Even if your business doesn’t attract a lot of European Union customers, you’ve likely heard a lot about GDPR by now. The General Data Protection Regulation refers to legal guidelines that govern how companies can and cannot use data gathered directly from customers and other sources, including Facebook Lead Ads. Meant to protect European Union citizens, it goes into effect this Friday, May 25, and can have major repercussions for businesses who have any interaction with EU citizens. Bottom line? It’s best to be compliant, even if the majority of your customers are in the United States.
GDPR is not limited to known customers; in fact, some may say its application is more for prospects and leads. The central idea is to protect privacy and limit fraudulent or improper use of personal information, including email addresses. And while much of the regulation relates to the technology and systems used to store data, the use of data is included as well.
In order to utilize data obtained from customers or leads, one must either show that they have consented, or that the use is necessary. As necessity can be harder to prove, consent becomes the default for many data processors to rely on.
So, what does this mean for Facebook Lead Ads? You’ll want to think about who you’re targeting on Facebook, and how you’re going to use those email addresses once you collect them. You’ll also need to take a look at your privacy policy. Facebook has always required that you link to one when running Facebook Lead Ads, but you’ll want to ensure it’s up-to-date and GDPR-compliant.
Finally, you may want to add an extra disclaimer and consent feature to your Facebook Lead Ads. While your Privacy Policy may be sufficient for compliance, to be doubly sure you can include customized opt-in language above the standard Facebook policy message. You can also add an explicit checkbox to safeguard against any doubt.
These additional options may lower your completion rate with Facebook Lead Ads, but if used correctly, they’ll ensure you’re compliant. And they take only a few minutes to implement. (Just make sure your Privacy Policy and disclaimer language is fully vetted and approved by your legal counsel!) Noticed a drop in lead capture? Adjust your Facebook Lead Ads targeting, and consider expanding to other sites through opt-in advertising outside of Facebook.