Google’s U-turn on Cookie Deprecation: What changed from 2019 to 2024?

Why Was That Change Made?

Google’s decision to backtrack on its plans for removing cookies was influenced by the following:

1. Regulatory pressure – competing authorities raising concerns about Google’s dominance in online advertising.
2. Industry readiness – Many advertisers and publishers were not ready for this switch.
3. Technical challenges – It is difficult to develop viable alternatives for third-party cookies.
4. Economic impact – Revenue loss may occur among both publishers and advertisers.
5. Current Status of Third-Party Cookies

As of 2024, third-party cookies are still active on Google Chrome, which is the world’s most popular web browser. However, Safari and Firefox among other major browsers have already implemented. Restrictions on third-party cookies. In anticipation of eventual cookie deprecation, the digital advertising industry is looking into different methods for tracking and targeting.

Recommendations for Publishers

Publishers should prepare for a future without cookies, despite Google’s temporary reprieve:

• Invest in first-party data collection strategies

First-party data is information collected directly from your audience through your owned channels. This data is critical because it’s more accurate, compliant with privacy regulations, and does not rely on third-party cookies. Publishers should concentrate on deepening relationships with their users and audiences by:

• Introducing user registration and login systems
• Providing personalized content or services in return for data such as newsletters
• Conducting surveys and utilizing feedback forms
• Analyzing onsite behavior and preferences

Through strong first-party data strategies, publishers can still deliver targeted ads and personalized experiences in the absence of third-party cookies.

• Explore contextual advertising solutions

Rather than relying on personal data, contextual advertising targets ads based on the content of the webpage. This approach is becoming increasingly sophisticated thanks to AI and advancements in machine learning technology. Publishers should:

• Invest in tools that can accurately categorize and tag content
• Collaborate with contextual advertising platforms
• Educate advertisers about contextual targeting benefits
• Create content strategies that attract highly valuable contextually based ads.

Contextual advertising has relevant ad experiences without using personal information to rely upon by which to build them while still providing a privacy-friendly alternative to cookie-based targeting.

• Implement alternative identification methods

• Email-Based IDs: Users are encouraged to provide their email addresses and use them as a way of identifying them across platforms.
• Unified ID Solutions: Get involved in the industry like in Unified ID 2.0 initiatives
• Device Fingerprinting: Some publishers are looking into this option although it remains controversial
• Cohort-Based Targeting: It is similar to Google’s Federated Learning Of Cohorts (FLoC)

These methods can help continue some level of personalized advertising in a post-cookie world. Stay informed about Privacy Sandbox developments and other industry initiatives

• Utilize a best-in-class AdServer to leverage all the above

Google Ad Manager 360 enables publishers to implement these recommendations across both direct and programmatic advertising channels.

• First-Party Audience Tool: Build, manage, and target your 1st-party audiences to create privacy-compliant, targeted ad experiences.
• Secure Signal Sharing: Safely share audience signals with demand partners while maintaining strict data security and compliance standards.
• Publisher-Provided Signals (PPS): Categorize publisher contextual and audience data into industry-standard (IAB) segments, allowing for more valuable programmatic bid requests. This tool helps publishers maintain audience relevance while managing privacy settings for cookieless browsing.

To Summarize:

The journey toward the end of cookies has been circuitous, with many announcements, postponements and unexpected turns. Although Google’s recent backtrack on phasing out third-party cookies may provide temporary relief, it still holds much uncertainty as to what the new privacy framework in Chrome will look like. It is now clear though that the writing is on the wall: The digital advertising ecosystem is moving towards a more privacy-focused future.

Publishers should be quick to take actions that will enable them to ride through this post-cookie era such as changing their revenue models, diversifying data strategies and trying new targeting approaches. However, in today’s ever-changing digital landscape, one fact remains unchanged; adaptiveness and innovation are what will make organizations successful in finding a balance between monetization, personalization and privacy. The discussion about killing cookies may have taken a break, but there is no such thing as pausing the progress towards a more private, secured web.

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