Customer Data Platform (CDP) is software that collects customer data from multiple sources, unifies it into single customer profiles, and makes it available to other marketing systems. It creates a "single source of truth" for customer information.
What a CDP Does
A CDP performs several key functions:
- Data collection: Ingests data from website, email, POS, ads, etc.
- Identity resolution: Matches data to individual customers across touchpoints
- Profile unification: Creates single, comprehensive customer profiles
- Activation: Makes data available to marketing and analytics tools
CDP vs Other Tools
CDPs are often confused with similar tools:
- CDP vs CRM: CRMs focus on sales interactions; CDPs unify all customer data
- CDP vs DMP: DMPs use anonymous, third-party data; CDPs use identified, first-party data
- CDP vs Data Warehouse: CDPs are marketer-friendly; warehouses require technical skills
Popular CDPs for E-commerce
Common CDP solutions used by e-commerce brands:
- Segment: Developer-friendly, strong integrations
- Klaviyo: Built-in CDP features for e-commerce
- mParticle: Enterprise-grade data infrastructure
- Rudderstack: Open-source alternative to Segment
How Quiz Data Fits Into Your CDP
Quiz funnels are a powerful source of zero-party data for your CDP:
- Rich profiles: Quiz answers add 5-10 data points per customer
- Intent signals: Quiz topics reveal purchase intent and interests
- Preference data: Explicit preferences vs inferred behaviors
- Immediate activation: Data flows to email, ads, and personalization
Benefits of CDP + Quiz Integration
Combining quiz data with your CDP enables:
- 360° customer view: Quiz preferences + purchase history + behavior
- Cross-channel personalization: Use quiz data everywhere
- Better attribution: Track quiz-to-purchase journey
- Predictive modeling: Quiz data improves predictions