CDPs

A customer data platform (CDP) is a software system that ingests data from multiple sources to create a persistent, unified database of each customer. Unlike a traditional CRM, which focuses on stored records for known customers, a CDP integrates first-party data from websites, mobile apps, email campaigns, CRM, loyalty programs, offline interactions, and other systems to produce a single, comprehensive customer profile that can be used across marketing, analytics, and service tools. A CDP is designed to be accessible to other systems for activation and personalization.

Core capabilities include data collection and normalization, identity resolution to stitch together disparate identifiers (such as email addresses, device IDs, and loyalty numbers), and the creation of persistent customer profiles with attributes and event histories. It provides data governance controls, segmentation capabilities, and the ability to export or activate data to downstream systems, including advertising platforms, email service providers, and analytics tools.

Data in a CDP typically originates from first-party sources and may include web and app events, transactional data, CRM records, support interactions, and offline purchases. The platform emphasizes a durable identity graph and a consent-aware approach to data handling, with features for data quality, retention policies, and security.

Common use cases involve audience segmentation for personalized campaigns, cross-channel activation, customer journey orchestration, analytics, and measurement. CDPs are often contrasted with data management platforms (DMPs), which focus on anonymous, third-party data for advertising, and with traditional CRMs, which are not always designed for cross-channel identity resolution and activation.