How Marketing Technology Works®

Marketing Technology Transformation is Real.

Privacy Policy

Introduction

How Marketing Technology Works® (HMTW) is a free educational platform for marketing technology professionals, operated by Digital Mindshare LLC (“Digital Mindshare”), a marketing technology consultancy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect personal information you provide to us or that we automatically collect when you use our platform.

Our Commitment: We believe transparency builds better business relationships. This policy explains not only what we collect, but also how our consultancy business model affects data use and content curation.

Who We Are & What We Do

Data Controller & Operator:

Organization: Digital Mindshare
Operating Website: How Marketing Technology Works® (HMTW)
Business Type: Marketing Technology Consultancy
Primary Purpose: Educational content platform + consulting lead generation

What This Means for Privacy: We are not a neutral news publication. We are a consultancy that operates HMTW to educate the martech market and to identify potential consulting clients. This dual purpose is important to understand as you read this policy.

Information We Collect

A. Information You May Provide Directly

When You Subscribe to Content:

Email address
First and last name
Job title and company name
Industry or vertical
Marketing technology interests (CDP, MAP, DMP, etc.)
Communication preferences

When You Download Resources:

Information similar to subscription data
Specific resource or white paper downloaded
Date and time of download
Whether content was sponsored vs. curated

When You Fill Out Contact Forms:

Name, email, phone number
Company information
Project details or consulting inquiry
Preferred contact method

When You Participate in Webinars or Events:

Registration information (name, email, company, title)
Attendance and engagement data (attended, left early, interacted with chat)
Post-event survey responses

When You Submit User-Generated Content:

Comments, feedback, questions, or article submissions
Email address associated with submission
IP address and browser information

B. Types of Information Automatically Collected

Website & Browsing Data:

Technical information (IP address, device type, browser, operating system)
Usage information (pages visited, time on site, content interactions)
Location information (general geographic area based on IP address)
Cookies and similar tracking technologies

Content Engagement Data:

Types of content you view and interact with
Topics and categories that interest you
Downloads, clicks, and navigation patterns
Newsletter and email engagement metrics
Video and webinar engagement

Third-Party Tracking Technologies:

Analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics)
Advertising platforms (e.g., Google Ads, LinkedIn, Facebook)
Marketing automation tools (e.g., HubSpot)
Social media pixels and tags

C. Information from Third Parties

Newsletter Platforms:

When you subscribe through our third-party email provider (MailerLite or similar), that provider collects information on our behalf

Analytics & Advertising Platforms:

Google, LinkedIn, and other platforms provide us with audience insights and campaign performance data

Content Sources & Partners:

When you download content from third-party providers embedded on our site, those providers may collect data directly (see Third-Party Services section)

How We Use Your Information

Primary Uses (Supporting Educational Mission)

We use collected information to:

Deliver Content & Services
- Send newsletters and curated content recommendations
- Provide access to white papers and educational resources
- Administer webinars and virtual events
- Respond to your inquiries and support requests
Improve Platform Experience
- Understand which content topics resonate with our audience
- Personalize content recommendations based on your interests
- Test and optimize website functionality
- Identify technical issues and improve site performance
Measure Platform Health
- Track newsletter open rates, click rates, and engagement
- Analyze which content types (curated, original, sponsored) drive the most value
- Create aggregate reports showing popular topics and trends
- Benchmark our educational impact

Secondary Uses (Consulting Business Development)

We also use your information in support of Digital Mindshare’s consulting business:

Identify Consulting Opportunities
- Track which companies and professionals engage most with certain content
- Note which topics (data governance, composable martech, AI implementation) indicate consulting needs
- Monitor companies showing high interest in specific problem areas
- Qualify leads for consulting outreach
Sales & Business Development
- Contact you about Digital Mindshare consulting services
- Add you to targeted email campaigns about consulting offerings
- Invite you to events, webinars, and workshops where we present thought leadership
- Include your company in account-based marketing campaigns
Support Vendor Relationships
- Share your interest in specific martech platforms with consulting partners or clients
- Analyze how different customer segments engage with vendor content
- Provide vendors with aggregate insights about buyer interests (without identifying you)
Market Research
- Conduct analysis of martech buyer behavior and preferences
- Publish research and reports based on platform usage patterns
- Share anonymized insights with consulting clients

Important Clarifications About Our Business Model

We Are Not a Neutral Publisher. HMTW is operated by a martech consultancy with commercial interests. Our content curation, topic selection, and data collection are designed to both educate and generate consulting leads.

