Yes, Google is serious this time. Testing cookie phase-out has begun on Chrome. But, again, marketers and advertisers should not panic.

Let’s see why the end of cookies is not the end of marketing as we know it.

Retargeting Without Cookies Will Cut Out Wasted Ads

I wanted to see how many irrelevant ads are finding their way onto my screen every week.

After I started to investigate, it was obvious the total number of ads being wasted on me would be staggering. So, I’ll give you just a few examples of third-party cookies tracking me:

• Golf.com
• ESPN.com
• GasBuddy.com
• Eofire.com
• Expressmowerparts.com

Any ads I see from those cookie droppings are very unlikely to produce a sale. Anything is possible but…

I do not play golf. Have no desire to start.

Don’t watch any sports now (recovering NFL addict!).

I could not care less what gas costs since I have no choice but to buy it. And saving 4 cents is not crucial in my mind.

Eofire.com? Great podcast – but the last time I listened was at least nine years ago!

Last on the short list involves mower parts, which I don’t need since a guy comes and takes care of that with his mower now. The last lawn mower blade I ordered was over a decade ago, and I hope it stays that way!

Retargeting Without Cookies Reality

Sure, I could change my mind and suddenly become interested in playing golf. Or start trying to fund my retirement with the help of GasBuddy saving me 16 cents a month.

Super unlikely, though. Yet, third-party cookies seem to be the only thing holding the advertising world together if you listen to some people.

How can that be true when the example list of my cookies was just the tip of an irrelevant iceberg? I could list 30 more third-party cookies that are wasting several businesses’ advertising dollars on retargeting me for stuff I have zero desire for.

Those cookies are also leading advertisers down the wrong path for effectively retargeting me.

Some Retargeting Third-Party Cookies are On Point

No question, some cookies stored in my Chrome browser are relevant. I might buy from companies using more recent data since it is more accurate to my current interests.

The problem is, how are businesses and advertisers supposed to know which cookie data is correct? 

Recency isn’t even that reliable. Think about it. How many ads do you see that came along because you clicked an odd link in an email or news article? Something intriguing, but not a topic you are going to spend any real time on afterward.

3 Examples of Retargeting Without Cookies That Are Relevant 

1. One example would be tidbits at the end of Morning Brew or 1440 newsletters. A cool photo link showing a killer whale may lead to seeing ads for SeaWorld or swimming with dolphins at some resort.

2. Another example is accidentally clicking on a link or typing in the wrong address. Third-party cookies stick to your browser, and then you endure retargeting without cookies that are relevant to you at all. 

3. Last example is holiday shopping. How many websites do you visit just to browse for gifts from Black Friday until Christmas Day? And once your shopping is all finished, it’s not like you are going to circle back in March to do next December’s shopping. But you will see ads based on that browsing for months afterward because of third-party cookies.

And you’re right. Some sales will happen using those third-party cookie examples. Showing ads all year could lead to purchases once the next holiday season arrives. But this is not the reliable strategy many people would have you believe. 

Also, since third-party cookies are going to end no matter what, it would make no difference if retargeting cookies were guaranteed to work! Marketers have to move on and start retargeting without cookies. 

That means testing tools like Smart Recognition so you can collect email addresses from your anonymous website visitors. 

It also means improving user experience and getting creative with it. 

Retargeting Without Cookies Using Top-Notch User Experience

When you’re seeking retargeting tactics without cookies, you will see a ton of articles about making more effort to gather first-party data.

And that is solid advice. The information directly given to you by your audience is gold. Pure, relevant gold.

The problem? People are busy. The majority of them are too busy to take the extra step of filling out your survey, for example. 

People’s minds are flooded with a million things to do now that everyone is expected to manage two worlds full-time— the physical world and the online world. 

So, you have to make it worthwhile for them to use their precious moments of free time to fill out your surveys, provide feedback, or even write a review these days.

It’s not impossible. But it is a must to provide the type of user experience that compels them to send you first-party data, which costs them their limited free time.

HubSpot lays out 12 ways to make user experience top-notch.

Three of the best from the list are:

1. Don’t ask for too much info at once – make it simple/fast to send you valuable data

2. If you use social media, reply promptly to direct messages on those platforms

3. Ensure your website is as easy to use on phones as on desktop computers 

One thing not on that list? Humanizing customer service. This can be as simple as avoiding:

• Long waits for a response
• No follow-up on issues
• Customer support agents without the right context for the problem

The #1 user experience to model cookieless retargeting after?

Retargeting Without Cookies: Sports’ User Experience

Rabid fans don’t need to be retargeted with ads scattered at random spots around the web.

Rabid fans are easy to spot and easy to sell to. 

Sports gives marketers a prime example of how a superb user experience produces sales. Consistent sales, often passed down from generation to generation.

Look into the stands at the next NFL game you see on TV. How many jerseys are on the backs of moms, dads, kids, and grandkids? Those are true fans willing to spend money on tickets, parking, pricey concessions, apparel, and TV subscriptions for away games. 

Plus, take note of all the ads you yourself sit through just because you love football (or soccer or baseball, etc.).

Building that level of loyalty and user experience takes time and effort. But is within the grasp of every brand willing to go the extra mile to get to know their audience, which is filled with potential customers and future rabid fans. 

Why does this matter to businesses and advertisers? Your third-party cookie ad strategies could crumble before 2024’s halfway point.

So why wait around hoping for the best? There are alternatives available to third-party cookies right now.

Three takeaways from this article are below then we’ll zoom in on the details.

