The first-party data strategy that turns website visitors into revenue with Umbraco Engage

Website traffic alone doesn't grow a business. What matters is what happens next. Do users convert? Do they come back? Do they become leads or clients?

That's where first-party data makes the difference. It helps you understand your audience, personalise their journey and deliver content that converts. It gives your marketing team the insight and control to turn visitors into measurable value.

With Umbraco Engage, you can build and activate a first-party data strategy from within your CMS. No complex integrations. No external platforms. It's just a direct line between data and action.

Umbraco Engage gives you an instant advantage: 

• First-party tool: Umbraco Engage is a true first-party solution that delivers analytics directly within your CMS.
• Server-side tracking: All analytics are securely collected on your server, ensuring accuracy and control.
• Complete data ownership: Maintain full control over data storage and compliance, complying with privacy regulations without third-party reliance.

Here's how it works.

What first-party data is and why it matters

First-party data is information you collect directly from your users. It includes downloads, form submissions, on-site behaviour and portal activity.

Unlike third-party data, it's accurate, consented and fully under your control. You decide what to collect, where to store it and how to use it.

First-party data gives you a better way to:

• Segment your audience
• Personalise campaigns
• Measure results
• Stay compliant

When used well, first-party data becomes your most valuable marketing asset.

What GA4 doesn't give you?

Tools like GA4 help you track traffic, but they don't give you ownership of it. The data sits with Google. You lose control over retention, consent and activation.

With first-party data, you:

• Own the insight
• Manage the permissions
• Control how it connects to the rest of your stack

You're no longer dependent on third-party platforms. You can act on your data, in your systems, on your terms.

A first-party data strategy that delivers results

A successful first-party data strategy is simple and focused. It works because it connects directly to business outcomes. Here's the model we use with clients:

1. Set clear commercial goals

Start with what matters. Do you want more qualified leads? Better segmentation? Higher engagement with key content?

Umbraco Engage helps you align your website activity with your marketing goals. You can define what success looks like and start collecting the right signals.

2. Capture the right data at the right time

Not every interaction is valuable. Focus on the ones that signal intent. Interactions could be:

• Downloading a whitepaper
• Watching a product video
• Submitting a form
• Visiting key pages multiple times

With Umbraco Engage, you can gate content, trigger forms and track events inside the CMS. There are no external tools, and there is no added complexity.

3. Respect privacy and build trust

Good data starts with good consent. Users need to know what you're collecting and why. Consent builds trust and ensures compliance.

Engage lets you manage cookies, preferences and opt-ins without slowing down the experience. Visitors get clarity. You get clean, usable data.

4. Connect your systems and build user profiles

The value of first-party data increases when shared across your tools. Umbraco Engage integrates with CRM, analytics and marketing platforms to build complete profiles.

You can see:

• Who downloaded what
• What they clicked on next
• Where they dropped off
• How to follow up

360 Profiling gives your team a complete picture of each user journey.

5. Personalise the experience

Once you know who your audience is, you can tailor the journey accordingly. Serve relevant CTAs. Change content based on behaviour. Trigger follow-up messages that make sense.

With Umbraco Engage, all of this runs in your CMS. You don't need custom code or extra platforms. Marketers can test, launch and update personalisation in real-time.

6. Test, measure and refine

The final step is learning what works. Umbraco Engage includes built-in tools for A/B testing and content targeting.

You can run small experiments and improve performance over time. No delays. No handovers. It's just better conversion and better results.

Why Growcreate delivers your first-party data strategy better than anyone

We've worked with firms across finance, healthcare and public services. We understand what it takes to balance privacy, performance and platform control.

We don't sell tech for the sake of it. We help you:

• Build a first-party data strategy that connects to commercial goals
• Implement Umbraco Engage cleanly and securely
• Optimise content and journeys to improve performance

As an Umbraco Platinum Partner, we know how to maximise the platform's potential. As a long-term digital partner, we stay involved and focused on outcomes.

First-party data is a commercial asset

It gives you a clear view of your audience. It helps you deliver relevant experiences. It drives measurable growth.

With Umbraco Engage and Growcreate, you have the tools and the strategy to make it happen.

Let's talk