Google will be phasing out third-party cookies on Chrome by 2022. This will protect web visitor’s privacy but will have significant implications for marketers.
In this article, we will take a look at the changes, how they will affect PPC marketing, and how you can prepare for the removal of cookies.
What is changing?
A cookie is a small file that is downloaded onto your computer when you visit a website. These cookies are used to identify your computer so the company that owns the website can see the actions you take. For example, how long you stay on the site, what pages you visit, how often you come back.
Like the traditional cookies we eat, HTTP cookies come in a variety of different flavors. First-party cookies are created directly by the website, while third-party cookies are created by other parties such as Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising.
Google Chrome announced it would be phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome in 2020 to protect user’s privacy and help Google adhere to data protection regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
What does this mean for marketers? This means that after 2022, Chrome will no longer generate third-party cookies. It is actually one of the last browsers to do this, with Firefox and Safari already no longer using them.
However, with Chrome accounting for over half of all web traffic, it will have the most significant impact.
How will this affect my PPC campaigns?
Let’s say that you have set up a remarketing campaign, so people who visit your site are served a display ad that follows them around the web.
Your visitor will visit your site, and a third-party cookie is placed on their computer. This is what powers the remarketing campaign and shows ads that are relevant to them.
This means that display remarketing will be impacted by the changes to third-party cookies.
What steps do I need to take?
The good news is that remarketing can still take place; it will just take place in a new (and potentially better) way.
First-party cookies and data are not affected by the phase-out, so there is nothing to stop you from collecting customer emails from form-fills and using this information to power your remarketing campaigns. As users have expressed an interest in your product or service, you should see a better return on investment.
We predict that lead capture will become more important than ever over the upcoming months. Just make sure that customers know how you will use their data and give them the option to remove their data if they change their mind.
Suppose you are not confident in doing this – that’s okay. Many different companies are working on cookieless tracking, which means you can continue to track the customer journey without the use of cookies.
In conclusion… this change may seem like a drastic one, but it will open the door to a wide range of new opportunities for businesses and marketers.
Start to build up your first-party data on your own website, and you will reap the benefits.