3 Takeaways from Third-Party Cookies’ Swan Song

1. This change will likely water down targeted ad effectiveness for businesses and revenue for advertisers.

2. Google claims to want to help the marketing industry with tools to ease the pain of third-party cookie phase-out (*yet Google’s own search advertising may benefit with third-party cookies gone).

3. Criteo tested one Google ‘cookie alternative’ and found it 5 times less effective than third-party cookies in targeting users.

*Some tests did show positive results of Google alternatives. However, most have been simulations or small-scale studies. In the real world, that’s shaky research when roughly 3.37 billion people are using Chrome. 

Now for the tech elephant in the room…

Is Google Really Concerned about People’s Privacy?

Many experts in the online advertising world are worried about Google having an even greater stranglehold on user data once third-party cookies vanish. Should such a powerful company be in charge of centralized personal data? 

After all, Reuters just reported Google settled a $5 billion consumer privacy lawsuit. The amount of the settlement was kept quiet, as Google is keen on keeping things like that private.

The privacy violation, by the way, alleged Google was tracking their customers/users even when the user had set Google’s Chrome browser “to “Incognito” mode and other browsers to a “private” mode.

Do no evil? Hmm…

Still, we wonder if internet users (all of us) are as concerned with privacy as news headlines claim.

Does the Average Joe / Jane Mind Third-Party Cookies Tracking Them?

Of course, when someone switches a browser to private mode, they expect the browser company to honor the request for privacy. We deserve privacy then.

But generally speaking, it’s not obvious that the public (all of us) are deeply concerned with online privacy.

If we were, why does Facebook still have over 3 billion active monthly users?

We don’t even have space – even with infinite scroll – to list all the lawsuits breathing down the neck of Facebook/Meta.

Also, only 9% of Americans say they usually refuse cookies. ~Statista 2024

How the Ad Industry is Approaching the End of Third-Party Cookies

That is the problem. Most marketers are not approaching the problem, not being proactive. Many are being passive, taking a wait-and-see attitude as Google stops allowing third-party cookies in Chrome. 

Think about how long third-party cookies have been around. Over 20 years! Basically, since the internet became mainstream. And Google’s going to erase that technology?

A passive approach doesn’t sound wise.

But it’s understandable that not every business or publisher can run tests to see what advertising alternatives will be effective. Again, how do you run meaningful tests on losing Chrome cross-site tracking— something that will affect over 3 billion internet users?

Ok, so it’s hopeless? No…

Two Viable Solutions for Replacing Third-Cookies

We are going to cover two solutions that can keep your marketing and advertising efforts from stumbling once Google pulls the plug on cookies.

One, you may be hearing about for the first time:

#1 Machine Fingerprinting

#2 First-Party Data

Machine Fingerprinting

This is the technology used by our company, Smart Recognition. 

It allows us to identify and collect verified email addresses from anonymous website visitors. Our tool is powered by artificial intelligence, which helped us perfect automations such as:

• Sending the verified email addresses to a connected ESP
• Sending verified leads to network audiences 
• Streamlining matched leads into email workflows

Another key is our giant database of verified email addresses (over 220 million and growing).

The Smart Recognition platform can easily be your answer to cookies being phased out. You will gain access to up to 40% of your anonymous website visitors. (Our latest case study details how MarketingExamined doubled their subscription rate with our platform).

Now, you do need substantial traffic – around 15k monthly, US audience – to get max results. But the good news is you can test it for 7 days for free after a demo. No simulation. No small-scale test. You can test Smart Recognition in the real world. And it won’t matter if your visitors are using Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.

Schedule a free demo so you are not left unprepared when third-party cookies go poof! (100% CAN-SPAM & California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Compliant)

First-Party Data

The second alternative to help avoid struggles when Google axes third-party cookies is to increase your first-party data.

You have to go beyond first-party cookies. That basic info is helpful, sure.

Still, you must be proactive in gathering extra first-party data.

Below are 9 ways to do the gathering:

1. Online forms 

2. Offer ebooks in exchange for filling out survey or giving feedback

3. Allow Google/Facebook sign-in to your site/app: can provide data about user interests and behaviors

4. Google Analytics: track and document page visits, categories read, time spent on site

5. Customer service interactions

6. Analyze social media interactions with your audience

7. Lead generation campaigns: collect information through webinars, contests, promotions

8. Ask for simple email replies from your newsletter readers

9. Review websites hold a wealth of first-party data on customers (and broader audience segments)

Warning: some of those options can be labor intensive. Yet, with new and proven artificial intelligence tools, the load can be lightened.

Wrap-Up: Google Chrome Third-Party Cookie Phase-Out

When third-party cookies get fully wiped out, many businesses and advertisers are going to endure serious struggles. 

Luckily, there is still time to prepare since Google has been postponing this for a couple of years. They are serious about the end now, and that’s clear by the massive Chrome testing going on as we speak.

Don’t be left depending on Google to lend you a hand when all these changes finally drop.

Google is going to do what’s best for… Google. 

Same as any company. 

So, do what’s best for yours by gathering all the first-party data you can. It takes effort but we believe it will pay off since most companies are not likely to go that extra mile.

Don’t forget, you can see Smart Recognition’s major potential with a free demo. Find out how many leads are slipping through your fingers every day. 

If you are getting traffic, why let all those anonymous visitors bounce after just one touchpoint? Smart Recognition gives you the chance to reach them through multiple automated touchpoints without changing your current workflow. Schedule a demo today.