Are data privacy changes making it harder for you to manage, execute and measure successful marketing and advertising campaigns? If so, you aren’t alone. Research conducted by HubSpot suggests that a huge 84% of marketers were affected by this issue in 2023, leaving some concerned about what they should do next.

The same study confirms that 81% of marketers continue to rely on third-party cookies, even as we move ever closer to a cookieless world and 76% believe sunsetting cookies will make their roles that much harder.

If you still haven’t considered how to reduce your reliance on third-party cookies, we’re here to help you take steps towards first-party data to gain a competitive edge.

Why are cookies falling out of favour?

Cookies have been a vital tool for advertisers and marketers for years, but their usefulness has faced huge challengers as consumers have become more concerned about their privacy and security online.

With a greater consumer awareness of cookies and their ability to track activity has come a greater reluctance to be tracked. As a result, cookie use has declined with some browsers, apps and platforms sunsetting this essential marketing technology.

Google Chrome has so far been the one notable exception, but that’s about to change. Cookie use has been restricted for 1% of Chrome users since the start of 2024. Moving forwards, users will be given a choice about cookie usage and how they are tracked online.

The numbers:

• 68% of global consumers are somewhat or very concerned about maintaining their privacy online
• Over a third of consumers say they would no longer trust a company who shared their data with other businesses
• 64% of consumers feel they can trust businesses who are upfront about their privacy policies
• Less than 1 in 3 consumers understand how their personal data is protected by companies with access to it

(source)

What alternatives do you have?

Whether you’re an advertiser looking to measure effectiveness of your campaigns, or a digital marketer using cookies for attribution, there’s a clear alternative to third-party cookies that you can (and should) embrace. Sooner rather than later.

That alternative is your own first-party data.

Your own data is a treasure-trove of intel. It’s also something that you have free and unrestricted access to, and that you can grow and develop over time.

You can gather first-party data from a wide range of interactions your prospects and clients have with your business. This could include repeat purchase data for example, location data or customer feedback.

Additional sources which you may not be leveraging to their fullest extent include customer surveys, social media monitoring, email engagement rates and website analytics.

Our exceptional data scientists can empower your business to turn your data into a clear competitive advantage. Speak to us today to find out more about moving away from third-party marketing cookies and into an entirely new era of excellence.