In March 2021, Google announced that it is ending third-party cookies.

This had mixed reactions from the world.

Those who understood the concept of cookies waited for the upcoming developments.

Others just wondered what was in it for them.

Marketers and advertisers to be specific, stood in confusion and indecisiveness, thinking about how their marketing campaigns would proceed.

Data companies and organizations, for a bit, thought about their future and how they would be proceeding.

The world went into a state of inconclusiveness. As if something was snatched.

For years, since the inception of the internet and cookies, organizations and brands have been using cookies to track their visitors.

This serves a lot of purposes, including ameliorating the overall experience, collecting specific data to improve ad targeting, knowing their interests even if they are not on the website, and more.

All in all, cookies meant life to the online advertising industry.

So, what went wrong then?

What made Google take such a decision? A decision that would enable a more private web, move toward “making third party cookies obsolete.”

One thing was clear, Google is concerned about the user data and wants to change the standards of how data is collected and used. Something they called as Sandbox initiative.

But would it mean the death of third-party cookies and a new approach to website development? Let’s explore.

But before we begin measuring the impact, let’s first have a look at cookie types and their use.

What Are Cookies & Their Types?

Cookies, well, are liked the most when freshly baked.

But in the digital realm, cookies are what advertisers and marketers use to track website users.

Cookies have been at the receiving end of criticism for the ability to track various kinds of information.

There are multiple cookie types, but we get to hear about a few of them.

The most heard-about are first-party and third-party cookies that track multiple types of information.

First-party cookies: In first-party cookies, the domain of the website is responsible for storing all the cookies. 

These help in collecting various kinds of data, including language preferences, analytical data, and some other preferences to keep the user experience top-notch.

First-party cookies are generally considered “good cookies” as they don’t collect any personal information that may affect a user by going the extra mile.

These are used by the user’s browser to keep the experience superior.

Third-party cookies: Third-party cookies are where things get a bit tricky. These are the cookies that are placed by the website that you are not currently using.

Third-party cookies execute the code that you are not currently using, through which they are able to track the user and access information.

These cookie types are most common and work through adding multiple tags. It is not necessary that users get to see ads through these, but the users or their devices can be tracked.

Third-party cookies have been under heavy criticism for their functions. But this may be going to change. The world of advertising might function differently in years to come.

Has Only Google Blocked These Marketers-Favorite Cookies?

When Google 2021 announced that it would be blocking the third-party cookies for Google Chrome, it wasn’t alone.

Some other major internet browsers announced that they would be blocking these cookies – and these are some big names. These include Firefox, Safari, and Brave.

Moreover, Google wasn’t even the first one to arrive at the party. Firefox was the first one to announce that it would be blocking these cookies in September 2019. This was followed by Brave in November 2019 and then Safari in March 2020.

But when Google announced that it was going to block these cookies, it shook the online advertising industry. Though predictable, this came as a surprise for many around the globe.

What’s Next?

After these major internet browsers “phase-out,” the paradigm will surely shift.

If not much, there will be some level of change in how we advertise today. The tracking might never be the same after these changes get translated into life.

Some ad-targeting platforms that have reliance on Chrome’s cookie data might take a hit, but that is how users are targeted.

But Google is not that cruel. Google Chrome browser, although it would see changes, won’t ban all the cookies. Your cookie-backed marketing won’t go old because there are many other cookies as well.

Tracking will be there. Google just won’t, all of a sudden, stop tracking users. It is just the Chrome data that will be expunged.

Advertising won’t just die. It will take time; things will get better, and marketers will eventually have to divert toward other alternatives to marketing strategies.

Businesses, brands, and organizations that sell services and products might take a lesser hit because it will be easier to find an audience.

But those with slightly peculiar requirements such as ideations and helping people identify their purposes might face a tough time.

The Future of No-Third-Party Cookie World: Here’s What to Do

The “death of third-party cookies” might not be a great advent for modern marketers, but it surely isn’t the end of the world.

The world has always faced challenges – challenges are what make people grow and achieve bigger.

The world has started paying attention to user’s privacy matters, and marketers should get started and pay heed to these changes, or maybe make a habit of it.

The future of website advertisement is sure without these third-party cookies. But first-party cookies that we discussed earlier are going nowhere. Google, at one point, even termed these cookies vital.

From now on, the companies will have to rely on products and solutions that use first-party cookie data.

Marketers and advertising platforms will have to rely on and build strategies that cater to first-party data and devise methods that find tracks to target better.

But new strategies take time to get perfect. Things get delayed a lot as well, and brands just cannot wait that long.

Here is what brands and businesses can do to remain in the competition.

• Devise strategies that rely on first-party cookie data and explore its usefulness
• Build solutions that would define new ways of tracking using the identities of users
• Adapt to privacy-compliant tactics and implement solutions that are more effective

Moreover, Google’s Privacy Sandbox is an initiative that will enable what the world requires in the form of open-web tracking APIs and their various functionalities.

There are numerous solutions already available in the market. It means that the gap created by the inexistence of third-party cookies will soon be filled.

This way, users will be able to future-proof their businesses and ensure sustainability in the long term.

Takeaway

There might have come a ditch after the death of “tracker” cookies, but it will soon be filled. Today’s world is fast-paced. The world knows how to face challenges and how to overcome them – hence this won’t last long.

When third-party cookies get vanished, the world will resort to other alternatives and make sure that they get the best outcome.

The other not-so-famous marketing channels, including push-notification marketing, email marketing, utilizing first-party cookie data, open-web API tracking, and more, will emerge.

The world of possibilities is open – it is just a matter of time that things get discovered, explored, and properly implemented.

Author : Muhammad Bin Habib

Muhammad Bin Habib is a computer science graduate passionate about technology, writing, and automobiles. He writes on emerging technologies, mobile apps, cyber spheres, fintech, and digital marketing. He prefers watching documentaries covering military strategy and technology, international security, warplanes, and reading books that fall under the same domain in his leisure time.