After pushing back the deadline several times, in 2024 Google began to phase out third party cookies for Chrome users. This began with a test involving 1% of Chrome users from Q1 2024. The phase-out was originally announced back in January 2020, when Google first declared that chrome would gradually eliminate support for third-party cookies, as part of their ‘Privacy Sandbox’ initiative. However, they are not the first corporation to begin moving away from third-party cookie use; Firefox, Brave and, Apple’s Safari have all been blocking third party cookies for years, and the New York Times are also in the process.
Third party cookies have been a fundamental tool in the digital advertising industry for over two decades. They can track visitors across websites, enabling companies to gather data about users’ browsing habits, preferences, and interests and subsequently produce targeted advertising and personalised content. In return for optimisation services on your website, a lot of third-party cookies will amass enormous amounts of personal data from users without their consent or often even their knowledge. This can include IP addresses, browser history, sexuality, political convictions or religious beliefs, to name a few.
When new privacy features began to be tested, Google was met with significant industry pushback from marketeers and advertising agencies. They have urged Google to keep third-party cookies in operation until tried and tested alternatives are in place.
So, what does this mean for advertisers?
When looking at it from a glass-half-full perspective, it means brands can now fully focus on building genuine connections with subscribers who have willingly shared their preferences. The end of third-party cookies does not necessarily mean the end of tracking and personalised content, it simply means advertisers will have to find ways of doing it that do not compromise privacy.
Alternatives for Advertisers:
1. First Party Data Collection: Marketeers will be leaning heavily on any first-party data that is available to them. This is data collected directly from users through interactions on the brand’s website or app. Businesses might need to invest more in customer relationship management (CRM) systems and loyalty programs to gather and utilise first-party data effectively.
2. Privacy Sandbox Topics API: Despite the uproar, Google is not completely leaving advertisers in the dark. The company is pitching the aforementioned ‘Privacy Sandbox’ as the alternative. It aims to put a stop to improper tracking while continuing to allow ad retargeting within the Chrome Browser. This proposes a standard where cookies are replaced by five application programming interfaces. Advertisers can use each API to receive data about issues such as conversion and attribution.
3. Contextual Advertising: Ads can be served based on the content of the webpage rather than tracking individual users. For example, showing online course ads on a webpage with articles about higher education.
4. Unified ID Solutions: Companies can create Systems that create a unique ID for users without using cookies. This is often based on scrambled email addresses or other hidden data.
5. Data Partnerships: There is an opportunity to collaborate with other companies to share and combine anonymised data (data that has removed any personal information so that individuals cannot be easily identified) to better understand and target audiences.
6. Server-Side Tracking: Data can be collected on your own servers instead of relying on browser-based cookies. This allows better control over user data and privacy. Universities can use server-side tracking on their website to gather data about prospective student interactions securely.
Throughout the process, Google have maintained the stance that they are committed to engage closely with the industry, and assuming an agreement is reached, will “proceed with third party cookie depreciation starting early next year.” With this announcement of yet another delay, marketeers are left with a continuing feeling of unease and apprehension, as we eagerly await the future of digital advertising.
If you’re looking to develop your digital advertising contact marketing@hunterlodge.co.uk for more.
