News & Insights

Becoming a privacy-first company - 3: Minds over matter

Ok, so you understand the urgency of privacy-first marketing. You (sort of) know where you want to go, and what you should avoid. It might be tempting to start implementing technologies like server-side tracking, customer data platforms, etc… But not before setting clear goals, drawing a roadmap, and getting everyone on the same page. That’s right: it’s time to talk strategy.

Becoming a privacy-first company - 2: Where we're going

Welcome to the second episode of of our series about how to become a privacy-first company. If the first chapter left you feeling flustered (btw, how did that GDPR test go?), rest assured: it’s not all doom and gloom and pesky legislation. While we’d argue that taking a privacy-first approach is no longer optional, embracing this fact and going all-in can be a major strategic advantage too. Here’s why.

Becoming a privacy-first company - 1: How we got here

Hi, and welcome to the first episode of our new series about how to become a privacy-first company. Over the next 5 episodes, we’ll set sail on a journey, away from the treacherous waters of digital advertising and towards the serene shores of first-party data. You’ll learn why customer privacy matters for your organisation, how to set up a privacy-first culture, strategy, and data stack, and establish lasting changes.

Glad to have you on board! Let’s start with a little context.

Four principles for a composable customer data strategy

Composable technology is a highly debated topic, currently at its peak in terms of interest from marketing technology professionals. With the hype come inflated expectations, different interpretations and vendors using it left, right and centre to describe their solutions. In this last episode of our 3-part series, we break it down into the essentials and illustrate the 4 principles for a composable customer data strategy.

Four signs your organisation is ready for composable technology

Composable technology is a highly debated topic, currently at its peak in terms of interest from marketing technology professionals. With the hype come inflated expectations, different interpretations and vendors using it left, right and centre to describe their solutions. In this second episode of our 3-part series, we break it down into the essentials and describe the 4 signs your organisation is ready for composable technology.

What is composable technology and why should you care?

Composable technology is a highly debated topic, currently at its peak in terms of interest from marketing technology professionals. With the hype come inflated expectations, different interpretations and vendors using it left, right and centre to describe their solutions. In this first episode of our 3-part series, we break it down into the essentials and explain why you and your organisation should care.

My internship at MultiMinds

At MultiMinds, I had the chance to learn a lot about marketing technology and all the possible uses of data. I firmly believe that a data-driven marketing approach is essential for any marketing team to succeed, and I was excited to learn how to implement this strategy.

How self-sovereign identity will reshape the online advertising world

As privacy concerns grow among customers, the online advertising world is changing. In this new era, companies need to adapt and find new ways to connect with their audiences while respecting their privacy. Here’s how companies can use SSI to their advantage.

The Future of Online Identity

On May 11th 2023, MultiMinds organised its second exclusive event to discuss the future opportunities and challenges of data. We were inspired by 3 expert presentations and had vivid discussions with a diverse group of 30 experts from marketing, BI, IT, privacy, etc. Of course, this inspiration and positive vibe was also enabled by a wonderful dinner at the beautiful vineyard of Valke Vleug.

Will the Digital Markets Act (DMA) change the online industry forever?

“Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” a wise person once said. It’s not surprising, then, that major digital platforms have been violating users’ privacy and engaging in anti-competitive practices. But EU regulators remain vigilant. Recently, two pieces of legislation came into effect that could change the online industry forever: the digital markets act (DMA) and digital services act (DSA).

Eureka! with Daniel Heer (Zeotap)

The European CDP market is booming like never before. More and more companies are looking for ways to unify their data, personalise their services, and optimise their business results. Almost 10 years after founding his second venture, we sat down with Zeotap CEO Daniel Heer to discuss his vision on data and privacy, the complex role of authorities in data protection, and the sense and nonsense of Customer Data Platforms.

Welcome to our new data solutions architect

We have welcomed Jens Scheerlinck onboard as our new Data Solutions Architect. His primary objective is to provide customers with data solutions that are both innovative and reliable, as well as scalable enough to meet their business requirements.

Automated migration by Google

As you probably all know, in July 2023, all standard Universal Analytics (UA) properties will stop processing data (July 1st, 2024, for 360 Universal Analytics properties). Migrating to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) or another analytics tool is crucial for the continuity and performance of your analytics setup.

However, migrating to GA4 can be a real hassle and might be a lot more work than just copying your UA-configuration. Getting to know the tool and its functionalities, dealing with its flaws and differences, and most important, rethinking the way you perform your analytics: it’s all part of a well-executed migration. Google offers you the opportunity to automatically create GA4-properties with basic features. We recommend doing a manual migration. Here's why.

