It’s finally happening.
After years of talk and planning, Google will finally begin its first step to phase out third-party cookies.
The tech giant announced that on January 4, 2024, it will be disabling third-party cookies for one percent, or 30 million, of its global Chrome users. Google plans to completely disable third-party cookies for users by the latter half of 2024.
As a publisher, this means that you need to adapt to this new reality. And fast.
In this article, we’ll explain the ramifications of a cookieless world and what you as a publisher can do make sure your ad revenue remains strong.
Why Going Cookieless Will Affect Publisher Revenue
Your ad revenue is directly tied to the prices advertisers are ready to shell out.
When users engage more with an ad on your site, advertisers are willing to pay more for your ad space. The absence of third-party cookies makes it more difficult for you to deliver personalized ads, diminishing the ads’ effectiveness.
As a result, advertisers may rethink the amount they’re willing to spend on displaying their ads, directly impacting your overall revenue.
Why You Shouldn’t Panic
You’re probably feeling pretty anxious right now, and for good reason.
However, it’s important to keep this in mind: advertisers still want and NEED to advertise!
Brands still need to promote their products and deliver results; the removal of third-party cookies isn’t going to change that.
What will change are the available tools through which you can serve ads on your website.
Alternatives to Third-Party Cookies
- Privacy Sandbox
- Increased First-Party Data
- Utilizing Second Party-Data
- Alternative IDs
- Contextual Targeting
Privacy Sandbox
The Privacy Sandbox is Google’s alternative to cookies. It’s a comprehensive framework of open standards and technologies designed to offer users more control over their data while still enabling customized advertising without compromising their privacy.
The Privacy Sandbox incorporates advanced features such as Publisher Provided Identifiers (PPIDs), which use encrypted identifiers to ensure user anonymity, and Publisher Provided Signals (PPS), which help leverage first-party data and contextual data.
Additionally, it utilizes Trust Tokens API that enable websites and apps to authenticate users without gathering their personal data.
Alternative IDs
Alternative IDs are unique identifiers that replicate the same information provided by cookies, but in a secure way.
Unlike third-party cookies, alternative IDs are assigned by the websites or apps themselves and not the advertisers. The type of alternative ID used may vary based on the context and the specific requirements of the publisher.
One of the most prominent alternative IDs available is ID5 ID, which is an encrypted first-party data ID that enables tracking user activity across multiple devices and platforms, based on user consent. Furthermore, it is compliant with GDPR and CCPA regulations, and can be easily reset or deleted at any time.
Contextual Targeting
Contextual targeting, implemented by companies like Outbrain and Taboola, focuses on the content of the page or app that the user is currently viewing. This approach considers factors such as keywords on a page and article topic to present relevant ads to users, improving the overall effectiveness of advertising.
Furthermore, contextual targeting helps to reduce the number of irrelevant ads that users may encounter, which can improve their experience while browsing.
Increased First-Party Data Solutions
When it comes to gathering information about users, nothing is more valuable than first-party data. This type of data is collected directly from the user themselves, making it the most accurate and trustworthy source of information.
One way to gather first-party data is through a login system. By allowing users to create an account and log in, you can collect and store information about them directly on your server. This information can then be used to personalize the user experience, including the content and ads that are shown to them.
Another effective method of collecting first-party data is through interactive content such as surveys or polls. By asking users about their interests, preferences, and demographics, you can build detailed user profiles that can be used to provide more personalized ads and content.
By utilizing first-party data, you can better understand your users and deliver a more tailored experience, all while maintaining their trust and privacy.
Utilizing Second-Party Data
In the world of data collection, second-party data is data collected by one source and shared with another source.
For instance, an e-commerce website might collect first-party data about their customers’ purchase history, which they could then share with a partner website or third-party advertiser as second-party data.
By sharing data in this way, publishers can expand their reach and access to larger, more diverse data sets than they would be able to collect on their own. This can ultimately lead to more effective and relevant advertising for their target audience.
However, it’s crucial to ensure that data is shared only with trusted partners and in compliance with all relevant privacy regulations to avoid any misuse of personal information.
Which Alternative Approach Works Best?
The best approach is using a combination of the various alternatives.
In addition, it’s always important to have your ear to the ground because the ad tech world is pouring a significant amount of resources into developing more alternatives to third-party cookies. And you don’t want to be left behind.
It always helps to partner with a Google Certified Publishing Partner (GCPP) like Adnimation, which lives and breathes technology and will ensure that you are using all the available cookie alternatives.
If you’re interested in learning more about cookie alternatives, or just want a free consultation, feel free to contact us today.
