How Marketers Can Turn Google's Pause on Cookie Deprecation Into a Win

I’ve been hesitant to write about Google’s July 22, 2024, announcement that it’s canceling third-party cookie deprecation. Why? Because it felt like after so many years of waiting, the MarTech industry should have received more than a “just kidding.” But as I thought about it more, I’m actually fine with it.

For advertisers, the challenges they thought they’d encounter with ad targeting and personalization will not be as severe. They will still have third-party cookie data from those that agree. While it’s still widely believed that cookieless advertising will be the future, the timelines now aren’t so dire.

But what about us, the marketers? How does this impact our work? Well, the good news is, preparation is almost never in vain. Just like overpreparing for a simple exam, the work that marketing departments have done up to this point in time won’t be wasted and will lead to future growth. Here are three big areas marketers can focus on until cookieless marketing and advertising are a reality.

Use third-party data to inform first-party data strategies. Given the extension that Google has afforded brands (yes, third-party cookies will still eventually deprecate), now is a fantastic time to audit several data processes. For example, tech-savvy marketers and their supporting departments can review:

• What data are you currently relying on third-party cookies to collect? If it’s details like user activity, demographic, device, or session data—much of this can be collected with other technologies such as web analytics, digital intelligence, and customer data or data collaboration technologies. Make a plan to add that data variable into first-party data customer profiles.
• For the data that you can’t easily procure, brainstorm how you can replace that third-party data you are/were collecting with a zero-, first-, or second-party data alternative. Can you initiate a program or some sort of value exchange to capture that data in the future? Can it come from a data network, exchange, clean room, or walled garden?
• Because Google Chrome accounts for about 65 to 70 percent of global browsing behavior, assign someone to explore the Privacy Sandbox and what integrations and APIs are available to source from. While Google is giving increased control to consumers to manage what data they emit, there’s no doubt that valuable audience/cohort information will still be available for use by marketers.

Shore up any consumer privacy and trust issues. It’s often said that humans, when not given information, tend to “fill in the blanks.” That is certainly true when it comes to brand data collection and usage. Consumers will assume that their data is being used improperly—if it’s not communicated otherwise. Given the changes that will occur with eventual deprecation, now is the time to solidify several things on the consumer privacy and trust front.

• Collected data: If you aren’t openly and frequently communicating with your customers about what data you collect, how it’s used, and how they can control it—now is the time to begin. Can customers easily see their “customer data profile”? Can I log in to your digital properties, go to my profile, and change my data collection settings? If not, this may be a great feature to implement. Companies like Apple are leading the way when it comes to promoting data transparency through privacy labels in the App Store, a privacy website, and an app privacy report for iOS devices. Additionally, their privacy policy is written in a straightforward and clear manner.
• Shared data: When a brand that I have never interacted with contacts me with an offer or message that is clearly personalized, it’s evident that my personal data has been shared. Where did they get my data and who said they could use it? Just because I provided that data to one brand, doesn’t mean I wanted other brands to use it too. If a brand doesn’t communicate or admit that they have sold your data, trust in that brand decreases significantly. In certain situations, it can be very evident where my data came from—and it’s frustrating as a consumer to receive messages for products and services of which I have no interest because a brand decided to monetize my data, perhaps without my explicit permission. They have in essence made my data the product they are selling. Brands must consider the ramifications of doing this and communicate in a transparent and mindful manner.

Be mindful of consent and preference management. The majority of consumers are very protective of their personal data, with 85 percent of global adults wanting to do more to protect their online privacy. However, obtaining meaningful consent from a consumer to use their data can be challenging. Often, consumers do not fully understand what they are agreeing to when they accept privacy policies or cookie notices. A miseducated or confused consumer can wreak havoc on a brand if they feel deceived—especially in today’s digital social sharing world. Here are a few steps brands can  take to improve their consent and preference management game:

• Make consent requests clear, concise, and easy to understand. No legalese. Explain what data is being collected, how it is obtained, and why your brand needs that data.
• Allow consumers to modify, at a granular level their preferences at any point in time. Similar to the collected data section above, a simple UI with easy-to-navigate settings is a great idea. That way consumers can select if they want their data collected and used for marketing, analysis, personalization, or any or none of the above.
• Regularly review consent and compliance notices and practices to ensure your brand adheres to regulations as they evolve. If you don’t feel your brand can do this on its own, third-party consent management platforms (CMPs) exist to aid in managing user consent and preferences across channels.

While not an exhaustive list, these are a few things that we as marketers can with the time we have been given before full third-party cookie deprecation kicks in. As Google continues to attempt to balance privacy advocates and supporting ad monetization on the internet, we as marketers have been given some time to prepare for the transition, explore the Privacy Sandbox and what it has to offer, and get the data house cleaned up. Good luck!

Jonathan Moran is head of MarTech solutions marketing at SAS, with a focus on customer experience and marketing technologies. Moran has more than 20 years of marketing and analytics industry experience, including roles at Earnix and the Teradata Corporation in presales, consulting, and marketing.

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