Data privacy is a hot topic this month with the imminent arrival of GDPR, and a new study from ExpressVPN has revealed that almost three-quarters of consumers are worried about how brands use the information they collect.

Data and analytics is a key part of content marketing in 2018, as it allows the brands to serve the personalised videos, articles and ads that consumers crave. However, the study suggests that the recent focus on security has strengthened sentiment among audiences that brands need to have processes in place to ensure that personal data is handled correctly.

Just over a third said they didn’t trust tech companies to maintain their privacy when collecting data. Amazon leads the way in terms of consumer trust, ahead of Google, Apple and Microsoft. Unfortunately for Uber, they finished at the bottom of the pile on trust, while Snapchat and Twitter also didn’t fare well in the latest survey.

The recent Cambridge Analytica scandal and Facebook’s grilling over data use has resulted in lower public confidence, and a recent Pew Research study found that consumers believe they have lost control in terms of what data is collected and used in the digital sphere.

The ExpressVPN report noted that marketers can get consumers back on their side by being transparent about what data they are collecting and how exactly they are using it to inform content campaigns and target ads towards specific consumer groups. The arrival of GDPR will also force brands to be clearer about how they collect personal data, so the future looks brighter for consumers eager for more transparent usage of sensitive data.

In other branded-content news, a new report published by Digimind has found that Instagram has quickly become the king of social media in Asia, as more than half of brands are now on the platform. In addition, those brands that are using Instagram are driving significantly more engagement compared to their campaigns on Twitter and Facebook.

Three-quarters of consumers now look at content on social media platforms before they purchase a product or service, so brands can benefit by publishing engaging pieces that inform and educate their audiences. This content can also support meaningful and lasting relationships while nurturing loyalty and enhancing brand recall.

“As fashion trends are constantly evolving, brands must keep their ears to the ground to capitalise on latest fads, and understand motivations behind consumers’ buying behaviour,” Digimind APAC general manager, Stephen Dale said. “Social intelligence can help fast fashion brands create strong brand differentiation and brand preference simply by understanding what customers want and developing targeted product and marketing strategies to resonate with them.”

Brands in the fashion industry are well placed to maximise the potential of visually focused platforms, such as Instagram, as consumers enjoy sharing aesthetically appealing clothes, the study found. “Shareability” has been a buzzword in content marketing this year, and it can certainly amplify the power of messages. Therefore, brands should tap into consumers’ desires to express themselves by reposting trendy images and clips on social media.