The Road Ahead: Navigating the Cookieless Future
Gain insights into strategies and techniques for the cookieless future.
Your Guide To Help Your Business Navigate the New Digital Marketing Landscape
As the anticipated cookieless future becomes a reality, businesses and advertisers must develop new ways of collecting, managing, and utilizing data. The added emphasis on privacy and data protection is expected to
phase out third-party tracking gradually.
As a result, advertisers and marketers must quickly find new ways of delivering targeted ads and measuring their effectiveness to cope with this new reality. This guide explores the implications for the cookieless future and offers insights into strategies and techniques to enable businesses to navigate the evolving digital marketing landscape.
As a result, advertisers and marketers must quickly find new ways of delivering targeted ads and measuring their effectiveness to cope with this new reality. This guide explores the implications for the cookieless future and offers insights into strategies and techniques to enable businesses to navigate the evolving digital marketing landscape.
Defining Cookies
Cookies, or HTTP cookies, are text files containing tiny bits of data stored on Internet web browsers. Cookies collect data about online user journeys across websites, such as the time spent during a particular session. The data collected enables website owners to track, personalize, and save information about each user.
Based on the collected information, personalized features can be created for each user, allowing website owners to streamline users’ web experiences.
Based on the collected information, personalized features can be created for each user, allowing website owners to streamline users’ web experiences.
What Cookies Do & How They’re Collected
Generally, cookies can perform a myriad of functions. For instance, they can keep track of user preferences, store login information, and track user behavior for advertising or analytics purposes.
Below are real-world examples of how cookies work and how they are collected.
Below are real-world examples of how cookies work and how they are collected.
Example 1
Anna is an avid shopper who frequently visits an e-commerce website for clothes and accessories. Once she creates an account on the website, a cookie containing her login information is stored on her computer. So, the next time Anna visits the website, she will not have to enter her login details again since the cookie will automatically log her in.
Apart from storing Anna's login credentials, the cookie can keep track of the products Anna views and purchases. This allows the website to suggest other products that Anna may be interested in and provide a personalized shopping experience.
Example 2
Luke is a digital marketer who spends time on social media. Cookies can automatically log him into websites and keep track of the posts he likes, comments on, and shares.
The information from Luke’s cookie thus enables the social media platform to personalize his news feed and serve him targeted advertising based on his interests and behaviors.
How Cookies Benefit Advertisers As It Pertains to Customers
Cookies can provide personalized experiences that enable advertisers to market products and services to customers and consumers. Here are a few benefits to advertisers.
01
Ad Targeting
Advertisers can target media based on customers’ preferences and online behaviors. When a shopper visits a website that sells dog food and then heads to a website that uses advertising services, they will probably view dog food messages on the second website. This occurs because the advertiser can access a cookie stored on the user’s computer by the first website.02
Personalization
Advertisers can use cookies to track website visitors’ behavior and preferences. They can then use this information to provide personalized content and advertising.03
Metrics & Analysis
Cookies also provide advertisers with data and analytics, informing them of their media performance. For instance, by tracking how many users engaged with a particular ad, an advertiser can better understand which messages resonate most with consumers and can adjust their strategies accordingly.What Does the Cookieless Future Look Like?
In the cookieless future, marketers will have to rely on first-party data.
Depending on the quality and reliability of the first-party information collected, some companies may also seek alternative identification solutions based on non-cookie identifiers. An ideal example is the use of email addresses to market products and services to customers.
Depending on the quality and reliability of the first-party information collected, some companies may also seek alternative identification solutions based on non-cookie identifiers. An ideal example is the use of email addresses to market products and services to customers.
Another alternative will be using privacy- focused technologies, such as Google’s Privacy Sandbox. This technology will provide new Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that prioritize privacy by not using identifiers that track user activity across apps and websites.
Experts also expect the proliferation of alternative business models and approaches to advertising. For example, some companies are already testing direct- to-customer channels that will allow them to collect first-party data directly.
Such solutions will enhance the levels of trust between consumers, marketers, and advertisers on the way toward a full-scale cookieless future.
Experts also expect the proliferation of alternative business models and approaches to advertising. For example, some companies are already testing direct- to-customer channels that will allow them to collect first-party data directly.
Such solutions will enhance the levels of trust between consumers, marketers, and advertisers on the way toward a full-scale cookieless future.
Common Misconceptions
During times of uncertainty, like the looming shift in third party tracking, the murky nature of the situation can often lead to doubt.
We know the concept of a cookieless future raises many questions. This section identifies some misconceptions and separates the truth from the myths.
MYTH #1
There is Still Time
Players in the digital marketing industry need to understand that the cookieless future is already here. As a result, they will need to stop focusing on Google’s ever-changing deadline for the end of third-party tracking and start aligning their businesses with the future. Marketers and advertisers should prioritize privacy- compliant and people-based addressability by leveraging alternative identifier technologies when building their strategies.
MYTH #2
Marketers and Advertisers Who Use Contextual Targeting Don’t Need an Identity Solution
Marketers and Advertisers Who Use Contextual Targeting Don’t Need an Identity Solution
Contextual advertising is a form of advertising that works by determining which content is most relevant to users.
For example, an advertiser can place an ad for computer graphics cards on a news article about laptops. The purpose is to focus on a given ad’s context by considering the webpage, weather, location, and similar factors.
There is no doubt that contextual advertising will provide value for marketers and advertisers going forward. However, this strategy can only partially replace cookies on its own. Instead, digital marketers will have to combine contextual and addressable solutions to maximize the reach of their digital approaches.
There is no doubt that contextual advertising will provide value for marketers and advertisers going forward. However, this strategy can only partially replace cookies on its own. Instead, digital marketers will have to combine contextual and addressable solutions to maximize the reach of their digital approaches.
DigiROI Marketing Can Help
DigiROI Marketing Is a full-service advertising agency that combines media and analytics, proprietary technology, and creative services to execute custom strategies to accelerate brands.
We aren’t order-takers, but a true extension of your marketing department equipped to take your brand to the next level. We assess and discover your competitive advantage and goals to develop and execute your custom campaign strategy. Whether your brand needs a partner for digital, media planning and buying, or creative service, we’re here to help.
We aren’t order-takers, but a true extension of your marketing department equipped to take your brand to the next level. We assess and discover your competitive advantage and goals to develop and execute your custom campaign strategy. Whether your brand needs a partner for digital, media planning and buying, or creative service, we’re here to help.