Changes to third party cookies in 2022

3rd August 2022 update:  changes to third-party cookies delayed further by Google

Initially planned for February 2022 then pushed back to 2023, Google have now delayed ending the support for third-party cookies until 2024 . The reason for this is they will be opening trialsfor their Privacy Sandboxto a wider audience before they officially begin to phase out third-party cookies. In Google’s words, Privacy Sandbox is “an industry-wide effort to develop new technology that will improve people’s privacy across the Web and apps on Android.”

But, what does this mean for us?

Fundamentally, it means we all have more time to prepare for changes to third-party cookies, and therefore more time to learn and adapt to using alternatives. It also gives us more time to minimise the negative impact these changes could have.

Still need advice? Take a look at some advice from our specialists at Next Chapter – or get in touchand see if we can help you with a future project or campaign.

Changes to third party cookies

For many years, third party cookie data has enabled brands to create invaluable user profiles that marketers and advertisers have used to target their audiences. This has led smart brands to successfully tailor their messaging and enjoy higher rates of engagement in return. But soon this will no longer be possible for users browsing on Google Chrome. 

The phasing out of third party cookie data was originally announced in February 2020 by Google, and since then they’ve confirmed that no alternative is on its way. On their blog, Google wrote, “We realise this means other providers may offer a level of user identity for ad tracking across the web that we will not — like PII graphs based on people’s email addresses”. 

But with Google being the leaders when it comes to internet browsing, other providers will no doubt follow them in time. So, as we wave goodbye to the use of third party data it’s crucial that consumer trust and user control are at the top of the agenda when considering future strategies.

To begin with, the first party data you have on your leads and customers has just become more important than ever. It’s now the only reliable source of truth on the behaviour of audiences when engaging with your brand. It holds the key to more meaningful and trusted relationships between brands and consumers.

The data in your ecommerce platform or CRM that tells you which emails customers opened, the CTAs clicked on, or the products purchased more than five times – all of this is your foundation for future automations, efficiencies and personalisation in your marketing comms.

This newfound level of transparency seems like a no brainer doesn’t it? Well, it really is.

What does this mean for brands?

“An over reliance on the never-ending tap of paid digital media should be coming to an end.

Throwing money at product or service-focused media content may not provide the same spoils it has previously. That’s why brands need to start thinking about developing the right balance between their owned, paid and earned media. The more money you throw at paid media, the more you’ll receive in return. Sounds straightforward enough, but it’s going to get more difficult to attribute those sales to that paid media investment. So, we need to start broadening our horizons and thinking about the roles all channels can play together, and where they sit in the customer journey.”

– Daniel Swepson, Head of Marketing at Next Chapter

What can brands do now to minimise the negative impact of these changes?

We chatted to the wider Next Chapter team and highlighted three key actions that brands can take now ahead of the phasing out from Google:

Tidy up your data . Simple but oh so effective. Ensure your data is consistently formatted and you’re happy with the field mapping from any forms. Review the way that conversions are being attributed to specific pages or areas on your site, and the formatting of first and last name fields. Getting your data in check will help with segmentation, personalisation, and measurement of success so you can see what is and isn’t working.

Use the data responsibly . Building trust with your audience is key to retaining their engagement and preventing them from unsubscribing or purchasing elsewhere. You have this beautiful data, so be smart about using it.  Be specific and don’t bombard the audience just because you can; only tell them something if you have something of value to share. In an age where we’re constantly peppered with irrelevant and often useless comms, be the better brand.

Consider metrics other than conversions or sales . Not all activity across all platforms and channels should be considered as bottom of the sales or revenue funnel. The changes to third party cookies doesn’t mean brands should abandon these channels, it just means they should think of them differently and re-evaluate the role they play in the marketing mix.

Consider early brand engagements, objectives such as reaching new personas, audiences in new locations, or spreading the news of new products or services.

And here’s some advice from our team of Next Chapter’s specialists…

Don’t panic . If you haven’t paid much attention to the changes in third party cookies before now, it’s okay. Better late than never.

Re-evaluate your customer journeys and channel plan . Use any data you already have to feed into your customer journeys. This is important because what you may have previously mapped out as your typical customer journey may not be the reality. Be aware that these journeys are not linear, as much as we would love them to be. As humans we jump around a little, so thinking of your channels in the same way will help guide prospects to the finish line.

Think about your channels . What roles are they playing? What value are they adding to your leads or customers? Are you trying to make your channels do as many things for your brand as possible? Remember to keep it clear and simple.

Test, learn and optimise . Don’t be afraid to do something just because you’ve never done it before – we’re all about being brave. If you’ve always invested in a particular marketing channel, have fun experimenting. The beauty of digital is that we can see where something is working in real time, the data is right there for us. Go on, take a leap!

Prepare for failure . Obviously, we want everything we put our time, effort and investment into to work and deliver for us. But when you’re trying new things it’s important to have a plan in your back pocket of what you’re going to do if it doesn’t quite work. Today’s failures are tomorrow’s learnings.

So, there’s plenty to think about. But if you’re confused about what your immediate next step should be or how to evaluate or standardise your data, we can help – just get in touch or let us know about a project you are working on.