To help with that process, here we consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Why is Google removing cookies?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What the updated timeline for cookie deprecation looks like<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How cookies are being used right now<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What the removal of cookies means<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Our guide to preparing for it<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhy is Google removing cookies?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nThere is a myriad of reasons as to why Google is removing third-party cookies but the headline ones are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Response to consumer privacy concerns \u2013<\/strong> consumers have become increasingly worried in the past few years about their privacy and how businesses use their personal data. Cases like the one between Facebook and Cambridge Analytica<\/a>, where the personal data of nearly 87 million Facebook users was used without the proper consent and explicit permission to do so have been followed by a litany of other cases. Involving other larger players including Google, Twitter and Amazon.
They have led to a clamour from consumers for increased levels of privacy \u2013 with the Pew Institute uncovering that 81% of users saying that potential risks from companies collecting data outweighs the benefits<\/a>. And third-party cookies collect a wealth of data on individuals that can be invasive in privacy terms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Legal changes \u2013<\/strong><\/strong> a number of different pieces of legislation from the ePrivacy Directive, CCPA and GDPR have specifically taken aim at how advertisers and brands obtain consent and process data for marketing purposes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The regulators are showing their teeth \u2013<\/strong> there is also little doubt that the regulators have been applying pressure that has had a bearing on Google\u2019s decision too. And more recently they have really showed their teeth. In Jan 2022 CNIL, the French data regulator fined Google \u20ac150m for violating data privacy rules<\/a> which is only one of a number of fines that the big platform providers have incurred.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Concerns around security \u2013 <\/strong>this is also a key factor in what is a much more connected and online environment. In fact, 59% of consumers say knowledge of a data breach would negatively impact buying intentions<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Free Download: How Will the Removal of Cookies Impact Marketing?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nUpdated timeline for cookie deprecation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So, having looked at why Google is removing cookies \u2013 what does the timeline on this look like? This has been a difficult one to nail down as Google has changed the timeline on more than one occasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Originally the plan for Google removing third-party cookies had been to fully phase them out by Q4 of 2022. However, the latest timeline has put us on a trajectory towards the second half of 2024 as shown below:<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/corvidae.ai\/app\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-3.png\")
Source: Google Privacy Sandbox timeline<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\nHowever, based on experience to date we would advise everyone to \u2018stay tuned\u2019 as things can be fluid! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the reasons for this is the process that Google is going through to consult the industry is getting a mixed reception. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, the FLoC API (Federated Learning of Cohorts) which was one of the early cookie replacement proposals was killed off by Google<\/a> due to industry feedback and now Google Topics<\/a> is under scrutiny alongside the FLEDGE and Attribution APIs. And all of that is taking time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nHow cookies are being used right now<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nHere are some of the ways that cookies are currently used from a marketing perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Session management \u2013 <\/strong>Recognising users and recalling individual login information and preferences<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Retargeting \u2013<\/strong> Based on behaviours identified from user journey data, propensity to buy and product interest<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Profiling & personalisation \u2013<\/strong> Identifying if users are the right profile to be served a specific ad<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Audience development \u2013<\/strong> Developing look-a-like audiences for better targeted marketing activity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
So, Google removing third-party cookies has implications for much of the above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat will the removal of cookies mean?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nOn the face of it, cookies fulfil some relatively important functions for advertisers and brands right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what are some of the key implications of their removal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Increased focus on first party data \u2013 <\/strong>as access to third-party data wanes marketers are increasingly going to turn their attention to how they collect and analyse first party data<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Targeting will be affected \u2013<\/strong> the ability to delivered targeted advertising in its current format will be affected, particularly remarketing which relies on third-party cookies<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It is forcing marketers to review their options \u2013 <\/strong>and consider how they set themselves up for effective targeting and tracking of the marketing activity as third-party cookies are phased out (alongside issues like the impact of iOS 14.5 and the potential illegality of GA)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nOur own research on the topic indicates that, while 34% of marketers think that the removal of third-party cookies will have a negative on their business<\/strong>, we are firmly in the camp of the 44% who said they think the change will be positive<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why? Put simply, third-party cookies do a particularly poor job of attributing complex customer journeys<\/a> compared to AI and Machine Learning driven approaches to marketing attribution<\/a> like the one used in Corvidae’s attribution model<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Targeting will be affected \u2013<\/strong> the ability to delivered targeted advertising in its current format will be affected, particularly remarketing which relies on third-party cookies<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Retargeting \u2013<\/strong> Based on behaviours identified from user journey data, propensity to buy and product interest<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Session management \u2013 <\/strong>Recognising users and recalling individual login information and preferences<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Concerns around security \u2013 <\/strong>this is also a key factor in what is a much more connected and online environment. In fact, 59% of consumers say knowledge of a data breach would negatively impact buying intentions<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- The regulators are showing their teeth \u2013<\/strong> there is also little doubt that the regulators have been applying pressure that has had a bearing on Google\u2019s decision too. And more recently they have really showed their teeth. In Jan 2022 CNIL, the French data regulator fined Google \u20ac150m for violating data privacy rules<\/a> which is only one of a number of fines that the big platform providers have incurred.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Legal changes \u2013<\/strong><\/strong> a number of different pieces of legislation from the ePrivacy Directive, CCPA and GDPR have specifically taken aim at how advertisers and brands obtain consent and process data for marketing purposes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- What the updated timeline for cookie deprecation looks like<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/corvidae.ai\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-7.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/corvidae.ai\/app\/uploads\/2022\/12\/image-9.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n