Competitor Content Is Intentional. We intentionally feature content from competitors because:

Comprehensive market coverage serves educational goals
Your engagement with competitor content helps us understand your needs
This data informs our consulting methodology and client recommendations

Content Selection Reflects Our Bias. Our editorial team selects content based on:

Educational value (genuinely useful to martech professionals)
Alignment with our consulting expertise and methodology
Potential indicators of consulting need or interest
Balance across martech categories and vendors

Your Data Serves Multiple Purposes. When you engage with HMTW, your data simultaneously serves:

Content improvement (educational mission)
Consulting lead generation (business development)
Content personalization (both purposes)
Vendor reporting (through our consulting relationships)

Information Sharing & Disclosure

With Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who perform functions on our behalf:

Email & Newsletter Services: For delivering newsletters and managing subscriptions
Web Analytics: For understanding site traffic and user behavior
Website Infrastructure: For hosting, content delivery, and site performance
Customer Relationship Management: For managing inquiries and consulting relationships
Advertising & Marketing: For retargeting and advertising campaign management
Payment Processing: For handling transactions (if applicable)
Customer Support: For providing assistance and support services

What They Can Access: Service providers can access only the information necessary to perform their specific function and are contractually obligated to keep it confidential.

With Sponsored Content Partners

When you engage with sponsored content (clearly labeled on HMTW):

Your name, email address, and company information may be shared with the content sponsor
The sponsor may contact you about their products or services
Your engagement data (download, view, click) is reported to the sponsor
The sponsor’s privacy policy governs their use of your information

Notice at Point of Collection: When you download sponsored content or register for a sponsored event, we clearly indicate that “Your information will be shared with [Sponsor Name].”

With Curated Content Sources

When you engage with curated content (articles from external sources linked from HMTW):

We do NOT automatically share your information with content creators or publishers
However, if you click through to the external source, THAT website’s privacy policy governs your data
Some content may be embedded (YouTube, etc.), which may result in data collection by those platforms

For Legal or Safety Reasons

We may disclose your information when:

Required by law or legal process (court orders, subpoenas)
To protect our rights, property, or safety
To investigate fraud, security threats, or violations of our Terms of Service
In connection with business transactions (mergers, acquisitions, asset sales)

Your Rights & How to Exercise Them

Right to Access Your Information

What It Means:

Request a copy of all personal information we hold about you
Understand what data we’ve collected and how it’s been used

How to Exercise:

Email privacy@digitalmindshare.net
Subject: “Data Access Request”
Include your full name and email address
We will respond within 30 days with a downloadable file

Right to Correct Your Information

What It Means:

Request correction of inaccurate information
Update outdated information about you

How to Exercise:

Email privacy@digitalmindshare.net
Specify what information is incorrect
We will correct it within 10 business days

Right to Delete Your Information

What It Means:

Request deletion of your personal information from our systems
Also known as “right to be forgotten”

How to Exercise:

Email privacy@digitalmindshare.net
Subject: “Data Deletion Request”
Specify what data should be deleted
Deletion processed within 30 days

Limitations:

Some information may be retained for legal compliance (tax records, legal disputes)
Anonymized data may be retained indefinitely
Information already shared with third parties requires separate deletion requests

Right to Opt Out of Specific Uses

Newsletter Communications:

Click “unsubscribe” in any email
Unsubscribe is immediate

Consulting Communications:

Email sales@digitalmindshare.net to opt out of consulting outreach
Or use the unsubscribe link in consulting emails

Advertising:

Opt out of Google Ads: google.com/settings/ads
Opt out of LinkedIn Ads: linkedin.com/account/privacy-settings
Opt out of Facebook Ads: facebook.com/settings/ads

Cookies:

Adjust browser settings to disable cookies
Note: Some site features may not work without cookies

Right to Data Portability (GDPR/CCPA)

What It Means:

Request your data in a machine-readable format
Transfer your data to another service

How to Exercise:

Email privacy@digitalmindshare.net
Subject: “Data Portability Request”
We will provide data in CSV or JSON format within 30 days

Right to Know About Data Sales (CCPA)

Our Position: We do NOT sell your personal information as defined by CCPA.

What We Do Share:

Sponsored content engagement data (with explicit notice)
Service provider access (contractually protected)
Aggregate, anonymized insights (cannot identify you)

Right to Non-Discrimination

You have the right to exercise any privacy rights without:

Being denied services
Receiving different pricing
Being treated differently
Losing access to HMTW content

Data Retention & Storage

How Long We Keep Your Data

Active Use:

Retained while you use HMTW services
Used for newsletter delivery and platform functionality

After You Stop Using HMTW:

Email addresses retained in suppression lists (to honor unsubscribe requests)
Some data retained in anonymized form
Some data retained as required by law

Where Your Data Is Stored

Your data may be stored and processed in the United States and other countries where our service providers operate.

