What phasing out 3rd party cookies means for you
There are increasingly stringent requirements for the use and collection of personal data - and further tightening is on the horizon. But what do these changes mean for you and your marketing?
Many people have probably noticed Apple's new privacy update, which gives users greater control over and the ability to manage access to data. For example, privacy protection in the Mail app ensures that invisible pixels can no longer collect information about the user and provide you as the sender with information about whether the person has opened the email.
At the same time, Safari and Firefox's anti-tracking technology has now madehalf ofNorwegian and Swedish web users "invisible", as they can no longer be identified and tracked through open programming.
And as if that wasn't enough: Google has announced that as of 2023 they will phase out third-party cookies in Chrome, which accounts for over half of the global browser market and web traffic. Until the phase-out, they are working to find a "more private" alternative for both users and advertisers.
What are third-party cookies?
Third-party cookies are cookies that actors other than yourself place on the users of your website.
In this way, the user's journey on the internet can be tracked, and a profile can be built on the individual. The information can then be used to place personalized ads or for retargeting (targeted advertising).
What happens when third-party cookies disappear?
When third-party cookies disappear, campaigns must be planned and accuracy measured based on parameters other than the large amounts of personal data.
Exactly which alternatives will replace third-party cookies is still under investigation, but there are many indications that marketers will have to rely on smaller amounts of personalized data.
This is what the changes mean for you:
Must think more creatively in marketing
The sum of the new and upcoming changes means that companies and marketers must think creatively when choosing both formats and channels.
A shift towards contextual marketing
In the future, it is likely that advertising will be placed in a context that is relevant to the potential customer. In other words, advertising as part of relevant professional and editorial content, rather than on a random front page.
More focus on content marketing
Content marketing is about how, when and why we communicate a message, and about finding the right context to reach the individual customer. When this strategy is successful, the marketing appears more helpful and appropriate - and not as a result of the user being "monitored" and followed through their online journey.
It can also create security for you as an advertiser, by giving you a better overview of where and when your ad is visible to users. If there are topics and keywords you do not want your brand to be associated with, you will now be able to take greater control over this.
Content and good landing pages even more important than before
Ultimately, good marketing is not about monitoring and following the customer, but about hitting them with the right content, in the right channel at the right time.
Getting your content to resonate is about gaining interest from your target audience, rather than automatically steering content using personal data - such as age, gender and other personal criteria.
Content marketing is about actually reaching the target group - by using topics, words or phrases of relevance and interest. This requires companies to be confident in their own brand and what needs their services solve. Then they need to produce and target content that is based on human insight and judgment, as well as numbers.
Need to find new parameters to measure campaigns
With less access to personal data, there will be a greater need to look for new measurement parameters to create accurate marketing.
Marketers and content producers must increasingly adapt and manage expectations in line with customer needs and objectives.
But hugs: Marketing is more than big data
The phasing out of third-party cookies does not mean the end of all use of cookies. You can still collect basic data through first-party cookies on your own website. This information provides smaller amounts, but still valuable information about how and how often users use your website - and a basis for adapting your marketing accordingly.
By continuing and developing sharing under consent with your own users and customers, you as a company can gradually free yourself from dependence on third-party cookies. Login solutions or other identification (e.g. newsletters) can also help to collect data on individual preferences and behavioral patterns.
