Third-party cookies, loosely translated as cookies placed by third parties, are abolished by Google. This means we will no longer see third-party cookies in the world’s most popular browser, Google Chrome.
That Google is going to stop third-party cookies was already known. This was originally scheduled for 2022, but Google recently announced that this update has been delayed until the end of 2023. Either way, Google is going to stop third-party cookies.
But, what exactly are these third-party cookies? More importantly, what are the implications of this update from Google? And what does this mean for you? We are happy to give you the answers to these questions here.
What exactly are third-party cookies?
Cookies are small files placed on a visitor’s computer from a website. This allows one user to be distinguished from another, but cookies also provide important data.
Cookies can be subdivided into first-party cookies and third-party cookies. In the case of first-party cookies, the data is collected from the website itself. First party cookies contribute to the better functioning of a website. For example, you stay logged in after closing the browser.
As the name implies, Third-party cookies come from third parties and therefore not from the website itself. Third-party cookies are used to collect data from Internet users. Using this data, customer profiles are created and ads can be optimized.
You’ve probably experienced the operation of third-party cookies before. For example, when you want to buy new shoes. You first take a look in the web shop of your favorite brand, but decide not to buy anything yet. A few days later, you see the shoes you searched for in your Facebook or Instagram timeline.
Coincidence? Definitely not. This is how third-party cookies work, but that will change after Google’s upcoming update.
What are the implications of this update?
First, it is important to note that the elimination of third-party cookies from Google has no effect on mobile data traffic. In fact, third-party cookies are not required on mobile devices. In fact, the operating system of a mobile device already automatically provides a unique tracking ID, provided you give permission.
Thus, the elimination of third-party cookies only affects desktop users. Whether you as an Internet user will actually notice any of this remains to be seen. After all, ads and first-party cookies remain as usual.
The implications for advertisers
As an advertiser, on the other hand, collecting data and building customer profiles becomes a lot more difficult. Without third-party cookies, you simply have less data. So you will have to attract customers to your website in other ways.
Cookies from your own website and social media channels still remain active. With these first-party cookies, it is possible to build customer profiles from “proprietary” data in order to then advertise effectively.
How do you prepare your website for this update?
The elimination of third-party cookies does not mean that targeted advertising using data collection is done. On the contrary, collecting data and building customer profiles remains possible. Thus, you can effectively use first-party cookies, but in addition, there are several solutions to consider.
Target your ads to the right context
By focusing on context, you make sure your ads fit the context of the web page or blog. In this way, visitors are presented with relevant ads, making them more likely to act on them. The proper use of keywords plays an important role here.
Focus on SEO
Advertising will thus become more difficult after the elimination of third-party cookies. Therefore, focus on organic traffic using SEO, link building and content marketing. A high ranking in search results is already an important factor today, but this will become even more important after the elimination of third-party cookies.
Get your visitors to log in
One possibility is having your customers log into your website. This way, you give your visitors a unique ID, which can be used to collect data. Online clothing stores, for example, like to use this, but this strategy can be applied to any website. Be careful though, making visitors log in unnecessarily can also put them off.
So disabling cookies is no longer necessary?
Thus, when you surf the Internet via a desktop, you will no longer be tracked by all kinds of websites after the elimination of third-party cookies. However, data is still collected by the websites you visit, provided you agree to this.
Thus, disabling cookies remains a free choice. Data collection will continue and new ways of collecting data will emerge after the abolition of third-party cookies. So for both Internet users and online marketers, this will have its advantages and disadvantages.
More visitors for your website or webshop
So Google is going to stop third-party cookies, but this does not necessarily mean that your website or online store will attract fewer visitors. Thanks to a good and clear strategy and an optimized website, you can ensure a high-traffic site with relevant visitors.
Have questions? We at Brthrs Agency are happy to help you get started. Please feel free to contact us and we’ll work with you to explore your options.
