5 tips for a successful transition to a 'cookieless era'

When Google made the phase-out of third-party cookies worldwide in 2020 - starting in Chrome browsers - it stirred up a lot of excitement among marketers. And not surprisingly so. Since then, that deadline has been adjusted slightly: to the second half of 2024. Still, it remains an exciting story. Some are eagerly looking forward to life without cookies, while others are still a tad apprehensive.

The digital advertising landscape will change greatly with the banning of third-party cookies. Perhaps so much so that we will still be talking about this milestone in 10 years' time. But what impact should we expect from blocking third-party cookies? Well, Chrome is the number one browser with more than 65% market share. The term "shift" is perhaps appropriate.

But: a cookie-less era also offers opportunities, for the marketer and the organisation. Find out in this blog post what is changing and how you can make the most of this shift.

Firefox is already one step ahead of the tech giant. Other browsers and even Apple have already provided their answers to the latest developments in the data landscape with ITP. So, what prompted Google to finally take this step?

According to Justin Schuh, Google's Chief Chrome Engineer, Google operates with its users’ best interests at heart, they say they want "more privacy, transparency, freedom of choice and control over how their data is used and for what purposes."

Another reason that undoubtedly played a role in Google’s decision-making processes was the investigation by the Irish Data Protection Commission (IDPC) into Google's online advertising model. This large-scale study – coupled with growing consumer dissatisfaction with cookies, privacy, and data usage – clearly shows how we look at data more critically today compared to the past.

The Digital Markets Act was added in March 2024, which should give users more control over their consent management and sharing of their data with third parties. The impact on cookies is smaller here, but it does strengthen the power of the end user in refusing tracking.

Third-party cookies, where third parties receive the collected data, have seen their popularity decline over time. For many users this is because of the often-annoying pop-up cookie notifications, but also for marketers, they are less relevant due to the emergence of new digital touchpoints (such as the Internet of Things). Another blow to the long-term survival of cookies is the fact that they cannot identify users in a multi-device world, a deficiency which may well have proved fatal after the shift to mobile by swathes of web users.

Web browsers have not been idle either and that is not good news for cookies. In recent years, browsers have increasingly applied restrictions on the use of third-party cookies to limit tracking by companies, such as private browsing (Opera and tracking protection van Internet Explorer). In addition, other, similar techniques – such as statistical identification and fingerprinting – are actively blocked.

A shift to first-party data is thus increasingly imminent, and this has its advantages. Although the volumes of first-party data are usually considerably smaller than those of third-party data, the added value of first-party data in communication and customer relationship building is many times greater.

And then there is privacy, a sensitive word when it comes to data. GDPR and the e-Privacy Directive are some examples of legislation that wants to exert more control over data collection and privacy. Both governments and consumers are actively working on the way in which companies collect and use data.

In March, the results of an extensive user survey appeared in the Global Privacy Monitor. The main conclusion? The modern consumer is willing to hand over data, provided that it is clear what happens to that data. Transparency and relevance are key concepts today.

Cookieless era or not, it will be more difficult to collect data outside your own environment. As a modern marketer, you are faced with a challenge: how do you balance respect for privacy with getting the right, relevant data?

Analytics & conversion tracking 

Unsurprisingly many analytics-related applications are severely affected as a side effect of the efforts to prevent tracking. Without taking appropriate action, conversion tracking is often limited to a maximum of 24 hours. 

A/B testing & personalisation 

If first-party cookies are not set-up on your site correctly, they will be affected by the tracking prevention measures. That means users either won't see their personalised content or multiple A/B test variants will not be visible. The immediate impact of this is that the results from A/B campaigns are a lot less reliable. 

Advertising & remarketing 

Remarketing based on (third-party) cookies is becoming more difficult and will become almost impossible within a couple of years. Only self-identified users can still be targeted with their (hashed) email address on advertising platforms like Facebook and Google. 

Today, the digital world increasingly flows seamlessly into everyday life, coupled with increasing expectations and standards of users. Not to mention the expectations of different generations, which are often far apart.  

That is precisely why now is the time for marketers to really get in touch with the customer, so that supply and demand can grow even closer together. 

Over the past decade, there has been a prominent place in digital marketing for the strategic placement of cookies. With very little effort, we as marketers arrived at impressive amounts of data. Quantity over quality. 

In the cookieless age, contextual advertising is more relevant than ever. You advertise based on your own data, collected from the right, relevant visitors. 

An important element of contextual advertising is that you are betting on your own content. This means that effective content marketing, inbound/outbound marketing and SEO are crucial because that’s how you ensure that the right visitors find their way to your channels. This means your first-party data gathering is accurate and this is the foundation for the further strengthening of your content. 

Collecting first-party data becomes a well-oiled machine over time because you get to know your own target group and can approach them in an informed and targeted way. Central to your success in the cookieless era is building a genuine relationship with your target group – supported by relevant content and advertising in the right context. The days of redundant data collection are over. 

Time for the transformation to cookieless? Keep the following things in mind. 

How dependent are you on third-party data? First, research which 'own' data you have, and which owned media you can use to operate as a first-party. 

A cookieless era is more than marketing. Reviewing existing data collection processes is a story of marketing, development, legal and more. An organisation-wide task force, representing different layers and teams, offers you the best chance to seize opportunities in this transformation. 

Data – third- or first-party – is a means, not an end. It’s easy to forget, but collecting data is not the end goal for your processes. Data is and will remain an important tool for gathering valuable insights for your business. First and foremost, you explore human behaviour with data as an asset. 

1. Don't wait any longer: Every step is a step forward and even the smallest step is of great value. 

2. Trust your own strength: First-party data is the foundation to build on because its valuable and unique. 

3. Create a relevant story: Hunt for relevance in all phases of the customer journey, so you turn your customers into ambassadors who are happy to share their data. 

4. One truth, full of high-quality content: Content marketing, SEO, and relevant leads? All part of an essential and continuous process. 

5. Work iteratively and ambitiously: Experiences guide tomorrow and support iterative thinking. The process is never finished and can only ever be improved and offer you more. 

The cookieless era is a leap into the unknown and can sometimes even be frightening. The above tips and advice will help your organisation to navigate its way from third-party data to first-party data, obtained through your own relevant media. 

Do you want to learn more about cookieless? Download our whitepaper The impact of cookieless future on marketing to find out more. 

Would you like a helping hand and some guidance? Our marketers, content creators and strategists are ready and thinking with you. We are happy to help you create an outstanding experience for your visitors - one they will love coming back for.