Q: Is post-cookie advertising going to work?
A: Post-cookie advertising will require a major shift for many organizations used to relying on third-party data. To make post-cookie advertising work, marketers will need to:
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Amplify first-party data
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Assess privacy and security
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Test new targeting options
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Evaluate their martech
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Plan to spend more time on audience modeling
Post-cookie advertising presents a challenge for companies that have long relied on third-party data to create customized experiences for potential customers. You may be wondering what cookieless advertising will look like when Google completes cookie deprecation in 2023.
Your post-cookie advertising strategy may look different from others, and certainly will evolve as you test ideas and measure what works. In any case, to make post-cookie advertising work for your goals and metrics, you need a game plan with several key components.
Amplify first-party data
Most companies already collect some first-party data. Take a look at how you already collect information directly from your customers and consider how you can put it to use. You may find opportunities to collect more accurate and meaningful first-party data to replace your current third-party sources while still meeting critical KPIs.
Assess privacy and security
The more data you collect, the more important your security and governance framework becomes. If you don’t already have a comprehensive data governance process in place, be sure to budget time and expertise to build and implement a trustworthy model.
Test new targeting options
Proposals for new wave targeting continue to emerge, but you may find that these options aren’t yet mature enough for your purposes. It’s worth your time to invest in small experiments with cohorts, universal IDs, and the like to discover if new targeting options are a good fit for your brand without making a major investment up-front.
Evaluate your martech
Your tech stack may need some adjustments as you shift your customer data strategy. Depending on the extent of upgrades and changes required, you might find that different tools and platforms would serve you more effectively. If you’re not sure how to evaluate the costs and benefits of a major change, consider bringing in tech-agnostic consulting for help.
Plan to spend more time on audience modeling
As you think about what post-cookie advertising will take, don’t forget to factor in new demands on your marketing team. For example, without third-party cookies, marketers should plan to spend more time on audience modeling. Using primarily first-party data should ultimately make your customer profiles more accurate and complete but building and refining those models will require a larger percentage of marketing time.
Start now
Regardless of how your company decides to pivot, the key to succeeding at post-cookie advertising is planning ahead. With so many factors and unknowns, the best time to build your roadmap for a new customer data strategy is now.
Wondering how to shift your marketing tactics for post-cookie advertising? Learn more about cookie deprecation and how to start changing your strategy >>