The Crumbling Cookies: Getting Ready for the Future
For some people, the phrase “cookieless future” won’t be unfamiliar. After all, Google already declared that they would gradually stop using third-party cookies in their Chrome browser. Advertisers were initially concerned about the unknowns that this would introduce to the digital marketing world, but a lot has changed since that initial announcement.
Google delayed the implementation of these modifications in order to get the approval of businesses and government regulators. By the end of 2023, third-party cookies will no longer be supported on the Google Chrome browser, according to a recent announcement from Google. (Remember, this is the year!) In addition to Google’s disclosure, Apple has made several adjustments that greatly reduce the value of Identifiers for Advertisers (IDFAs). These factors, taken together, have raised concerns among marketers across all industries about a world without cookies.
But what can you specifically anticipate from these changes, and how can you appropriately optimize your business in the midst of everything?
What Does “Phasing Out Cookies” Mean?
It’s crucial to understand that not all cookies are going away. (Yay!) First-party cookies will continue to exist. First-party cookies are used to remember things like user preferences, login information, and other settings. If you are unfamiliar with them, they are created by the website a user is viewing. These cookies are kept on the user’s computer and are only accessible to the website that created them for analysis.
First-party cookies will not be phased out, and they are also the most trustworthy source of information you can use to track website user activity, send targeted messages, and provide relevant content for your dealership.
On the other hand, third-party cookies are made by a domain other than the one the user is now viewing. They are used to offer customized ads and track people across other websites. Any website that employs third-party cookies may access the user’s device to access the third-party cookies. A third-party cookie is used, for instance, when you look for a new umbrella online and subsequently see umbrella ads all over the next ten websites you visit.
Third-party cookies are used for tracking and advertising, whereas first-party cookies are ultimately utilized to enhance the user experience.
The gradual removal of third-party cookies implies that websites will no longer be able to follow users’ online activities and present customized advertisements. Advertisers will instead need to target visitors using different strategies. To target customers after the cookie apocalypse, it will be essential to use non-cookie identifiers like email addresses.
Many companies are refocusing their marketing efforts on gathering enormous volumes of precise, usable client data. This is wonderful news for many dealers since it allows them to use first-party data in their DMS to not only improve marketing outcomes but also increase customer loyalty, profitability, and market demand.
Without Cookies Optimization
As the day draws closer when third-party cookies will no longer be used, it is clear that dealers and other companies must understand how to use their consent-based first-party data to concentrate their ad spending on reliable websites and apps. Nobody wants to be exposed as relying solely on these cookies to reach consumers who are actually interested in their products. Businesses and auto dealers alike need to get ready for the disappearance of third-party cookies by
Constructing a first-party data approach Your dealership may provide more individualized experiences by using first-party data to better understand its customers.
Investigating alternate targeting strategies: Start looking into strategies like cohort-based targeting or contextual advertising.
Online advertisements that are displayed in context are those that are relevant to the webpage being viewed.
Advertising that targets groups of consumers with similar traits or behaviors is known as cohort-based advertising.
Privacy should be a top priority for your dealership, and you should be open and honest about how you gather and handle data.
Keep up with the newest trends in the advertising sector and be ready to adjust as needed by staying informed.
Be inventive, quick advice. Your click-through rates and conversions can be significantly increased by making sure that your dealership’s advertisements are distinctive, attention-grabbing, and engaging.
Test, test, test is a bonus tip. And keep trying. Test out various targeting techniques to find which ones are most effective for your dealership’s audience. Then, using first-party data and other options for third-party cookies, you may expand on these techniques to continuously enhance your advertising performance.
Coming Out of the Crumbles
Despite the fact that, without the glitzy functions and advantages of third-party cookies, the future of advertising may at first appear bleak, there is actually a lot to get excited about amid the confusion. Many companies and advertisers have been duped by third-party cookies into thinking that more targeting equates to more relevant ads and better business results (oops, we want quality, not quantity). These third-party tactics are not always successful, especially for dealerships that might be able to use first-party data.
Many advertising-related expenditures decrease without third-party cookies, but their profitable business consequences increase. More specifically, direct marketing that interacts 1:1 with an individual will yield better results for advertisers than ads displayed on millions of websites to both humans and machines. Additionally, this will lessen the necessity for privacy-harming data collection and the additional expenses associated with audience segments, fraud detection, brand safety detection, and other targeting characteristics. In fact, the “cookieless future” looks promising.
It’s a good idea to educate yourself on the data your current digital advertising suppliers utilize, as this change is quickly approaching. First-party data is almost always more trustworthy and impactful than third-party data, so being comfortable with those targeting strategies can only make you more prepared going forward. We will continue to provide dealerships with updates and support as Google works more assiduously toward its third-party cookie-free operations.
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