026:
Source: The 2026 B2C Marketing Audience Building Report
1. Data Accuracy and Freshness
This is the foundational element and the single most important factor. If the data is inaccurate or stale, every subsequent decision based on it is flawed.
B2C marketers are highly focused on freshness because consumer behavior and location change rapidly. They demand proof that the data is frequently verified, updated, and ready for immediate use. Marketers are willing to pay a premium for this assurance.
2. Depth of Targeting
Marketers no longer accept simple demographic buckets. They require data that allows them to build high-precision audiences. This means the provider must offer the ability to segment based on a detailed combination of attributes, not just one or two characteristics.
3. The Breadth of Attributes (Demographics, Behaviors, and Intent)
A provider is judged by the sheer variety of attributes it can offer. This includes:
Demographics: Basic data like age, income, and family size.
Behaviors: Past purchasing habits, brand affinity, and media consumption.
Intent Signals: The most valuable attributes, such as active shopping for a specific product category, or a major life event like being a new mover or homebuyer.
4. Ease of Integration with the Existing Tech Stack
A data provider is only useful if its information can be easily ingested and utilized by the marketer’s existing tools. System compatibility is a high-ranking factor, with roughly one-third of B2C marketers citing it as a key deciding point. Data must integrate smoothly with CDPs (Customer Data Platforms), DMPs (Data Management Platforms), and ad-buying platforms.
5. The Provider’s Ability to Validate and Test Data
Top-performing marketers, referred to as “Data Strategy Stars” in the report, are significantly more likely to prioritize the ability to test and validate data before purchase. They look for providers who offer testing environments, audit trails, and clear verification processes to prove the data’s quality and lift.
6. How Costs Factor into the Overall Value Equation
While cost is a consideration, it falls into a secondary tier of importance. This suggests that B2C marketers are moving away from a lowest-cost mentality.
Instead, they focus on the Return on Investment (ROI) and the value delivered by the precision targeting capabilities, recognizing that quality data saves money in wasted ad spend.
6. High-Touch Customer Support
Data is complex, and marketers need reliable help to implement it effectively. Providers who offer high-touch customer support, including dedicated account managers and strategic consulting, are preferred. The provider should act as a true partner, not just a vendor.
7. Speed of Service: Responsiveness and Time-to-Insight
This refers to how quickly the provider can deliver updated data and how responsive their team is to custom requests. Although data accuracy is paramount, minimizing time-to-insight is crucial for agile marketing teams who need to capitalize on fleeting purchase windows, such as a consumer who has just searched for mortgage rates.
8. What the “Data Strategy Stars” Prioritize
The most successful B2C marketers consolidate their focus on factors that directly influence performance. For “Data Strategy Stars,” the twin priorities are:
- The ability to test and validate data pre-purchase.
- The depth of targeting options available.
Final Thoughts
As competition continues to rise, the selection criteria have moved past simple hygiene to focus on advanced utility—specifically, how a data partner can enable hyper-personalization and deliver measurable campaign lift. By rigorously evaluating these nine factors, marketers are future-proofing their strategies, ensuring every dollar spent on audience building is both intentional and effective.
