In HubSpot's approach to behavioral marketing and customer segmentation, understanding the difference between implicit and explicit data is fundamental for creating personalized marketing strategies.
Explicit data refers to information that contacts voluntarily and knowingly provide to your organi…In HubSpot's approach to behavioral marketing and customer segmentation, understanding the difference between implicit and explicit data is fundamental for creating personalized marketing strategies.
Explicit data refers to information that contacts voluntarily and knowingly provide to your organization. This includes details shared through form submissions, survey responses, preference center selections, email subscriptions, and registration information. When a prospect fills out a contact form with their name, email address, job title, company size, or industry, they are giving you explicit data. This type of information is reliable because it comes from the source itself and represents what customers want you to know about them.
Implicit data, on the other hand, is information gathered through observing and tracking user behavior and digital body language. This includes website browsing patterns, pages visited, time spent on specific content, email open and click rates, social media interactions, content downloads, and purchase history. Rather than being stated outright, this data is inferred from actions and behaviors that indicate interests, preferences, and buying intent.
Both data types work together to create comprehensive customer profiles. Explicit data tells you who someone is and what they claim to want, while implicit data reveals what they actually do and shows genuine interest through their actions. For example, a visitor might explicitly state they are interested in enterprise solutions, but their implicit behavior of repeatedly viewing small business pricing pages tells a different story.
Effective customer segmentation combines both data types to build accurate buyer personas and deliver relevant content at the right time. HubSpot's platform allows marketers to capture and analyze both explicit and implicit data points, enabling smart lists, personalized content, lead scoring, and automated workflows that respond to the complete picture of customer engagement and preferences.
Implicit vs Explicit Data: A Complete Guide
Why Implicit vs Explicit Data is Important
Understanding the difference between implicit and explicit data is fundamental to behavioral marketing segmentation in HubSpot. This knowledge allows marketers to create more personalized customer experiences, build accurate buyer personas, and develop targeted campaigns that resonate with specific audience segments. Mastering this concept is essential for the HubSpot Inbound Marketing certification as it forms the foundation of effective data-driven marketing strategies.
What is Implicit vs Explicit Data?
Explicit Data refers to information that contacts intentionally and knowingly provide to your business. This includes: - Form submissions (name, email, job title, company size) - Survey responses - Preference center selections - Direct communications and stated interests - Account registration details
Implicit Data refers to information gathered through observing user behavior and digital footprints. This includes: - Website pages visited - Email open and click rates - Content downloads - Time spent on specific pages - Social media engagement patterns - Purchase history and browsing behavior
How It Works
In HubSpot, both data types work together to create comprehensive contact profiles:
1. Collection: Explicit data is collected through forms and direct interactions, while implicit data is tracked automatically through cookies, pixels, and integrations.
2. Storage: Both data types are stored in contact records and can be used for segmentation.
3. Segmentation: Marketers use this combined data to create smart lists and targeted segments based on both stated preferences and observed behaviors.
4. Personalization: Content and messaging are tailored using insights from both data sources to deliver relevant experiences.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Implicit vs Explicit Data
Key Distinctions to Remember: - Explicit = What contacts tell you (conscious, deliberate sharing) - Implicit = What contacts show you (behavioral, observed actions)
Common Question Patterns:
1. Identification Questions: You may be asked to categorize examples as implicit or explicit. Remember: if the user actively provided the information, it is explicit; if it was observed through their actions, it is implicit.
2. Application Questions: Questions may ask how to use each data type. Explicit data is best for demographic segmentation, while implicit data excels at indicating intent and engagement level.
3. Combination Questions: Expect questions about using both data types together. The most effective strategies leverage both to create a complete picture of the contact.
Red Flags in Answer Choices: - Watch for answers that confuse form submissions (explicit) with page views (implicit) - Be cautious of answers suggesting one data type is superior; both are valuable
Memory Technique: Think of explicit data as an interview (the contact speaks) and implicit data as observation (you watch their behavior).
Practice Scenario: A contact fills out a form stating they are a marketing manager (explicit) and has viewed your pricing page five times this week (implicit). Both pieces of information are valuable for different reasons and should inform your segmentation strategy.