If you’re outside the US, your data may be transferred internationally. By using HMTW, you consent to these transfers.

Security

We use commercially reasonable security measures to protect your information. However, no internet transmission or storage system is completely secure. You use HMTW at your own risk.

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate HMTW and understand how people use it.

Types of Cookies:

Essential: Required for site functionality and security
Analytics: Help us understand site usage and improve performance
Advertising: Used for retargeting and ad personalization

Third-Party Tracking:

Third-party services (analytics platforms, advertising networks, social media) may place cookies on your device when you use HMTW. These third parties have their own privacy policies.

Your Choices:

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though some site features may not work properly. You can opt out of interest-based advertising through:

Your browser settings
Industry opt-out tools (NAI, DAA)
Individual platform privacy settings

Children’s Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

HMTW is not intended for children under 13 and does not knowingly collect information from children.

We do not target marketing to children
We do not intentionally collect data from children
If we learn we’ve collected data from a child under 13, we will delete it promptly

If you are under 18: Please ask a parent or guardian before sharing information with us.

Marketing Communications & Preferences

Newsletter Communications

What You’ll Receive:

Curated martech content summaries and links
Original analysis from Digital Mindshare
Sponsored content (clearly labeled)
Paid sponsorship advertising (clearly labeled)
Information about HMTW updates and new features

Frequency:

One newsletter (frequency to be determined)

Unsubscribe:

Every email has an unsubscribe link at the bottom
Unsubscribe requests are processed immediately

Consulting Communications

What You May Receive:

Invitations to webinars or events where we present
Notices about relevant consulting services
Personalized recommendations based on your content engagement
Research and case studies

These Communications:

Are sent to contacts who appear to have consulting interest
Can be declined by contacting sales@digitalmindshare.net
Include an unsubscribe option

Note: Unsubscribing from newsletters does NOT unsubscribe you from consulting communications if you’ve engaged with Digital Mindshare consulting services.

Policy Updates & Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Effective Date” at the top shows when it was last updated.

For significant changes, we’ll notify active subscribers by email or through a prominent notice on the website.

Continued use of HMTW after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you don’t agree with changes, you can stop using HMTW and request deletion of your data.

Contact Information

Privacy Questions & Requests

Primary Contact:

Email: privacy@digitalmindshare.net
Response time: 10 business days (expedited for data deletion)

Physical Mailing Address:

Digital Mindshare LLC
PO Box 141
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776
USA

Types of Requests We Handle:

Data access requests
Data deletion requests
Information correction requests
Privacy complaints
Opt-out requests

For General Questions

General Inquiries:

Email: info@digitalmindshare.net
Response time: 2-3 business days

For Regulatory Inquiries

Government Agencies:

FTC complaints: report.ftc.gov
California Attorney General: oag.ca.gov/contact
State privacy authorities: Use “[state] attorney general privacy” to find contact

Special Disclosures

Our Dual Role as Publisher & Consultancy

This is important: Digital Mindshare is not a neutral publisher. We are a marketing technology consultancy that operates HMTW. This means:

Your engagement with our content serves both educational AND business development goals
Our content curation reflects our consulting methodology and interests
Your data is used to identify consulting opportunities
We have intentional relationships with some vendors and competitive relationships with others

Why We Disclose This: We believe transparency about our business model is essential for trust. Rather than hiding our consulting nature, we’re explicit about it so you can make informed decisions about whether and how to engage with HMTW.

Data Use & Consulting Relationships

When you engage with HMTW content, that engagement data:

Helps Us Improve HMTW (Editorial benefit)
Informs Our Consulting Practice (Business development benefit)
May Be Referenced in Client Recommendations (Anonymized)
May Trigger Consulting Outreach (To you directly)

Example: If you download 5 white papers about composable martech, we may:

Recommend composable architecture in consulting situations
Reach out about Digital Mindshare consulting services in composable martech
Include you in targeted campaigns about modular martech solutions

Transparency as Competitive Advantage

We believe our transparency about this dual role actually builds better relationships than hidden interests would. By being explicit, you can:

Make informed decisions about engagement
Understand the context of communications
Evaluate our consulting recommendations with awareness of our interests
Decide whether our approach aligns with your values

Acknowledgment

By using How Marketing Technology Works, you acknowledge that you:

Have read and understood this Privacy Policy
Consent to the collection and use of your information as described
Understand Digital Mindshare’s dual role as publisher and consultancy
Accept our data sharing practices with third parties
Have the right to access, correct, or delete your information at any time

Questions? Contact privacy@digitalmindshare.net anytime.

Last Updated: December 7, 2025