The Cookieless World coming in 2024

The internet as we know it is changing. With the rise of privacy concerns and regulations, the death of third-party cookies is on the horizon. While this may sound like a bad thing for marketers, it doesn't have to be. Marketers should develop data strategies that don't rely on cookies. Here's what to know about the death of third-party cookies and how to prepare for a cookieless world.

What are Third-Party Cookies?

Third-party cookies are small pieces of code that are placed on your device by websites other than the one you are visiting. These cookies are used to track your online activity so that advertisers can target you with relevant ads. For example, if you visit a website about running shoes and then see an ad for running shoes on another website, that's because of a third-party cookie.

Why Are Third-Party Cookies Under Fire?

Third-party cookies have been under fire, because they collect a lot of data about people without your knowledge or consent. This has led to concerns about privacy and the misuse of personal data. In addition, new privacy regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) place restrictions on the use of personal data, will begin to make third-party cookies obsolete.

What Does This Mean for Marketers?

The death of third-party cookies presents both challenges and opportunities for marketers. On the one hand, cookies have been a valuable tool for targeting ads and measuring campaigns. On the other hand, the death of cookies should lead to more transparency and control for consumers over their data. We're all consumers. We all want more control. Here are some ways that marketers can prepare for the coming cookieless world:

• Determine your reliance on third-party cookies: If you're organisation and marketing are relying too heavily on third-party cookies, now is the time to start diversifying your data sources. Look at your marketing mix and see where else you can get data from. First-party data—data that you collect directly from your customers—is the best place to start. You can also cultivate unique first-party data through greater consumer value propositions and predictive modeling.
  

• Capturing people-based durable identifiers: Another way to prepare for a cookieless world is to capture people-based durable identifiers—unique IDs that can be used to identify an individual across devices and platforms—and develop second-party partnerships with other companies that have similar audiences. This will help you reach your target consumers even in a cookieless world.

• Using contextual and publisher targeting: Contextual targeting allows you to target ads based on the context of someone's current activity—for example, if they're reading an article about running shoes, you could show them an ad for running shoes. Publisher targeting allows you to target ads based on which publisher's site someone is visiting—for example, if they're visiting a website about running shoes, you could show them an ad for running shoes. Both of these methods can be used in a cookieless world to reach your target consumers with relevant ads.

• Delivering personalized content: Personalized content is another way to reach consumers without relying on cookies. By using data collected from first-party sources, you can deliver personalized content that is relevant to each individual consumer—and do so without violating any privacy regulations.
  

In conclusion, marketers who are prepared for a cookieless world will thrive in this new environment by focusing on first-party data, developing second-party partnerships, using contextual and publisher targeting, and delivering personalized content.