How Marketers Can Tackle CCPA Compliance with Less Stress

As a marketer, your days are likely packed. And let’s be honest, some days are more packed than others. Picture this: On one of those especially full days, you get a request from a consumer saying, “Stop marketing to me and, by the way, delete every last piece of personal data you’ve ever collected about me.” Every last piece. That could be a lot of data.But how much time will that take? And more importantly, are you meeting CCPA compliance?

What is CCPA?

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) was designed to protect consumer data, requiring companies to be fully transparent about how they collect, share, and use consumer information. You can dive deeper using our CCPA Compliance Checklist here, but targeting key areas can help make compliance easier and faster, especially on those days when adding one more thing to your to-do list feels like overload.

CCPA vs. GDPR: What’s the difference?

Both are privacy laws designed to safeguard consumer data, but they target different groups. GDPR applies to businesses collecting data from EU citizens, focusing on consent and data protection. CCPA, on the other hand, applies to California residents, emphasizing consumer rights like accessing and deleting personal data. Both regulations require companies to maintain transparency and uphold accountability when handling consumer information.

Key CCPA Requirements

A. Access, Deletion, and Opt-Out Requests

A customer might contact you wanting a detailed list of everything you’ve ever collected about them. Next, they might ask if you’re sharing or selling their data with third parties. Oh, and they’d also like you to delete it.

Fun, right?

Under the CCPA requirements, consumers have the right to make these requests, and managing them can be time-consuming. That’s why it’s helpful if your technologies and tools make compliance easier. For example, the right marketing automation tool can help you track, manage, and fulfill these requests without the chaos. Reporting features, like audit trails, also give you a way to prove your CCPA compliance.

B. Understanding Disclosure Requirements 

Generating leads is a big part of a marketer’s job, and of course, that includes collecting data. After all, how can you send that brand-new white paper or a link to join a webinar without gathering at least a little information? But CCPA compliance means visitors need to know exactly what you’re collecting, why you need it, and how you’re going to use it.

As a result, you need to keep your privacy policy updated and make sure those updates are included everywhere it appears. Tools can help make this easier and support CCPA compliance.

For example, marketing automation software can allow for customizable consent capture forms and help consumers understand how you collect and use their data. It also makes it easier to segment and track consumer preferences and consent so you can properly honor opt-in or opt-out requests. Tracking and analysis tools show what’s being collected, how it’s used, and where it’s shared, helping you keep your privacy policy up to date.

C. Cookie-Related Requirements 

As a marketer, you know the drill. The key to higher open rates is talking about what your customers care about most, and that requires personalization. But to deliver it, you need data. And that’s where things can get tricky, because collecting that data must be done compliantly.

Take cookies, for example. Under CCPA requirements, you need to notify users about your cookie practices, get explicit consent to collect their data, and provide an easy way for them to opt out. 

Compliance becomes much easier if you let technology handle some of the work for you. With automation, you can easily offer a clear cookie consent option on your website, in emails, and on landing pages, making it easy for users to manage their preferences. 

Where to Start with CCPA Compliance in 2025? 

There’s a lot to know about CCPA compliance requirements, and unfortunately, it’s not a “set it and forget it” task. If you’re just getting started, a great way to begin is by diving deeper into the regulations (we created a CCPA Compliance Checklist). Then, consider the following:

1. Audit your data. Perform a quick data audit to determine what information you’re collecting about consumers and how it’s being used.
2. Review your privacy policies. When was the last time you updated them? Confirm that your policies are clear and concise and align with current CCPA requirements.
3. Get your team up to speed. Make sure your marketing team understands the regulation and knows how to handle data requests properly.
4. Make your tools work for you. If you use technologies like marketing automation, check that your solution supports CCPA compliance requirements. (Fun fact: Act-On’s marketing automation platform is built with CCPA compliance in mind, and it’s also fully HIPAA compliant).

While working through these steps, you might also want to revisit your General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance if you collect data from EU consumers. There’s significant overlap between CCPA vs. GDPR, so compliance with one will help bring you closer to compliance with the other.