Phasing Out Third Party Cookies: Marketers’ Next Steps

Joining Safari and Firefox, Google Chrome announced that they will finally be phasing out 3rd party cookies in 2023. This means that many marketers and advertisers who rely on these certain tracking methods will need to find new solutions if they haven’t already. Although this may be difficult, it isn’t impossible. Here are a few things that marketers can do to prepare for a cookie-less future:

	First-Party Data Solutions First-party data is data that is collected by a company directly from its customers. This means that the data is more accurate and reliable since it comes straight from the source. Additionally, first-party data can’t be used by other companies the way 3rd party cookies can, so it’s much more secure. Marketers should look into ways to collect first-party data from their customers, such as through surveys or sign-ups.
	New Methods of Tracking and Attribution There are many new methods of tracking and attribution that don’t rely on cookies, so marketers should start to explore these options. Some of these include using device IDs, IP addresses, or browser fingerprinting. Additionally, marketers can also use contextual data, which is information about the user’s current situation and surroundings. For example, if someone is searching for a product on their phone while they’re standing in a store, that’s contextual data that can be used for marketing purposes.
	Build Customer Loyalty and Trust Finally, it’s important for marketers to focus on building customer loyalty and trust. This means creating valuable and relevant content that customers will actually want to engage with. It also means being transparent about your marketing practices and respecting your customers’ privacy. If you can build a strong relationship with your customers, they’ll be more likely to continue doing business with you, even if there are no cookies involved.

While the loss of 3rd party cookies may seem like a big blow to marketers, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. There are plenty of other ways to collect data and track customer behavior. By being prepared and adapting to the change, you can ensure that your marketing efforts will continue to be successful.

Now is the time for advertisers and publishers to continue exploring new data strategies that will replace third-party cookies. Start planning out your programmatic advertising strategy and learn more about how you can continue targeting your audience with the digital ad exchange, EHSX.

Download a free one-sheeter on EHSX to learn more!