Have you ever wondered what will happen when cookies disappear?
To understand that, let us see how cookies help marketers and the consumers.
Cookies track users as they browse through the web, gather information about their behaviour and clicks, and this helps in categorisation of the audience. Advertisers can then use the browsing history and audience segmentation information to better serve the needs of the consumers.
Cookies have been considered controversial but the fact is, it has helped marketers identify and reach the consumers online without spending massive amounts of money. General public considers cookies as invasive and creepy. This is because let's say you're talking to your friend about something, suddenly the ad for that thing pops up on your phone! Isn't that CREEPY?
But as concerns about privacy have grown, tech companies and advertisers have come under fire. So much so, they’re actually starting to do something about it.
Apple is ahead of all. With the iOS 13.4 update, safari was updated with Improve Tracking Prevention to include full third-party cookie blocking and other privacy features.
ITP blocked cookies before, but left enough information for trackers to begin tracking users based on what was being blocked. With the newest update, even this type of tracking and fingerprinting is blocked. Google Chrome is expected to have full third-party cookie blocking by 2022.
ANYONE WHO NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND AND TRACK AUDIENCES ACROSS THE WEB, MEASURE ATTRIBUTION, BUILD MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, AND UNDERSTAND DIGITAL MEDIA ADVERTISING ARCHITECTURE WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE DEATH OF COOKIES.
But what does the death of cookies really mean? Does their demise present a window of opportunity for the publishing industry — and for deeper publisher-client relationships?
THE SHIFT AWAY FROM THIRD-PARTY COOKIES CAN BE MORE OPPORTUNITY THAN THREAT.
For now, the death of cookies means the disappearance of many third-party data companies who rely on aggregated data to identify and target users.
But instead of partnering with those third-party data companies, advertisers can partner with web properties that have scale and data on their own audiences, and use that audience data to create segments based on more powerful signals than demographics — actual behaviors.
WHAT TO DO NEXT?
Don't panic. At this point, marketers, advertisers, and data engineers alike are actively looking for solutions to determine what will happen next. And, because the third-party cookie was already weakened by Safari and Firefox ad blocking, it likely wasn't the strongest advertising tool anymore anyway.
Right now, the best thing to do as a marketer is to continue to stay up-to-date with news related to third-party cookies and other data privacy moves that could impact your business.
If your advertising strategies rely on third-party data, start considering alternatives now.
As you continue to follow the news related to the phase-out, you should also vet any software or solutions that can help you better transition away from this type of cookie.
For example, although marketers are wary of Google's move, the tech giant's Privacy Sandbox could still serve as a valuable alternative for ad targeting. You could also consider strategies or software that can better help you leverage first-party data.
Additionally, you could also revitalize older strategies, like contextual advertising. While third-party data allowed you to place ads directly in front of people who matched certain user profiles, contextual advertising allows you to circulate PPC ads on websites that rank for similar keywords as your ad. This way, if you're selling sports apparel, your PPC ad could show up on sports-oriented websites.
Lastly, to make your brand as safe as possible from future governance or monopoly-related policies, brainstorm even more basic strategies that you can still use to reach your audiences even without cookies, hyper-targeted ads, or mass amounts of data. This will allow you to be less vulnerable to technology, even when you can benefit from the latest tracking software.
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