Google is a very large, ever-changing piece of the digital marketing puzzle. It seems like they’re always changing something huge, and we know how important it is to keep up. The latest change? Google is removing third-party cookie support in Chrome.
Third-Party Cookies in Google Chrome
You’ve probably heard of cookies, but did you know there are different kinds? You’re probably most familiar with first-party cookies, which are essential to the online experience most consumers are accustomed to. First-party cookies are placed on your browser by the website’s domain that you’re currently on, like uptickmarketing.com. These cookies allow the website to remember things about you to make your experience more convenient—like keeping you logged in even if you leave, or keeping things in your shopping cart for when you come back. These cookies are considered safe because they bring a lot of value to the online experience.
Third-party cookies, however, are used by advertising platforms to collect information that they can then use for targeting.
So, What Does It Mean?
Google plans to phase out third-party cookies in about two years. Their goal with this timeline is to give advertising platforms a chance to come up with whatever workarounds they can to be able to keep collecting information from you.
Apple removed support for third-party cookies in their Safari browser a few years ago—because of this, major advertisers like Google and Facebook are already caught up and have turned the information they need into first-party cookies. The ones affected will most likely be smaller advertisers that will have to change their model. Google has been referencing their “privacy sandbox,” which should keep the qualities in targeted advertising intact, while also keeping the sheer amount of information shared with advertising platforms to a minimum.
These changes are directly linked to the huge shift in our industry, centered around preserving anonymity and privacy online. It’s been a hot topic for some time now, and it’s only expected to move more into the spotlight in the future. Who knows where all of this will lead—we’re excited to tackle the change, though.
Are advertising platforms giving you a headache? We can handle all of that for you. Start a conversation with us today.