After years of back and forth between Google and regulatory agencies, news finally arrived yesterday that Google is canceling plans to kill third-party cookies in Chrome.
Not surprisingly, advertisers had something to say about that.
Reactions ranged from dismay to relief. Many see it as good news for advertisers, while others have a different opinion.
Most importantly, they ask us to maintain a first-party data and privacy policy with our customers.
Suspicion and lack of surprise
Niki Grant, a paid media expert, said she had always suspected a magical world in 2024 where third-party cookies didn’t work, so she wasn’t surprised by the news:
- “Those of us who have had to actively hunt for alternatives know the limitations of many cookie-free solutions, and I think privacy issues related to third-party cookies are often overblown. I am strong first!
- “It seemed good for the likes of Google to be active in finding an alternative, but I’d be surprised if they knew of an alternative that worked in a few years. The evidence is will be the pudding of Chrome’s use; in the meantime, I appreciate Google’s sloppy ‘make do and mend’ solution to save face.”
Also not surprised by Google’s change is Julie Bacchini, president and founder, Neptune Moon:
- “Google’s ad ecosystem (and all ad platforms to be fair) is so dependent on data from cookies that it’s hard to imagine how the platform as we know it could function without it. and cookie data. There are still a lot of questions around what they mean by giving users more control. In the next few years or next year!
Gildner, co-founder of Discosloth, compared this to the legend of “The Boy Who Ced Wolf”:
- “Google always seems to announce upcoming changes, then push back the date or abandon projects altogether. That’s how they try to persuade users (who otherwise wouldn’t care) to adopt new technology . They did it with GA4 and they will do it with something else.”
Paid search expert Sarah Stemen says Google’s delay in eliminating third-party cookies is probably a strategy:
- “As a major browser owner, Google is under scrutiny for unscrupulous behavior. The proposed Privacy Box, while marketed as a privacy-enhancing tool, likely raises the bar for competitors. This could lead to less competition and more market consolidation in the ad tech industry.
- “By delaying the degradation of cookies, Google buys itself time to improve the Privacy Sandbox or make its effects less transparent. The other way around is that they don’t have a solution, but I think it might be a delay.”
Blessings and positive thoughts
Asher Mirza, a digital marketing and performance expert, says it’s good news to wake up as a performance marketer and dread it as a customer.
- “It seems that the big team has moved on a lot with the new era of privacy and realized that it will be a loss for everyone and decided to make this big U-Turn. What a time to work in a business where no one can decide what will happen tomorrow.”
Sophie Fell, director of paid media, Two Trees PPC, said this is good news for advertisers because many still don’t fully understand their first-party data and this has proven to be a major barrier to see.
- “I think the question is, ‘What’s next?’ It will be interesting to see what percentage of Android and Chrome users the privacy toggle is taking up, and how that affects the target audience. For example, people under the age of 55+ will change their privacy settings, so advertising to this group of cookies will be easier than advertising.
Digital marketer Brett Bodofsky wondered if the same audience would return now.
- “Google Ads has dropped the same people because of third-party cookie restrictions. Now that the plan has ended I would hate to see those come back. I understand there have been complaints to help account for their performance. But to be honest, I loved the same audience.”
Digital marketing expert Robert Brady said getting rid of the deadline (which was always pushed back) is a good thing.
- “Google has to manage expectations and there is a lot of uncertainty from management organizations and technology itself to set a firm date for the removal of cookies. I fully expect that Google will continue the effort they see.”
Mixed feelings/need to adapt
John Gbemileke Adeoti, head of growth marketing, Expedier, said the news was disappointing and relieved.
- “I felt relieved that I could put my worries to rest. But we are disappointed that advertisers and brands do not need to go through these many changes in a short period of time. I mean, when you think how many brands and sellers are struggling to get from UA to GA4! Big tech needs to do better than play with our time and effort, frankly. ”
Veronika Höller, head of global research, Tresorit, says the privacy debate won’t end anytime soon, adding that having an alternative (like Privacy Box) doesn’t guarantee it will work .
- “The real issue should be empowering users to share their data voluntarily, for a personalized experience. It’s about building trust, brand awareness, and thinking outside the box. We’re not We should expect the data to be handed to us on a silver platter. Most of it is already there, scattered across the different platforms we use. each one should not be a disaster.
- “And even if Google decides to pull the plug entirely — which, let’s face it, is always a possibility — we’ll be ready. At the end of the day, we control what users share with That happens best when we tell the truth, highlight the benefits, integrate data sources, and communicate directly with our audience.
- “Instead of waiting for incomplete analytics and whining about it, let’s wait. Let’s build relationships and get that data. It’s a more sustainable and rewarding approach.”
Meanwhile, Navah Hopkins, brand evangelist, Optmyzr, said that advertisers have indeed “won” the game of chicken with Google, but:
- “It doesn’t change the fact that the privacy world exists with GDPR, CCPA, and other regulatory issues. Because we have an expansion in our ability to monitor internet traffic, see users (who rely on devices) across multiple devices and locations, it doesn’t change the fact that most markets have adopted early privacy rules and regulations.
- “Just because Chrome offers an extension doesn’t mean other channels will follow. So while we can all laugh, smile, and be happy that cookies are “here to stay”, people shouldn’t be complacent. So here are three important things that every user should do to prepare for the world of privacy-first regardless of whether cookies are present or not:
- Create permission in everything you do.
- Make sure your participants understand that the reporting process will depend on the ad channel and tools.
- Think outside of Google and Chrome. ”
We emphasize first-party data and privacy
Digital marketing expert Nicholas James said that Google’s change was expected for several reasons, including the unfinished state of the Privacy Policy and with this process, it is still unclear that how will it affect its use.
- “However, improving your first-party strategies is still important, as success in this area will identify true leaders in the evolving digital environment.”
Fraser Andrews, head of global research, JLR, said he sees this as a similar development to the approval process v2.
- “Ultimately it will be very beneficial for advertisers to have access to consented data (as long as they actually do something with it!) So my suggestion remains – get access to consented data and learn how to making the most of it to improve performance.”
Heinz Meyer, director and owner, Orris Digital, said the media is taking a bit too extreme a stance on the issue.
- “Google is not removing the ban on third-party cookies in Chrome, it is giving users the option to choose third-party cookies. Therefore, my advice is: prepare for a world without cookies other people like us before.”
Industry wide implications
Marketing strategist Reid Thomas said this is an acknowledgment by Google and the IAB as a whole that there is no tracking solution without cookies.
- “Non-cookie information, due to the efforts of non-major DSP browsers, has not yet started. In fact, Google has worked with privacy authorities and media advocates to try to find a solution, and has not been able to.
- “For advertisers, I would continue to treat the world as if cookies no longer work. For ~30% of users, they already are (Safari, especially mobile; Firefox; Opera; and some Edge users). For others, recent data show that cookie-based targeting has a poor ROI (Ahmadi et al 2023) and is generally less accurate than random targeting (Neumann et al. al 2022).
- “Basically, this is to suggest that there is no ‘new cookie’ and that rethinking how we reach the audience should happen, rather than celebrating that the ‘good days’ the old one is back.
Lisa Erschbamer, director, digital marketing at Proficio, says she’s not surprised that Google can’t make it work in a way that’s profitable for them (and without losing media budgets to the network). other advertising colors).
- But: Many people know the details and the secret and I hope that many PPC experts have started to think outside of Google Ads, considering it as part of the whole strategy that it is. So it’s not all bad. ”
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