The top 5 trends in data and analytics for 2023

Looking to stay ahead of the curve in data and analytics for 2023? We cover everything from the phasing out of third-party cookies to the rise of SSI, the quest for return, composable technology and the endless search for the unicorn. The world of data is evolving rapidly. Join us as we explore the top 5 trends in data and analytics for 2023.

Eureka! with Jascha Kaykas-Wolff (Lytics)

Yahoo!, Microsoft, Webtrends, Involver, BitTorrent, Mozilla, Lytics.This isn’t a random list of some of the most influential companies of the digital age. It’s the resume of Lytics president Jascha Kaykas-Wolff. But this list doesn’t nearly do him justice. He was also at the forefront of innovations like e-commerce, product suites, agile marketing, and customer data platforms.

Beyond the Buzz: reverse ETL

We’ve raved about the benefits and capabilities of customer data platforms (CDPs) many times before. But lately, there’s a lot of buzz around a new type of data activation: reverse ETL.Reverse ETL as an alternative to a CDP is all the talk right now. Of course, we couldn’t let the opportunity slip to weigh in on the debates in your favourite content series. Should you consider changing your data set-up? Let’s find out in a new Beyond the buzz.

Growing analytics community at MeasureCamp Brussels

On the 3rd of December MultiMinds attended the 4th MeasureCamp Brussels event. For those who don’t know MeasureCamp yet, it is THE most popular analytics unconference in the world. There are not a lot of analytics events happening in Belgium during the year, but at least theMeasureCamp is a steady factor. And this 4th edition in Brussels was probably one of the best so far.

The online identity revolution of Web3

Question: how much do you own online? Unless you have some cryptocurrency stored in a wallet, the answer is nothing. Web3 promises to change that. But where is it realistically headed beyond Musk-endorsed shitcoins and NFT monkeys? Blockchain innovations are truly taking off, so it's time to look at how Web3 will completely revolutionise our online identity.

The end of third-party cookies is here. Should you consider server-side tracking as an alternative?

As we are approaching the irreversible end of third-party cookies, marketers should consider the alternatives to third-party based advertising. Faithful followers know we are big fans of server-side tracking. We developed a tool to help you decide if server-side tracking is a valid alternative for your company. Is your company ready to track server-side? Take the test.

How are your customers really feeling? Sentiment analysis dissects the emotions behind written messages

Venture far enough into the rabbit hole that is Twitter, and you’ll find a cesspit of cynical comments, trolls and gloomy outlooks. But of course, not every utterance wears the emotions of the author on its sleeve. Ever wondered what people really feel when writing about your company? Are they just being polite while secretly frustrated? Sentiment analysis is an AI use case that quantifies the emotion behind a written message and that will help you discover the true emotions of your customers.

Mainstream browsers will soon block IDs in the URL to increase privacy

In the past, we’ve discussed at length how third party data is slowly but surely disappearing. And it looks like we’re taking another step in the right direction. Browsers like Firefox are following in Brave’s footsteps in blocking third parties even further. How? With something called ‘query parameter mitigation’. Here’s what you need to know.

MultiMinds Goes UK - a chat with Iain Murphy

Let’s give a warm welcome to the newest member of the MultiMinds family: meet Iain Murphy, the Managing Director of our brand new UK branch. Whoa there! Wait a minute … did you just say that MultiMinds has an international office? That’s right! We’re finally expanding – and taking another huge and exciting step in our growth plan for the next 5 years. Along with Siegert and Philippe, Iain discusses the motivation behind this first stage in our expansion, how both offices will work together, and where we are headed.

Decentralization and privacy: how digital analytics has changed, according to Adam Greco (Amplitude)

Before he became a product evangelist at Amplitude, Adam Greco had already dedicated well over 20 years of his life to digital analytics. Today, he still spends most of his time keeping a finger on the pulse of this ever-changing industry. His main conclusions? “When you look at the field as a whole, two major trends emerge. The first is a move towards increasing levels of data decentralization and democratization. The second is the growing awareness about the importance of privacy in a way that is quickly becoming undeniable.”

Jim Stolze and Nicolas Lierman in conversation: Algorithm companies and digital monopolies

In this 5-part series, two innovation heavyweights go head-to-head to discuss the current and future state of affairs. AI entrepreneur and author Jim Stolze and MultiMinds’ Head of Innovation Nicolas Lierman have an in-depth conversation on innovation and technology. Part 5: how dangerous are algorithm companies and digital monopolies?

