The Impact of a Cookie-less World

First of all, we must define what a cookie-less world means.

Cookies refer to code placed on users’ browsers when customers visit a website. Typically, this code is tracked to view user behaviour and compile data geared towards improving the user experience. For example, if you visit a website that sells shoes, cookies will place shoe advertisements throughout your user experience.

Though this type of tracking is harmless and only exists to show users more relevant ads, many people feel cookies violate their privacy. In response to this, big names like Google and Apple announced a crackdown on third-party tracking and data. Their decisions led to forced evolution in the digital marketing field.

This social media crackdown has a significant impact, as sites like Facebook are a huge lead generation stream for businesses targeting consumer news feeds. With less room for data, there could be less room for revenue. People who utilise digital advertising must adapt to the increased demand for data usage transparency, especially on popular social media sites.

Quick and Long-term Fixes to be Privacy Compliant and Gain Audience Insights

So, how can we combat this data crackdown? Here are some quick fixes as well as some long term fixes that you can begin implementing to ensure you stay profitable in a cookie-less world:

Quick fixes:

• Take advantage of first-party data.
• Ensure high-quality branding and purpose for your website.
• Make your website an attractive user destination to garner data implementation from your audience first-hand.
• Use sign-ups and other incentivised methods to encourage data sharing with your platform.
• Make it easy to opt-in/out to accept cookies.
• As your website stores first-hand data, cookies are not excluded by Google – take advantage of this by prompting users to accept cookies and offer their data.
• Ramp up your email marketing
• Encourage users to navigate to a landing page, encouraging a sign up of information.
• Utilise HubSpot to build your email lists to make the campaign efficient and targeted.
• Send surveys to gain further insight.

Long term fixes:

• Keep up to date on regulations and ensure your website is always compliant. Take advantage of the techniques that are still practicable.
• Keep your website design with privacy and performance in mind.
• Chatbots are a marketing tool that saves time and tracks consented data, allowing users to get answers to common queries without needing a team to be on hand.
• Utilise Google Tag manager for compliant data tracking.
• Build a social media audience.
• Become less dependent on third party social media promotion and build your organic presence. Businesses that can establish solid ground in the new regulated world of social media will have a head start on those who struggle to be self-reliant.

The future of digital.

The changing landscape of E-Commerce grew more in the first five months of the pandemic than in the past ten years. Some would say it is merely an accelerated introduction of the inevitable, as the world moves online in both a social and business sense. With this move comes innovation, as new ideas sprout from the minds of those seeking to jump aboard the digital ship. As a marketing agency, we must ensure that we are more adaptable than ever, with holistic marketing solutions covering multiple channels, whether search, social or email, vital to keeping up with the shift. Businesses should refrain from focusing their efforts on one audience channel as they can stop generating results at any time, whether that is due to regulation or lack of user activity. Be flexible, embrace innovation, and your business can thrive in the digital world of the future.

How Crunch Can Help Your Business

If you would like to learn more about how we can help you adapt to the changing environment, whether it’s moving away from third party data reliance, or improving your online brand presence, contact the team at Crunch today.