Adapting to Google’s Cookies Deprecation: Essential Strategies for Marketers
November 13th, 2024 by
Key Insights:
- Google announced in July 2024 that Chrome will not fully block third-party cookies but instead give users the option to manage tracking permissions. This shift allows for greater user autonomy and may lead to fewer users permitting third-party tracking.
- With the potential decline in third-party cookie data, competition for the remaining audience segments may increase, impacting ad targeting and cost-effectiveness. Marketers will need to adapt by shifting to alternative data sources and strategies.
- Marketers can explore new methods, such as contextual targeting, server-side tracking, and tools like Google’s Privacy Sandbox and Meta’s Conversions API. These solutions offer privacy-compliant ways to track and optimize campaigns in a cookieless environment.
Google Chrome was expected to eliminate the use of third-party cookies starting in early 2025; however, they announced alternative plans in July 2024. Instead of completely not allowing websites to track users with third-party cookies, Google will let users make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing and that they can adjust at any time.
Google statements are vague, and they haven’t shared a clear plan for rolling out this new Chrome experience.
Worst case scenario: All Chrome users decide to opt out of third-party cookies.
More likely scenario: A portion of Chrome users opt out, and competition increases for the remaining inventory (Source: DigiDay).
Marketers are still preparing for a profound impact on the digital advertising industry, as many advertising campaigns and platforms still rely heavily on third-party cookies to target and track their audience.
By leveraging a combination of strategies, prioritizing user privacy, and staying agile in adopting new technologies, your campaigns can continue to deliver personalized experiences and measure ad effectiveness in a post-third-party cookie world.
Learn how in the blog below.
What Are Cookies?
Websites gather data from first-party cookies on their own sites, while third-party cookies come from other services that keep tabs on users across different sites and devices. You’ll often see advertising platforms and analytics companies using these third-party cookies to track how people behave online for things like targeting ads, attributing conversions, and optimizing performance.
As Google Chrome initiates third-party cookie deprecation, marketers are exploring alternative methods for tracking and targeting, such as first-party data, contextual advertising, and browser-based tracking solutions such as Google’s Privacy Sandbox.
| First Party Cookies | Third Party Cookies | |
|---|---|---|
| What are they? | Tracking code that a website owner places on their own site. The website owner receives the data. | Tracking code for companies other than the website owner. The data is shared with the third party. |
| Examples | Google Analytics | Meta Pixel, Advertising Conversion Pixels / Tags, Advertising Networks, Data Companies |
| How is the data used? | Understand your website’s visitors and user behavior; remarket to your website visitors | Drive interest-based targeting; understand user interests and behaviors across sites |
| Who collects the data? | Data is collected by the website you are currently browsing | Data is collected by other companies/websites (like ad and data platforms) that track users across multiple websites or devices |
| Are these cookies suppressed by browsers? | NOT impacted by the deprecation of cookies | Impacted by the deprecation of cookies |
Impact of Cookies Deprecation
Two key elements are affected:
- Targeting: Advertising platforms can still target some users based on data gathered by cookies, but it will be limited.
- Conversion Tracking: Tracking conversions in the future will require more client involvement. Your account manager will speak with you about upgrading your conversion tracking as needed.
To ensure our client campaigns remain effective, Search Influence routinely uses and explores alternative methods for tracking and targeting, such as first-party data, contextual advertising, and browser-based tracking solutions like Google’s yet-to-be-released Privacy Sandbox.
Should marketers fear these changes? How dramatic is the impact?
The advertising industry is innovating to find new ways to deliver effective ads while respecting user privacy. Phasing out third-party cookies will be gradual, but it’s not necessarily something for marketers to fear. Marketers should view the phasing out of third-party cookies as an opportunity to adopt more sustainable, privacy-friendly practices that lead to stronger customer relationships and trust. By staying informed and proactive, marketers will navigate this transition effectively.
Do you expect privacy regulations to get more strict?
The pressure to enhance online privacy is driving Google to develop alternatives to third-party cookies. As privacy concerns intensify, more regions may adopt stricter data protection laws similar to GDPR (Europe’s privacy legislation) and CCPA (California’s privacy legislation). Consequently, businesses must be more transparent about their data practices and secure clear consent from users.
Historically, the industry has adapted to other disruptions. In April 2021, Apple introduced a requirement for all apps in the App Store to display a prompt, as part of its AppTrackingTransparency framework, discouraging tracking on iOS devices unless users explicitly opt-in. This policy limited certain types of data collection and sharing without direct user consent. In response, marketers shifted their approach by targeting broader audience segments and relying more on ad networks to identify and reach their target audiences effectively.
To what extent is conversion tracking impacted by the end of cookies?
Most businesses (including Search Influence’s clients) do not currently rely on third-party cookies for targeted digital advertising or analytics and lead tracking. To maintain ad effectiveness, we recommend continuing to leverage first-party data collected directly from interactions on a client’s own website. This data is more reliable and privacy-compliant, allowing for effective conversion tracking within the client’s own digital properties.
Generally, the end (or significant reduction) of third-party cookies significantly impacts conversion tracking, but alternative methods and technologies are emerging to address these challenges.
Alternative Solutions for Tracking Without Third-Party Cookies
First-party data
- Leveraging first-party data collected directly from interactions on a client’s website is crucial. This data is more reliable and privacy-compliant, allowing for effective conversion tracking within the client’s own digital properties.
- Meta’s solution: Meta encourages advertisers to leverage first-party data. This includes data collected directly from interactions on the advertiser’s own website, which remains unaffected by third-party cookie policies.
- Google’s solution: Enhanced conversions use first-party data and hashed user information (like email addresses) to track conversions more accurately without relying on third-party cookies.