Remember when Facebook went down for six hours in October 2021? From one moment to the next, Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram all seemed to have disappeared from the Internet, while people were scrambling for other ways to get in touch. It made everyone painfully aware of how much they rely on the services of just a handful of companies. But just how dangerous are these monopolies?

Eureka! with Adam Greco (Amplitude)

With over 20 years of experience, Adam Greco is one of the leading voices in the digital analytics industry. He has advised hundreds of organizations and authored over 300 blogs – and an actual book – on digital analytics. Recently, Adam surprised friend and foe by joining Amplitude, the leading platform for digital product analytics. For us it was the perfect opportunity to pick his brain on the state of the data analytics industry – web, product, or otherwise – and his extensive experience in the field.

The Future Equation of Data: domain experts weigh in

What does the future of data look like? On the 10^th of May three domain experts gathered for our dinner event ‘Protect + personalize = profit. The future equation of data’. We carefully selected the panel to represent the government, the vendor side and advertising. Curious? Here are the best quotes and insights. Dig in!

Only 15% of requests for personal data are answered in compliance with GDPR

Here at MultiMinds, we’re passionate about improving the CX, and respecting your customers’ privacy is an important aspect of the customer experience. But how well do companies actually comply to the privacy law? Four years after the introduction of GDPR, we’ve decided to test whether Belgian companies can follow up on the right of access. And the results are quite astonishing.

Jim Stolze and Nicolas Lierman in conversation: How much is our personal data worth?

In this 5-part series, two innovation heavyweights go head-to-head to discuss the current and future state of affairs. AI entrepreneur and author Jim Stolze and MultiMinds’ Head of Innovation Nicolas Lierman have an in-depth conversation on innovation and technology. Part 4: how much is our data really worth?

The modern mantra ‘if you don’t pay for the product, you are the product’ rings truer than ever. Companies like Facebook and Google offer ‘free’ services that seem almost too good to be true. ‘Free’, because of course our personal data is the currency. Which begs the question: how much is our data really worth?

Beyond the Buzz: self-sovereign identity

The rise of cryptocurrency has introduced the concept of digital wallets. In addition to their main purpose – to store and secure online money – wouldn’t it make sense to also store our digital identity in an online wallet, just as we do in real life? Well, that’s exactly how self-sovereign identity works. Meet SSI, the future of online identity.

Product analytics: what is it, and why should you care?

Move over, web analytics. There’s a new kid on the block. It’s called product analytics and it will revolutionize how you evaluate and improve your digital products, from websites to mobile apps, and anything in between. It’s a new way of analyzing customer behaviour on digital platforms, which is far more in-depth than its precursor, web analytics. Here’s how product analytics works, and why you should care.

Jim Stolze and Nicolas Lierman in conversation: The problem of biased algorithms

In this 5-part series, two innovation heavyweights go head-to-head to discuss the current and future state of affairs. AI entrepreneur and author Jim Stolze and MultiMinds’ Head of Innovation Nicolas Lierman have an in-depth conversation on innovation and technology. Part 3: are algorithms biased? And how can we resolve that?

Many philosophers rejoice in the rise of AI. Finally, they have something useful to think about. Ethical dilemmas concerning the development of AI technology, for example. And no wonder: AI poses massive ethical questions. So companies are turning to ethicists to deliberate on the development of this technology. AI entrepreneur Jim Stolze and Nicolas Lierman discuss one of the most pressing ethical issues in AI today: biased algorithms.

Beyond the Buzz: smart contracts

Smartphones, smartwatches, smart ovens, they even have smart umbrellas these days – it can’t get much crazier, right? Well, now it seems that our contracts are also becoming smart. Imagine a world without empty promises or breaches of contract. Thanks to smart contracts, it’s not only possible, but also a lot more realistic than you might assume. Don’t believe us? Let’s dive deeper into the world of smart contracts.

TechTrip US: entrepreneurship, innovation and privacy

Europe is home to some of the most advanced tech research centers in the world. So why is the US tech sector so much stronger? Philippe and Siegert share their insights from the latest Voka TechTrip. What are the main differences between doing business in the US or the EU? Are American tech companies really worried about European privacy regulations? And what makes the US such a fertile ground for innovative startups? To answer these and more questions, MultiMinds founders Siegert and Philippe recently went on a trip to Austin (Texas) and Silicon Valley, together with some 50 other Flemish entrepreneurs.

