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How accurate third-party data leads the way for advertisers

Updated: February 19, 2026 by Experian Marketing Services 4 min read January 5, 2024

At A Glance

Truthset’s latest analysis reaffirms Experian as the leader in third-party data accuracy. Advertisers and partners can rely on Experian’s validated, AI-powered solutions to reduce waste, improve personalization, and drive measurable marketing outcomes grounded in accuracy.

Experian continues to lead in data accuracy according to Truthset’s latest analysis

Advertisers, technology partners, and agencies are all chasing accurate data to power their marketing strategies. But not all data is created equal. Truthset’s latest findings confirm Experian’s leadership in third-party data accuracy, giving brands and agencies confidence in every decision they make.

Accurate data is the foundation for predictive insight, real-time intelligence, and AI-powered personalization. Experian’s AI-driven solutions help marketers move from data to action, delivering more relevant messages with less waste.

Truthset’s independent study found that up to 51% of ad targeting data is inaccurate, with accuracy rates ranging between 32% and 69% across providers. This reinforces the importance of validated, trusted data from partners like Experian.

The data quality challenge

Inaccurate data can lead to:

Wasted ad spend

Without accurate data at the start, marketers can’t reach the right audiences, resulting in wasted impressions.

Privacy and compliance risks

In an increasingly privacy-centric world, advertisers need to be especially mindful of accurate targeting to avoid putting their brand reputation at risk.

Poor campaign performance

Low-quality data skews metrics and attribution models, making it difficult to measure campaign success and optimize spend.

Low-quality data can come in different forms, like inconsistent or outdated information – think demographics (age, gender) and interests (dog versus cat lover), or simply the wrong relationship can be made between data sets. Data records can be incomplete or duplicative, and data segments could be misclassified or inaccurate. For example, a kids’ snack food company may think they’re targeting a 35-year-old man, who lives in the suburbs with his young family, when in fact it’s a 65-year-old woman who moved to the city after her kids went to college. That’s wasted investment.

As data ecosystems grow more complex, that’s where Experian’s AI-powered simplicity comes in. We can clean, enrich, and infer missing signals, helping you act on incomplete or imperfect data with greater confidence.

Building a solid data foundation

Accurate data is essential for personalization and trust. According to eMarketer, more than 75% of internet users worldwide are willing to share their email address, brand interest, and name in exchange for personalized experiences. Without accurate data, marketers won’t be able to provide the level of personalization that consumers desire.

But personalization at scale requires more than just data, it needs intelligence. Experian’s AI-powered capabilities, including predictive models, transform clean, validated data into meaningful engagement strategies that balance performance with privacy. Independent validation from Truthset ensures that Experian’s data remains among the most accurate in the ecosystem.

“As cookies and mobile ad identifiers continue to phase out, consented, durable identifiers (hashed email, postal addresses) are going to serve as the foundation for identity solutions of the future. And the only way to ensure you are transacting on the highest quality identity and demography data is to actively validate the data you rely on with a third party.”

TruthsetChip Russo, President

Experian’s commitment to data accuracy

Since joining the Truthset Data Collective in 2023, Experian continues to be the industry leader in data accuracy. Truthset’s latest Q2 2025 analysis reaffirms our leadership in data accuracy:

  • Experian is the #1 data provider of largest volume of high-accuracy hashed emails (HEMs)
  • Experian ranks #1 in accuracy for eight marketing data attributes, including but not limited to Age, Geography, Presence of Children, and Education
  • Experian ranks #1 or #2 for 22 of the 24 attributes, and #3 for the two others (out of 12 companies being analyzed)
  • Experian consistently has the largest number of HEMs that are 90% or more likely to be accurate

“As a member of the Truthset Data Collective, Experian received top ranks across a variety of categories for its data. The entire digital advertising world runs on data, but focusing on data accuracy is going to drive the next phase of innovation for the industry, enhancing ROI for advertisers, CPMs for publishers, and relevant experiences for consumers.”

TruthsetChip Russo, President


As Truthset’s recent study highlights, the data matched between hashed emails and postal addresses is crucial, underpinning everything from targeted ads to TV audience measurement. Highly accurate HEMs linked to high-quality demographic data should be the foundation of any marketing plan. Advertisers are able to overcome the complexities of identity resolution by tying online and offline touchpoints together to deliver a consistent message across channels.

Real-time relevance, powered by ethical AI
Experian combines validated identity data with intelligent technology to deliver marketing that works for people and brands.

Companies are striving to eliminate marketing waste and provide consumers with personalized marketing and the advertising industry can have confidence that Experian’s marketing data has been externally validated as being highly accurate. The accuracy of our data will power better marketing initiatives, like insights, targeting, identity, and measurement.

Whether you’re optimizing for reach, relevance, or ROI, AI is changing how marketing works. Experian’s human-centered, privacy-first AI makes it easier to adapt, act faster, and connect with consumers in ways that are more meaningful.

Let’s start a conversation about how we can fully realize the potential of data-driven advertising together.

Contact us today

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FAQs

What is Truthset, and why does their validation matter?

Truthset is an independent data validation company that reviews and ranks data providers based on accuracy. Their ratings help advertisers understand which data sources they can trust. Experian ranks #1 in data accuracy according to Truthset.

How does Experian’s performance compare to others in Truthset’s study?

Experian ranks #1 for accuracy in multiple categories, including Age, Geography, and Presence of Children, and holds the largest number of hashed emails that are 90% or more likely to be accurate.

Why is data accuracy so important for marketers?

Accurate data is important for marketers because it leads to more efficient targeting, reduced ad waste, and better campaign performance. It also reduces compliance risk by helping advertisers engage responsibly. Experian’s data is ranked #1 in data accuracy according to Truthset.

How does Experian use AI responsibly?

Experian’s privacy-first, AI-driven models clean, enrich, and validate data while respecting consent and ethical standards.

How can advertisers get started with Experian’s data?

Connect with the Experian team to learn how our validated data and AI-powered solutions can strengthen your targeting, insights, and ROI.


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About Experian Marketing Services

At Experian Marketing Services, we use data and insights to help brands have more meaningful interactions with people. As leaders in the evolution of the advertising landscape, Experian Marketing Services can help you identify your customers and the right potential customers, uncover the most appropriate communication channels, develop messages that resonate, and measure the effectiveness of marketing activities and campaigns.

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