This marks the initial step toward the much-anticipated \u2018cookieless future,\u2019 with the complete deprecation of cookies expected by mid-2024.\n\nOur experts share the possible impacts this change may have on your current campaigns and outline the steps you need to take now to get high-performance results in a post-cookie world.<\/p>\n
Google’s 1% Experiment Unveils the Cookieless Era<\/p>\n
Today, January 4th 2024, Google has disabled cookies for 1% of Chrome users and migrated them to the Google Privacy Sandbox – their privacy-friendly approach to targeting and measurement. This move signals the first phase of the long awaited ‘cookieless future’, with the full-scale cookie deprecation anticipated by mid-2024, contingent on insights gleaned from the 1% test.<\/p>\n
As both advertisers and vendors navigate this uncharted territory, this experiment will reveal the tangible impact and reality of what a \u2018cookieless future\u2019 might actually look like.<\/p>\n
A longtime source of privacy concerns, third-party cookies are finally being phased out of the Chrome browser this year. The two main catalysts behind this are:<\/p>\n
Legislation<\/strong>, such as GDPR in the UK and CCPA in California, leading Google to seek alternative solutions.<\/p>\n <\/li>\n The cookie is already crumbling.<\/strong> Increasingly, third parties (looking at you, Apple!) are progressively reducing the effectiveness of cookie tracking.<\/p>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n Identifiers will now be based on groups of browsers rather than unique users meaning the following changes will come into play:<\/p>\n Loss of individual conversion journeys<\/strong><\/p>\n These face a setback as cross-device tracking becomes trickier, making it challenging to tie ad exposure to performance. To address this, Google will use modeling techniques to estimate lost conversions.<\/p>\n <\/li>\n Fragmented retargeting<\/strong><\/p>\n The ability to target users across devices will lose its efficacy, resulting in limited reach for retargeting efforts.<\/p>\n <\/li>\n DV360 Data<\/strong><\/p>\n Campaign data will now be grouped into categories such as “Topics” (broad interest categories). This categorization comes with a limited demographic information.<\/p>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n As ever, Google promises to continue to work on additional measurement solutions for advertisers, as they await the full impact of the changes to become apparent.<\/p>\n While 1% might seem like a modest set of users to test on, with performance potentially influenced by seasonality, it’s crucial to closely monitor the following:<\/p>\n Understanding the total ad exposure an individual receives will become more challenging as a result of cross-device activity.<\/p>\n <\/li>\n Conversion figures might appear to decline as Google loses the ability to track the impact of impressions to conversions for this 1% of Chrome users.<\/p>\n <\/li>\n Anticipate a reduction in the number of impressions advertisers can serve against audiences, as they become harder to identify across devices.<\/p>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n In order to prepare for the wider roll-out of Google’s replacement of cookies with the Privacy Sandbox, there are four essential steps you and your agency should be taking now:<\/p>\n Technically prepare your ad platforms for the change today<\/strong><\/p>\n Ensure your ad platforms are technically ready for the impending change by following the foundational steps outlined by Google.<\/p><\/li>\n Embrace AI solutions to leverage modeling and automation, ensuring ongoing optimization of your ad performance.<\/p><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/li>\n Leverage 1st party data for high-performance results<\/strong><\/p>\n Harness the power of 1PD as a valuable tool for discovering new audiences, retargeting existing ones, and gaining insights into audience demographics.<\/p><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/li>\n Rethink your approach to measurement<\/strong><\/p>\n Lean into holistic measurement solutions including experimentation, Marketing Mix Modelling and brand lift studies.<\/p><\/li>\n Start reviewing performance in aggregate views, focusing on weekly or monthly performance rather than date-based metrics, as granularity in tracking diminishes.<\/p><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/li>\n Strategically consider new ways to reach & convert your audience<\/strong><\/p>\n Adopt contextual-first methodologies to future-proof your strategies, ensuring relevance to your audience in key moments.<\/p><\/li>\n Explore the potential of connected TV, a rapidly expanding tactic that doesn\u2019t rely on cookies, and offers new avenues for reaching and converting your audience.<\/p><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/li>\n <\/ol>\n We will continue to work closely with Google to understand the impact of the cookieless era in real-time. Connect with our featured experts to take advantage of these changes to achieve high-performance results for your brand.<\/p>\n Alice Manly<\/strong><\/p>\n Associate Director, Brainlabs<\/p>\n <\/li>\n Anjlee Majmudar<\/strong><\/p>\n VP, Programmatic Brainlabs<\/p>\n <\/li>\n Alex Glover<\/strong><\/p>\n Programmatic Brainlabs<\/p>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n\n\n\n \n\nPreview Not Working? Open PDF\n<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\nWhat changes does Google\u2019s Privacy Sandbox bring?<\/h2>\n
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How will this impact your current campaigns?<\/h2>\n
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Campaign reach and frequency<\/h4>\n
Conversion numbers<\/h4>\n
Scale achieved by retargeting audiences<\/h4>\n
What should advertisers do now?<\/h2>\n
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Want to learn more?<\/h2>\n
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Strategy & Planning, NAMER<\/p>\n
NAMER<\/p>\n
Product Partner, UK<\/p>\n