“Understanding the marketing implications of the third-party cookies phase-out”

Google plans to phase out third-party cookies by 2023 due to increased regulation as a result of public discourse over user privacy.

Third-party cookies play a major role in digital marketing and are considered one of the most effective online marketing tools. Phasing them out will significantly impact how campaigns are created, maintained, and measured; so, what are the marketing implications of this phase-out?

This will affect ad targeting, delivery, performance, and conversion measurement as we know it – which will be a drastic transformation for online advertising campaigns.

Yet a staggering 43% of marketers state they don’t have a good understanding of the changes.

What will replace third-party cookies?

At the moment Google has introduced the Privacy Sandbox where they are currently developing four new technologies that will serve as replacements.

These new technologies aim to:

• Prevent tracking as individuals browse the web
• Enable publishers to build sustainable sites that respect privacy
• Preserve the vitality of the open web

Alternatives to third-party cookies

Here are a few of the most prominent marketing tactics being adopted as replacements to third-party cookies: 

• First-party data collection 
• Account-based marketing 
• Reverse IP tracking 

Google defines first-party data as information you collect from your customers, site visitors, and app users during their interactions with your products and services. To be considered first-party data, information must be collected from your own sites, apps, physical stores, or in other situations when people have directly interacted with your products and services. 

By storing first-party cookies instead of borrowing third-party cookie data, marketers have the opportunity to minimize the impact of third-party cookies coming to an end. This will also be to the benefit of any ABM strategy deployed. Alongside this, there is the opportunity to use reverse IP tracking tools such as Web Insights which will strengthen how first-party data is collected and indicate the ROI of any ABM initiative.

Using our reverse IP tracking technology will also enable your enterprise to keep personal data private and respect the needs of users moving forward as only business data is collected. In addition to this, it will safeguard your enterprise from any future changes which could negatively affect business lead generation and revenue.

Want even more ways to prepare for the changes? Take a deeper dive with our ultimate guide: “Marketers: Are you prepared for life after third-party cookies?”