Google's announcement that it will block third-party cookies across its Chrome browser by 2022 has sent shock waves through the advertising world. Starting in February of 2020, Google began limiting cross-site tracking as a first step towards eliminating cookies. While this is not entirely new as Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox have done similar things, Google's move represents the final nail in the coffin for cookies.
The beginning of the end:
We saw the beginning of the end as new privacy laws began to pop up in the US and Europe. It started with GDPR in 2018 and CCPA legislation to give consumers greater control and transparency into how their data is used. Tech giants took a strong stand to get ahead of the changes and the oncoming cookie-free movement. Apple implemented a new Intelligent Tracking Prevention (IPT) program, and Safari placed restrictions on cookies based on the frequency of use, purging cookies entirely after 30 days of disuse.
It worked: since GDPR became law, the number of cookies deployed per webpage declined from about 80 in April to about 60 in July. Additionally, the number of third-party cookies found on news websites (major advertising publishers) in Europe decreased by 22%, according to a study by Reuters Institute.
Growth at any price?
Google's decision to eliminate cookies once and for all, however, raises significant questions about a future without cookies and will force advertising companies to rethink their business strategy and advertisers to shift the online buying strategies they have been honing for over 20 years. With new challenges come fresh opportunities. But the challenges must be met carefully, not blindly. Without cookies, improper targeting of customers and off-target messaging can contribute to ineffective buys and high CAC at a time when a profitable acquisition strategy is most needed.
The unclear path ahead:
With no clear picture of what tactics are working and which are not, it would be foolish to push blindly ahead, hoping something works. Without cookies, we are already seeing current digital campaigns failing. ROAS (return on ad spend) from digital campaigns have already started to fall from "good" (ROAS is $4 to $1) to average (average ROAS is $2 to $1.) Similarly, Google forecasts that without cookies, average publisher revenue will decrease by 52%.
Any retargeting, abandon cart tracking and website behavior tracking that relies on cookies will be essentially eliminated by January 2022. The good news is that there are ad-serving platforms that do not rely on cookies, as well as strategies to work around them. For example, using dedicated landing pages unique to each ad campaign, then running a retargeting campaign against visitors of that dedicated landing page.
We recommend all Clients check-in with their vendors for managing online ads to get an update on any campaigns that may be affected and their plans to solve.
A better product:
Nearly all ad tech and martech platforms use cookies for targeting, retargeting, display advertising and behavioral marketing. So, what can marketers and advertisers do without third-party cookies? Without a significant source of first-party data, remarketing and relevant ad personalization could become a thing of the past.
Advertisers are seeking a better platform that will remove the worries around cookies instead use unique identifiers for greater accountability. This system would track emails, phone calls, videos, audio messaging, search engines, and social media to ensure that your advertising meets its intended audience. It would significantly lower your CAC — often as much as 60% or more — by serving timely and relevant messages that convert consumers to customers.
Imagine seeing a prospective customer's entire digital journey, from inception to first sale, across multiple devices (offline to online) and how each step performs in real-time – all without cookies. Imagine your digital campaigns achieving a ROAS of $20 to $1 and more!
Sound too good to be true? Schedule a demo and see it for yourself!
Our solution:
We track the progress of your campaigns for the lifetime of the campaign and eliminate the need for cookies. Using our IP Capture technology, we can track your buyers across all channels and networks in real-time. (Rather than using proxies like cookies, the first-party authentication improves audiences' quality and accuracy, so advertisers have added confidence in who they are reaching with their ad campaigns.) Our solution includes tracking for a campaign's life without being erased and taking every aspect of digital marketing and tying it together under one holistic system.
Depth of mapping:
Our depth of mapping techniques quickly reallocates money spent with pin-point accuracy away from non-productive areas, lowering your CAC and staying within budget. Programmatic is smart, but we're smarter. Our team combines the power of artificial intelligence algorithms with manual optimization focusing on making sure that our technology is getting you the most out of your digital ad money spent.
Full journey attribution:
We don't just see the last click. Our systems allow us to see the entire consumer journey from start to finish. We know what they are searching for and how they get there. Our attribution system provides for the most effective optimization of the keywords used by customers during their search. (We optimize search terms and placement.)
The highest ROAS possible:
We know who and where your buyers are. We understand what your buyers are searching for. Our real-time metrics allow changes to be made as fast as customers change their minds. We use a 'real-time' bidding system tied to 'IP' addresses– this associates prospective customers' "intent" to purchase or commit to a specific desired action.
Want to be prepared for the cookie-less future? Our technology extends well beyond cookies — capturing invaluable cross-network, cross-device attribution in real-time. We offer results greater than "Good" - We've delivered ROAS as high as 3,000%.
The most accurate data is always real-time data, and you want current data across all channels and devices and want the industry's most detailed reporting. In that case, Unlike Omnicom or Google 360, we deliver and show a greater depth of data on how prospective customers perceive, interact, and convert online from inception to sale.
We'll show you and your teams how our 'cutting-edge' technology will improve campaign management. You'll achieve better marketing efficiencies, increase ROI, and better actionable reporting, and we can prove ourselves within only a 120-day test.
To schedule a live demo, click here.
