Are You Ready For A Cookieless Future?
Google announced on June 24th that it would postpone its long-promised action to prevent third-party cookies from entering the Chrome browser until 2023. They “need to move at a responsible pace” and “avoid jeopardizing the business models of many web publishers which support free available content”. Many people are also guessing that some profitable advertising businesses of Google are also highly dependent on third-party cookies, and they need more time to adjust and adapt. Google is testing feasible alternatives, such as Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC). But in any case, it is inevitable and the general trend to completely reject third-party cookies. Moreover, the recent IOS update also shows us major measures to protect consumers’ privacy, that is, consumers can have more privacy control over e-mail, such as hiding e-mail addresses.
User Perspective
For users, I think more users are willing to see this change. Because users desire more data privacy and less intrusive advertising. According to statistics, 41% of American consumers regularly delete cookies, and 30% of consumers install ad interceptors in their browsers. In addition, only 17% of consumers think personalized advertising is helpful, while 39% of consumers feel uncomfortable with these advertisements. However, the removal of third-party cookies does not represent a reduction in the number of advertisements. On the contrary, users may get more advertisements that have nothing to do with or are not interested in consumers.
Marketer Perspective
For marketers, this change is severe, but it also urges them to find new opportunities and methods. Marketers can no longer rely on third-party cookies to simply obtain and track users’ private data and advertise. Moreover, according to the survey statistics, only 17% of the respondents said that their organization was “very effective” in collecting first-party data to provide a strong experience throughout the customer journey, and 60% of the executives said that the loss of third-party cookies would have a destructive impact on their marketing. In addition, it will increase marketing expenses. Due to Google’s new policy, 23% of marketing experts plan to invest in e-mail marketing software. However, the new e-mail privacy policy launched by Apple IOS will also have a great impact on the new strategy. Because marketers cannot identify active users or conduct A/B testing through e-mail.
But marketers are not without opportunities. This has prompted marketers to make changes, such as increasing efforts to collect first-party data or obtaining information directly from customers. In a survey of more than 7000 consumers, salesforce found that 57% of consumers were willing to share personal data in exchange for personalized offers and discounts. Marketers could carry out a series of marketing for this information.
My Point Of View
Overall, I think it’s a good decision. With the rapid development of technology and big data, people’s every move on the network seems to be monitored and leaked. It’s time to protect users’ privacy more. And marketing methods can be innovated and changed.
