Thanks, Google – but we’re keeping these 5 post-cookie initiatives

The dust has still settled after Google’s abrupt change at the end of July in favor of cookies (they are there for an indefinite period).

And now ?

Advertisers’ reactions ranged from disbelief to pure relief.

That’s right: the cookies that remain will help us provide more data to work with. But, for several reasons, the cookies in their future state will be a bit like Voldemort with his Horcruxes dismantled one by one: weakened and moving closer to extinction.

Let’s be honest. Third-party cookies have never been perfect, even at their best.

Chrome aside, the fact that some browsers (e.g. Firefox) started automatically blocking third-party cookies some time ago is just one of many important and known flaws. And as Chrome prepares to offer a much more direct option for users to opt out of tracking, third-party cookies will become significantly less trustworthy.

Now, we don’t really know yet how Google will roll out the opt-out process or if it will have any tricks to get people to opt-in. There is a big variable in user behavior given what the unsubscribe process looks like and how people react. The impact of the opt-out process could be limited to cookies or could have a larger impact – at this stage we are only speculating.

Given all of this, what I’m focusing on with my clients isn’t really about cookies – yes, I will appreciate the data we continue to get, even if the magnitude of that data decreases. But the approach we recommend going forward boils down to:

• Server-side tracking to collect first-party data
• Implementation of advanced platform analytics (improved conversions, CAPI, offline conversion tracking) and consolidation of CRM data
• Test different ways of thinking about attribution
• Align with North Star KPIs
• Keep a close eye on industry news and trends

Let’s take a closer look at each.

1. Server-side tracking

Third-party cookies (which make all the noise) collect data on the browser side; All data you get from third-party cookies in browsers like Chrome is third-party data. Because you don’t have this data, you risk having the rug pulled out from under you.

Server-side tracking, on the other hand, which you can collect by setting up CDPs and/or Google Tag Manager server-side tracking, uses first-party cookies to collect the data you have.

Server-side tracking is a newer and lesser-known initiative. It’s more complicated than setting up tracking with third-party cookies. But even if third-party cookies persist, browser limitations leave advertisers vulnerable to data gaps like:

• Browser crash.
• Data Privacy Regulation.
• Cookie deletion deadlines.
• Cross-browser activity.
• Privacy rules.

Server-side tracking bypasses these limitations and any client-side ad blockers. It’s an investment that allows you to improve your data and the accuracy of your conversion tracking.

Be sure to research your options for collecting server-side data – including, if you don’t have the in-house resources, partnering with a vendor or agency that has already helped brands through the process.

2. Advanced Platform Analytics

One of the benefits of Google’s almost comically long “endangered species” cookie phase is that platforms and advertisers have had time to implement alternative tracking solutions.

Whether it’s Google’s enhanced conversions, CAPI Meta and LinkedIn models, or offline conversion tracking that integrates CRM data into ad platforms, advertisers have more ways than just a few years ago to understand the real impact of online actions on pipeline and revenue in any vertical.

If you haven’t set up Enhanced Conversions or CAPI, even if cookies persist, prioritize putting them online.

With or without cookies, they provide auction algorithms with more and richer data to work with to identify high-value users with a propensity to take the actions you most want them to take.

The other piece is making sure your CRM is set up well enough to be a solid point of truth (don’t not count on the platforms to give you an unbiased cross-channel image). This means having a system to clean and segment your data and feed it back into platforms on a regular and consistent basis.

3. A broader perspective on analysis

Even when third-party cookies were more intact, they couldn’t tell you which purchases or engagements were incremental or give you an idea of ​​how your media mix could be optimized to generate more revenue.

If you haven’t experimented with impact testing to gauge the real impact of your ads (I like well-structured geographic impact testing for this), it’s something to put on your roadmap. Same with MMM testing tools (Meta’s Robyn, for example, requires development resources but is otherwise free to use) which can familiarize you with the concept of using historical media data to refine your budget allocations.

These are two initiatives that measure very different things from cookies, and they can help you understand where and how to spend your money more effectively.

4. Alignment with KPIs

Cookies or not, it’s even more common than you think to encounter brands that focus on too many KPIs or are simply not aligned on the most important goal.

Without consensus on which KPIs are most important to develop or improve, talking about cookie tracking is like putting the cart before the horse.

5. Tracking News and Trends

It’s been hard to miss some of this year’s headlines, even if you don’t start your day with a cup of coffee and a few minutes with your favorite industry media outlets.

But it’s important to look beyond the headlines of what’s happening to assess how it affects similar organizations, And which could happen in the not so distant future.

• Find sources (outlets or individuals) you trust.
• Stay in close contact as news and trends emerge.
• Do the work to predict how you can be more effective in your job, whether as an individual contributor or as a team leader who needs to ensure their organization has well-rounded skills that will be important 12 to 24 years from now month.

Enjoy the data for now. But…

Make sure you’re developing the skills and systems that will put your analytics future in your hands, not Google’s.

First-party data collection, CRM integrity, advanced analytics, a shared vision for success: I can pretty much guarantee you that all of these will still be relevant when Google finally cuts the cookie cord.

Don’t let cookies linger a little longer give you false hope; they should not be an integral part of your long-term strategy.