Have you heard the news? Third-party cookies are going away. Chrome, Firefox, and Safari will no longer support this type of user tracking by 2022. Third-party cookies have been used to track user behavior across multiple platforms on the internet, which felt like an invasion of privacy for many users. In this blog, we’ll discuss what cookies are and what the phase-out means for the future of marketing.
What are Cookies?
Essentially there are two types of cookies — first-party cookies and third-party cookies. The difference between the two is in which context they are used. The overall purpose of cookies is to remember something about the user at a later time and create a targeted user experience.
-
First-party cookies
First-party cookies are collected by the domain you are visiting. The owner of the website can track data such as language, usernames, and shopping carts. These cookies will continue to work in the same way that they do today.
-
Third-party cookies
Third-party cookies are collected by domains other than the one you are visiting. They are used for cross-site tracking, retargeting, and ad-serving. For example, if a user visits target.com, clicks on a few items, leaves the website, goes to another website, but you see the same exact Target products popping up, that’s third-party cookies working. There are no alternatives for this type of cookie because the user’s privacy is far more important than intrusive tracking.
The Future of Marketing without Third-Party Cookies
If your business uses first-party cookies, minimal adjustments will need to be made. Actually, your business will likely find even more first-party tools to use with the phase-out of third-party cookies. On the other hand, if your business relies on third-party cookies, you will have to make considerable changes to your tracking approach. According to Vizion, businesses should consider using Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC). FLoC utilizes user-based information that protects the privacy of the user. This tool groups users together that have similar online behaviors rather than tracking one person’s data. Businesses can still serve relevant ads while protecting the user’s privacy, which is of the utmost importance.
What’s Next?
So, what’s next for your marketing efforts? Here are a few strategies that we recommend you focus on…
-
Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of optimizing your website to increase its ranking in the search results. If you employ a solid SEO strategy, your site will move up in the organic search results, meaning you will receive free traffic to your website. In the past, SEO focused on search engines and algorithms. Now, it also takes internet users into account, ensuring that people receive high-quality content that matches their intent when searching.
-
Keyword Targeting
When writing content, you should focus on one or two keywords per page. When choosing keywords, you’ll want to go after common words or phrases associated with your business. By doing so, it will help search engines read and understand what your page is about. As a result, the search engine will be able to place it in the most relevant searches. One thing to keep in mind is not to cram in your keywords where they don’t belong — only use them naturally and where they make sense.
-
Relevant Content
Google and other search engines don’t want to deliver people stale content. If your site hasn’t been updated for months or years, it will take a hit in the SEO department. That’s one reason why blogging is so important. When you blog, you update your site with fresh, relevant information. Google and the rest of the search engines will reward you by giving your site a better position in the search results. That, of course, means you can expect to get more traffic.
-
Analyzing Web Reports
Marketers use website analytics to maximize the performance of their websites. With the help of reports, you can make data-driven decisions, identify your online weaknesses and strengths, and understand your audience better. See what works and see what doesn’t, and make changes accordingly.
Closing Thoughts
While the initial announcement of third-party cookies phase-out may have seemed shocking, there are other ways to improve your website and target users. As a marketing agency, we work day-in and day-out to produce relevant content and advertise in an honest and authentic way that has the user’s interest in mind. If you’re unsure about data collecting and what to do next for your business, reach out to us at Transformation Marketing in Lincoln, NE. We have the experience and knowledge to help guide you through this process and make sure that your customers feel secure.
For more information, please call 402-788-2896.