merktracking

Merktracking is a term used in digital analytics to describe methods for collecting and linking consumer interaction data across websites, mobile apps, and offline channels using pseudonymous identifiers. The aim is to build coherent views of user journeys while reducing reliance on directly identifiable personal data.

In practice, merktracking relies on tokens or 'merks' generated by hashing or encrypting non-identifying attributes combined with consented data. Identity resolution across devices may be performed deterministically when possible or probabilistically otherwise, usually within privacy-preserving frameworks such as data clean rooms or secure multiparty computation.

Common applications include cross-channel attribution, funnel analysis, and experimentation analytics, enabling marketers to assess performance and personalize experiences without exposing raw personal information.

Privacy and compliance considerations are central. Implementations must align with data protection laws, ensure explicit consent where required, minimize data collection, implement data retention policies, and provide transparency about data use. Technical safeguards include tokenization, access controls, and auditing.

Challenges include incomplete data coverage, attribution inaccuracies, and the risk of re-identification if identifiers are poorly managed. The term is not universally standardized and practices vary by organization and regulatory context.

See also: cross-device tracking, identity resolution, data minimization, consent management, data privacy.