E-book: 10 rules for kick-ass customer experience

Creating a valuable customer experience is complex: at its core, it’s about the way your company, brand, products and services are perceived as a whole. It demands the right strategic decisions and perfect execution on all digital and offline touchpoints. No easy task. That’s why we’ve compiled 10 rules for kick-ass CX in a free and ungated e-book to help you get started.

Jim Stolze and Nicolas Lierman in conversation: The impact of social media on society

In this 5-part series, two innovation heavyweights go head-to-head to discuss the current and future state of affairs. AI entrepreneur and author Jim Stolze and MultiMinds’ Head of Innovation Nicolas Lierman have an in-depth conversation on innovation and technology. Part 2: what is the impact of social media on society?

It’s almost unimaginable that Facebook has yet to celebrate its 18^th birthday. But despite that short time, social media has made a vast and undeniable impact on society. But is social media really as problematic as whistleblower reports, lawsuits and documentaries would have us believe? And if it is, what can we do about it? Nicolas Lierman and Jim Stolze discuss the state of social media today, and where we’re headed in the coming years.

Eureka! with Siegert Dierickx & Philippe Vlaemminck

One is a marketeer at heart with a penchant for customer experience, the other combines his passion for IT with a dash of rock and roll. Together, Siegert and Philippe are at the helm of MultiMinds, a bustling data analytics hub in the heart of Aalst, run by some 20 data fanatics. Today, the dynamic duo looks back on 7 years of entrepreneurship in the ever-changing data landscape and sheds light on the future of MultiMinds.

Jim Stolze and Nicolas Lierman in conversation: Do we have true AI yet?

In this 5-part series, two innovation heavyweights go head-to-head to discuss the current and future state of affairs. AI entrepreneur and author Jim Stolze and MultiMinds’ Head of Innovation Nicolas Lierman have an in-depth conversation on innovation and technology. Part 1: Do we have true AI yet?

Artificial intelligence seems to dominate the discourse whenever the future of technology is discussed. But have we seen the full force of what AI can do? And will it truly revolutionize our world? Nicolas Lierman and Jim Stolze dissect what true AI means, and discuss if we are there yet.

Beyond the Buzz: Web3

The web today is not the same as it was 10 or 20 years ago. And if all the buzz around Web3 (or Web 3.0) as the ‘next phase’ of the internet is any indication, it won’t be the same tomorrow either. In fact, some people claim that the dawn of Web3 will have an impact that is comparable to that of the invention of the internet itself. But what is Web3 actually about? And what does it mean for you and your business? Let’s take a closer look.

Eureka! with Jim Stolze (author and entrepreneur)

He’s probably the closest thing we have to an AI guru in the Low Lands. But he’s not here to launch Skynet. Jim Stolze wants to educate the masses on how AI can help make the world a better place. We talked to Jim about AI, digitalization and the problem with tech companies today.

Beyond the Buzz: the metaverse

“Man, I wish I was Mark Zuckerberg!” said no one recently. After another spate of negative revelations about its platforms, Facebook’s parent company was renamed Meta. This change also revived the discussion around the metaverse, a virtual universe said to be the future of the Internet. But is the world really waiting for a new digital platform built by one of the most controversial tech barons of his time?

Marketing ETL: the futureproof method to connect marketing tools and centralize data

Marketing data has been booming, but there’s been very little reflection on how to organize that data efficiently. How many marketing tools is your organization using? Probably at least a few, from a CRM to email marketing software, automation tool or analytics. To connect all these tools, you either need to stick with one vendor, or use connectors. But we have a better solution: marketing ETL. With marketing ETL (extract-transform-load) you can centralize all your tools. Get the full scope in our latest Tricks of the Trade.

Surprising move by Google: Tag Manager can now be hosted on different servers

If you’re familiar with our first-party data philosophy, you probably know that we’re big proponents of server-side tracking. Without much fuss, Google has silently allowed their Tag Manager tool to be hosted on any server through a Docker container. What’s surprising is that Google usually doesn’t allow its applications to run outside of its own ecosphere. Does this move announce a new strategy from Google?

Beyond the Buzz: Google Analytics 4

The end is near! Of Google Universal Analytics, that is. At least, that’s what Google claims, one year after launching its latest web & app analytics solution GA4. So, should you say adieu to Universal Analytics once and for all? Before you hop onto the GA4 train, here’s what you need to know.

