Challenge? OR a blessing in disguise?

Perhaps the most significant disadvantage is that cookies don’t make the cut when users switch devices, change browsers or  blocking them.

This means a user profile can only be as information-rich as their willingness to stick to a device or keep accepting cookies. However, advertisers’ budgets can be wasted when customer journeys are interrupted.

Moreover, cookies aren’t flawless in retargeting ads. Personalized ads experiences require unifying data across adtech platforms to identify the users. Unfortunately, unifying data in cookie-based targeting comes with an Achilles heel. When dealing with a considerable volume of data, it often appears only 60% of the data is synced successfully. This leads to unsuitable matches, ultimately retargeting some audiences with the wrong content later on.

Where from here?

While 3rd-party cookies are out, non-invasive first-party data are all-in. This presents both short and long-term solutions. For the time being, advertisers could contemplate strategies to help them leverage 1st-party data. To the longer end, data management platforms such as Permutive have tested the contextual mapping of audience segments with common interests from 1st-party data. 2nd-party data, used in similar ways, could also be obtained by paying or collaborating with other companies.

Advertisers could continue diversifying ad campaigns across channels less affected by the 3rd-party cookie ban due to technology differences. A 2021 survey by Kantar revealed improved ad equity across online channels such as mobile online games, music streaming apps, podcast ads etc. While mobile apps utilize ad identifiers, the chances are that users might accept ads across these channels.

Survey findings of 1,030 consumers across the US reiterated that although ads are perceived as intrusive, audiences do have preferences in what they see. It indicates a degree of acceptance associated with online ads, which could be improved with non-invasive targeting. Once again, the issue appears to be how advertisers deal with personal data. Users could willingly share relevant information to enhance their own ads experience under a transparent program. Google’s Privacy Sandbox, which allows ad targeting with major developments in protecting user privacy and preventing fraud, is a step in that direction. A mutually agreed-upon advertising framework could do wonders.

Ahmed Siffat Naveel Nur is the newest partner at Samale Iinstitute and Marketing Intent. This is the 2nd part of his blog entry. Check out his story at https://samale.so/ and www.marketingintentworkshops. Ty for the read.