Server-side tracking
- Implementing server-side tracking helps bypass the limitations of client-side cookies. Clients maintain control over user data and ensure accurate conversion tracking by processing tracking data on the server.
- Meta’s solution: Meta has introduced the Conversions API, which allows servers to send conversion data directly to Meta. This server-side solution provides a more reliable method for tracking conversions.
- Advertisers at risk are those who haven’t implemented first-party cookies with the pixel or the Conversions API.
Privacy Sandbox
- Google’s Privacy Sandbox initiatives aim to enable interest-based advertising and conversion tracking without third-party cookies. These solutions group users into cohorts based on similar interests while maintaining individual anonymity. (Google hasn’t rolled this out and hasn’t provided a target date.)
Will Ad Platform Pixels Still Track Conversions, or Do We Need to Use Google Enhanced Conversions and Meta’s Conversions API?
Meta will eventually phase out the Meta Pixel, but there’s no timeline for this yet. That said, the most immediate recommendation is to explore Conversions API to preserve campaign measurement proactively.
On Google Ads, Search Influence recommends implementing enhanced conversions for the web (or leads for importing offline conversions) to protect against cookie deprecation and preserve accurate measurement.
While conversion tracking has never been 100% accurate, we believe that tracking what you can is crucial to maintaining campaign effectiveness.
Recommendations on How to Address Changes to Targeting and Strategy
For Search Influence clients, we do not expect to make dramatic changes to our clients’ strategies based on the way we currently target and leverage data. For some clients, we will work with you on any necessary improvements to the below.
Collect first-party data
Focus on collecting and leveraging first-party data (information collected directly from their own users). This can include data from their website, CRM systems, and customer interactions.
- First-party data is collected directly from user interactions on a company’s own website or app, providing accurate and reliable insights. This includes data from user registrations, purchases, and on-site behavior.
- Users are generally more comfortable sharing data directly with brands they trust. Clear communication about data usage and robust privacy policies can enhance this trust.
- First-party data allows for effective personalization, as businesses can tailor experiences based on user preferences and past behaviors observed directly.
Leverage CRM systems & ad integration
Adapt a strong CRM strategy to capture valuable first-party data, improve lead nurturing processes, and get more accurate performance insights from advertising campaigns.
Identify the right CRM system
- Evaluate CRM systems that best integrate with existing tools and advertising platforms. Popular options include Hubspot and Salesforce. In our experience, Hubspot is the best fit for most businesses (and Search Influence can help you build it out).
Set up lead tracking and data collection
- Collect first-party data from your website (registrations, purchases, form submissions) and ensure this data is flowing into the CRM.
- Implement pixels and APIs (e.g., Facebook Conversion API, Google Ads Enhanced Conversions) to connect user actions on the website with CRM lead data.
- In Google Ads and other platforms, set up offline conversion tracking by importing sales data from your CRM system or other offline customer interactions (phone calls, in-store purchases).
Implement lead scoring
- Establish lead-scoring criteria based on user behavior (e.g., visiting key pages, downloading resources, submitting forms).
- Use the CRM to track interactions across marketing channels and create a lead-scoring system that assigns value to each action. High-scoring leads can be segmented for more personalized and higher-budget ad campaigns.
Automate follow-ups and nurturing
- Leverage your CRM’s automation features to send tailored email follow-ups, segment their audience, and deliver retargeting campaigns based on a lead’s score and behavior.
- Create automated workflows that nurture leads through email, SMS, or targeted ads, guiding them toward conversion.
Measure and optimize
- Once the CRM is fully integrated with your advertising efforts, review the data regularly. Ensure accurate tracking of cost per lead (CPL) and return on ad spend (ROAS) through the CRM.
- Refine campaigns based on lead score data. Allocate budget to maximize high-quality leads.
Cookieless targeting solution examples
- Contextual targeting places ads on content directly relevant to the ad. Instead of relying on user data, it uses themes and interests found in the content to determine relevance. This privacy-friendly targeting method is often applied in programmatic advertising.
- Addressable geo-fencing enhances traditional geo-fencing by focusing on specific locations without relying on third-party cookies. Instead, it uses address lists sourced from CRM data or carefully curated lists, enabling advertisers to reach users within targeted geographic areas based on first-party insights.
- Campaign audience retargeting helps advertisers reconnect with existing, cookieless audiences. Advertisers establish an initial campaign to build a retargetable audience, re-engaging them across platforms with relevant content.
What Changes to Conversion Tracking Do You Recommend?
To combat Google cookie deprecation, implement your advertising platforms’ recommended tracking solutions, such as Enhanced Conversions for Google Ads and Conversions API for Meta Ads.
Additionally, leveraging GA4’s reporting identity features can help track users more effectively across devices while respecting privacy. Search Influence recommends the device-based reporting identity to get more data for small businesses.
Last, Consent Mode v2, combined with GA4, allows advertisers to maintain measurement accuracy by modeling conversion data for users who opt out of cookies.
- With Consent Mode v2, you can capture and model conversion data even when users opt out of non-essential cookies. This ensures that you still have access to key insights and helps mitigate data loss.
- When users decline consent, GA4, in conjunction with Consent Mode, uses aggregated and anonymized data to estimate conversions and user journeys, providing a more complete view of campaign performance without breaching privacy regulations.
How Soon Should You Take Action?
You should start planning and adapting your 2025 advertising strategy to mitigate the impact of upcoming cookie deprecation.
While this might seem like a daunting task, there’s no need to worry.
The Search Influence team is monitoring the deprecation of the third-party cookie and outlining key steps that will be taken in this transition.
Contact us today to learn how our experienced team can help you transition your digital advertising strategy in 2025 and beyond with our cutting-edge services.