DIAL: MultiMinds innovation lab

As our customers will confirm, MultiMinds has always had a strong focus on innovation. Our solutions don’t just fix problems customers face today. We’re helping them think ahead and prepare for the future as well. But innovation never ends, which means we need to keep moving forward. That’s why we decided to create an innovation lab, whose sole purpose is to drive innovation. We call it DIAL: Data Innovation & Acceleration Lab.

Server-side tracking: what is it, and why should you consider implementing it?

In our brand new video series ‘Tricks of the Trade’, we take a deep dive into a technology or innovation we think you should be aware of. In the first installment, our digital analyst Lara Vandooren explains what server-side tracking is, and why you should care.

Beyond the Buzz: audience modeling

Lookalike audience modeling and evolutionary AI are revolutionizing old-school customer segmentation. Here’s what you should know.

Eureka! with Jeroen Lemaire (In The Pocket)

Have you checked the news lately? Made a shopping list? Spent money? If you did any of these using your smartphone, you’ve likely been touched by the wonderful world of In The Pocket. At the helm of the studio is Jeroen Lemaire.

Know thy customer

While technology keeps advancing, complexity increases as well – and so do concerns about online privacy. At least part of the solution is the customer data platform (CDP), which is useful in SMEs as well as complex, international organisations.

Beyond the Buzz: recommendation engines

The internet has a response just for you. We’ve got recommendation engines to thank for that, for better or worse. This specific application of data science can greatly improve your customer experience. Unfortunately, the technology can also amplify unhinged conspiracy.

Eureka! with Mieke De Ketelaere

“Suddenly, it became clear to me that customer data held a wealth of insights that could turn the marketing department from a cost into a profit center, simply through the application of data science.”

A short introduction to lookalike modeling

The search for new potential customers can be long and exhausting. Where do you start looking and how do you reach new prospects? And how can you target them in a cost-effective way while maximizing your conversion rate? Imagine just collecting data on your most valuable customers and being able to reach a whole new audience that is very similar to those customers. Sounds impossible? With lookalike modeling it isn't!

DMP vs CDP

Today’s customers interact with your brand across numerous different touch points and leave a significant trace of valuable data in these channels. Modern companies collect this data and turn it into opportunities to attract new customers and create a seamless experience for them across all these touch points. In order to get the most out of their data potential, companies need the appropriate technologies. That’s why more and more organizations are investing in Data Management Platforms (DMPs) and Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) to help manage and monetize their customer data. When integrated with the complete MarTech stack, these technologies enable organizations to create a complete 360° view of their customers and target them with the right campaigns at the right time. But what exactly are DMPs and CDPs? What can they do and how do they differ? And more importantly: Which one do you need? Read all about it in this blogpost.

How to create actionable dashboards in 7 steps

Dashboarding has become more and more common as organizations look for methods to visualize their data in an effective way and gain useful insights. The power of dashboards lies in their ability to present complex information in a visual format through one single interface. They enable the stakeholders to get a clear view of the performance of their organization instead of drowning in the flood of data.

Adobe Analytics - Workspace Tips & Tricks

Hi there, fellow Adobe user. As you may know, Adobe Analytics offers a wide range of possibilities; there are numerous options in the workspace alone. But some of them are a bit hidden or harder to find, that's why I created this blog post.

How to create a report with automatic rolling date ranges in Adobe Analytics

This is an issue we encountered with one of our clients recently. Monthly dashboards were created in Adobe Analytics to compare some metrics to previous months (“month-over-month”).

Participation Metrics in Adobe Analytics

Adobe Analytics offers many interesting features, and in my opinion, the participation metric is definitely one of them. In this post I will talk about the benefits, why you should use them, and also teach you to enable them in your analysis workspace.

Google Analytics and Tag Manager with Ionic and Cordova apps

Recently we did a tracking implementation for a client with an online service that had both a standard website and a mobile iOS app. The app, however, was hybrid app based on the Cordova framework. It’s a technology that allows you to use standard web technologies to develop cross-platform mobile applications. And while this solution offers optimal flexibility and quick release cycles from a technological perspective, it also provides some headaches when it comes to analytics.

How to measure Ad Blocker with Google Tag Manager

Have you ever wondered how many people on your site have an Ad Blocker active? Would you like to know what effect this has on your visitors? If your answer is “Yes”, then this post is for you!

Getting started with Google Analytics Reporting API (V4) and Python

Ever wanted to do something with the Google Analytics Reporting API but didn’t really know how to begin? In this article I’ll introduce you on how to get started with Python and the Google Analytics Reporting API V4. You’ll learn how to create a report using the API and create an awesome looking graph (top cities / visit) like this: