Before analyzing what the future of cookie collection means for nonprofit marketing, let’s cover the basics…
A web cookie is a small piece of data that gets added to a user’s web browser when they visit a specific website. This is then stored in the user’s browser for the period set by the creator or until the user deletes it. Once the cookie is in a browser it changes the way the browser interacts with certain pages.
Web cookies are used to deliver many types of targeted digital marketing. They store user data and behavior information, which allows marketers to target groups by variables such as:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Interests
- Behavior (on websites, search engines, and social media)
Data collection has raised significant privacy concerns over the years, sparking Google’s original announcement of its Privacy Sandbox aimed to foster a more transparent and privacy-centric web environment.
In late July of this year, Google’s Privacy Sandbox announced that they would be putting the choice with users whether third-party cookies can be collected in their Chrome browser after receiving feedback from stakeholders including the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The vice president of Google’s Privacy Sandbox, Anthony Chavez, shared that they intend to offer additional privacy controls by introducing IP Protection into Chrome’s Incognito mode.
While this may not seem like groundbreaking news, Google has been preparing marketers for years for the impending absence of third-party cookies. Since their original announcement, there has been an estimated $20-$50 billion spent globally on developing solutions for a future without cookies. With this sudden change, Google’s commitment to privacy and reliability as a leader in industry standards is being questioned.
Not all is lost from the return back to the status quo. Marketers can learn a valuable lesson: prioritize first-party cookies. First-party data is collected directly from your audience, making it resilient to government-level and industry policy changes. First-party cookies have other benefits too, including:
- Improved Data Quality: Because of the direct collection method, this data is often more accurate and relevant, translating to more effective marketing strategies.
- Regulation Compliance: When collected with user consent, first-party cookies adhere to privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
- Longer Life Span of Cookies: While all types of cookies can be deleted by users, first-party cookies are not automatically blocked by third-party blockers, a.k.a private browsers and ad blockers.
Introducing first-party cookies into your marketing strategy is the most reliable source of cookies in the dynamic conversation surrounding data privacy and collection.
Click here to read the original announcement from Google’s Privacy Sandbox and be sure to check out the rest of the Williams Whittle Blog for tips and updates to the nonprofit marketing world.
