Oh, Google. How you love to mess with marketers. Just when everyone gets the hang of your algorithm, placing keywords with confidence, BAM! You throw in some changes and everyone is forced to rethink their digital marketing strategy.
So, it’s possible that few people were surprised when Google announced that the plans to phase out third-party cookies that have been in place since 2020 are now off the table.
First-party data is what you collect first-hand though your own channels. Third-party data is gathered by someone entirely unconnected to the relationship you have with your audience. Previously delayed three times over the past four years, this plan was designed to prioritize the privacy of consumers over the data-collection efforts of companies.
If you happen to be one of the many companies that are reeling a bit, wondering if your whole digital marketing strategy is about to go up in smoke, here are a few things to keep in mind:
It’s Not Earth-Shattering: While Google’s announcement in 2020 initially sent a few waves of panic through particularly data-dependent industries (like retail, for instance), the creative minds of marketers were quick to assure everyone that it would all be okay. After all, prioritizing the needs of the customer rarely ultimately spells trouble for businesses. It would require a pivot or two, but would not represent the fourth horseman of the online commerce apocalypse.
The same is true now. This may be another delay, rather than a complete strategy shift for Google. It may be that they were just tired of the word, “delay.” Stay tuned, because it’s pretty likely that you haven’t heard the end of plans to phase out cookies.
Privacy is to Be Celebrated: Once you got past the initial thought of giving up cookies, you started to realize that this is a good overall move for companies to build trust with consumers across all industries. It’s a beautiful thing to personalize experiences and predict some consumer behaviors, but not at the expense of your customers feeling that they have lost all control over their buying decisions.
You’re Headed in the Right Direction: First-party data should still be your priority. It’s likely that this topic will be decided by legislators or a court case, rather than by Google. You certainly haven’t seen the last twist and turn in the path to emphasizing user control and choice over companies’ data mining.
We love everything about this cookie discussion (The drama! The opportunity to say cookie!), so if you have questions about how this affects your digital marketing strategy, contact us. SJC Marketing is here to help you navigate third-party cookies and every other part of your marketing strategy.