What’s the difference between explicit and implicit data?

Explicit data is what someone tells you directly. Preferences selected in a form, survey responses, profile information they entered, topics they subscribed to. The person consciously shared it.

Implicit data is what you infer from behavior. Someone clicks on hiking gear three times and you infer they're interested in outdoor products. They browse pricing pages repeatedly and you infer they're evaluating a purchase. They open morning emails and you infer they're early risers.

Explicit data is reliable but limited. People don't always update their preferences, and they may not know what they want until they see it. What someone says they want and what they actually engage with can differ.

Implicit data is abundant but imperfect. Inferences can be wrong. Someone researching a gift isn't necessarily interested in that category for themselves. A single click doesn't establish a pattern.

The best approach combines both. Trust explicit preferences as the baseline but validate with implicit signals. If someone says they want product updates but only clicks on educational content, adjust accordingly. Listen to what they do, not just what they say.