Whether you realize it or not, your business runs on data. Every sent email, customer interaction, invoice, social media post, sales report, and website traffic analysis — it’s all digital data. Managing your data the right way drives growth, streamlines operations, strengthens security, and keeps your business compliant with local laws.
This guide will help you understand the role of digital data in your company, how to use it effectively, and the best ways to keep it secure. We’ll cover:
- What is digital data?
- Why does digital data matter for your business?
- How to protect your digital data with Proton
What is digital data?
At its core, digital data is information stored in binary code that computers can understand. There are three main types your business interacts with:
- Structured data: Neatly organized and easy to analyze, like spreadsheets and databases. It could be a sales CRM database that tracks customer purchases, contact info, and interaction history, or a payroll spreadsheet that lists employee salaries, work hours, and tax information.
- Unstructured data: Messy but valuable, such as emails, customer reviews, or social media posts. Examples include customer service email threads that share common pain points, or support ticket descriptions that highlight recurring technical issues.
- Semi-structured data: A mix of both, like XML or JSON files, which have some organization but aren’t as rigid as databases. For example, JSON logs from e-commerce websites contain information about user browsing behavior, which is valuable for customer insights.
Why does digital data matter for your business?
Digital data is the backbone of modern businesses, driving everything from customer insights to operational efficiency. Here’s why it should concern your company:
Helps make data-driven decisions
Companies that use analytics in decision-making can spot trends quickly, make informed choices, and adapt strategically. According to an S&P Global survey(nieuw venster), 25% of businesses report that nearly all their decisions are data-driven, while 44% say most of their strategic choices rely on data. Ninety percent of organizations believe data will play a bigger role in their future operations.
Gives deeper customer insights
Every interaction with your business, whether through a website visit, product review, or customer support request, creates valuable data. Analyzing these digital footprints helps you personalize marketing, improve customer service, and predict demand more accurately.
According to research(nieuw venster), companies that take a structured approach driven by customer insights see significantly better results. For example, Spotify leverages(nieuw venster) user-generated data, such as playlist creations and listening habits, to inform its curated playlists and features.
Keeps you ahead of the competition
Data gives businesses a competitive edge. You can use analytics to improve your products, target customers more effectively, and adapt to industry changes. If your competitors are using data and you aren’t, you’re at a disadvantage.
And most businesses recognize this. In 2014, 74% of enterprises reported(nieuw venster) that their top competitors were already using Big Data analytics to gain a competitive edge, and 87% believed it would completely reshape their competitive landscape within the next three years. By 2023, 90% of businesses identified(nieuw venster) data and analytics as a top priority, yet only 37% had success in improving data quality.
Saves time and reduces costs
More than just for insights, data is a tool for automation and efficiency. Your business can use it to eliminate repetitive tasks, fine-tune supply chains, and reduce waste, ultimately lowering costs and improving productivity.
Research(nieuw venster) shows that companies using data-driven decision-making can reduce costs by 10% and improve efficiency by 12%. For example, manufacturers using predictive analytics can cut machine downtime by 20% and improve production efficiency by 15%.
Protects your business from risks
Failing to use digital data can turn a missed opportunity into a serious liability. Without a well-planned approach, businesses remain vulnerable to growing threats like cyberattacks and fraud. Statistics(nieuw venster) show that the average cost of a data breach in the United States in 2024 reached $9.36 million.
Another report(nieuw venster) shows that organizations using proactive data analytics for anti-fraud have 47% lower fraud losses than those that don’t. For example, Mastercard(nieuw venster) uses generative AI to improve fraud detection rates by 20% on average and up to 300% in some cases; it also reduces the number of false positives by over 85%.
Keeps data private and compliant
With stricter privacy laws and rising concerns about data misuse, businesses need to prioritize data privacy to avoid legal risks, financial penalties, and customer distrust. Regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and DPDPA (Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023)(nieuw venster) set strict rules for how companies collect, store, and process personal data.
For example, GDPR violations can lead to fines(nieuw venster) of up to €20 million or 4% of annual revenue, whichever is higher. A well-known case is Meta, which faced(nieuw venster) a €1.2 billion penalty for mishandling EU user data in 2023.
Beyond financial penalties, failing to protect confidential data can permanently damage a company’s reputation.
Protect your business data with Proton
Harnessing digital data effectively requires not just access to information, but also a secure and private way to manage it. Without strong protections, valuable data insights can turn into liabilities due to breaches, fraud, or compliance failures.
Proton provides a privacy-first ecosystem for managing all your business data with end-to-end encryption and Swiss-based protection, keeping it safe from ransomware and data leaks while ensuring compliance with global regulations. Unlike other service providers, we don’t scan your data. All our apps are open source and independently audited, so anyone can check the security of our codebase.
Here’s how our encrypted tools help keep your company’s data private and protected:
- With Proton Mail, you can safely communicate customer data, project reports, and analytics findings without exposing sensitive business information to third parties. With custom email domains, encrypted attachments, and a private writing assistant, your data stays protected.
- Proton Calendar helps to keep your data-driven strategies private, so you can plan with confidence, whether it’s meeting invites, strategy discussions, or business events. It integrates with Proton Mail.
- Using Proton Drive, you can securely store, back up, and share insights, such as market research, customer data, financial reports, and operational documents in encrypted cloud storage. Plus, you and your team can collaborate on documents without the risk of data mining or AI scraping
- With Proton Pass, you can protect and manage passwords across your organization, securely share logins, enforce two-factor authentication (2FA), and control how your team accesses data.
- Proton VPN encrypts your company’s internet traffic, protects remote teams, and securely transfers data across different networks. Plus, it prevents advertisers, cybercriminals, and other third parties from intercepting your business data. You can manage access control and use dedicated IP addresses(nieuw venster).
Get started with Proton for Business to protect all your digital data.
