A recent study by Apply Digital reveals that 70% of senior marketers are supporting Google’s decision to continue support for third-party cookies in Chrome. This decision has been a lifeline to marketers despite growing concerns around data privacy as they rely heavily on third-party tracking cookies for digital advertising and audience targeting.
According to the research, nearly all (99%) businesses still use third-party cookies to enable automatic online ad purchases. The decision, however, has not been well received by consumers. A large 38% of UK consumers intend to opt-out of third-party cookies once Chrome introduces a single opt-in mechanism next year, and another 25% are still undecided on the matter.
According to Matt Gould, chief commerce officer at Apply Digital, business and consumers’ views on this topic differ significantly. “This is good for the industry” says a marketer but “people are telling us how mad they are that their data is being tracked.” While third-party cookies are currently on a reprieve, they remain a dying technology, Gould says. Business must begin to think of new methods to collect data sustainably. Behavioral AI mapping may just be one way, he said.
Research further indicates that 61% of marketers foresee the occurrence of significant impacts to their digital strategies by 2025, with 70% of retailers particularly being concerned with this disruption compared to 52% of consumer-packaged goods (CPG) marketers. For most marketers, it’s about the potential increase in customer acquisition costs based on reduced ability to target audiences at a level of precision facilitated by third-party cookies.
Despite the difficulties, the research reveals that most senior marketers are proactively preparing for a post-cookie world. A strong 94% of respondents said they are prepared to pivot from third-party data, and 79% have already applied alternative strategies. However, 92% of the businesses admitted that there is an obstacle in fully executing their first-party data strategies. A third of marketers already invested in first-party data collection, but 35% find it hard to get customers to share their data.
As consumer demands evolve, the research also underscores the increasing need for data transparency and control. One-third of consumers want to have a say in what data they share and for what purposes, while 30% demand full transparency about how their data is used. A lot of consumers are also seeking tangible incentives such as rewards, personalized recommendations, or special offers in return for sharing their data.
