Google Abandons Cookie Deprecation in Chrome
On Monday, July 22, 2024, Google announced that they will not be deprecating third-party Chrome cookies as initially planned for 2025. Previously, the removal had been postponed from the end of 2024, so this reversal is not entirely unexpected. Instead, Google revealed in a blog post that they are introducing a new feature in the Chrome browser, allowing users to make choices that will apply across their entire web browsing experience. They haven’t revealed too much yet, as they are still discussing what the revised route will be moving forward.
💡 If you’re unfamiliar with Google Chrome’s cookie deprecation plans, check out our blog post about the initial announcement.
According to an article from Statista, when Google originally announced this rollout, 50% of US marketers believed that privacy concerns would still persist with the alternative solutions Google was planning to implement.
Given the rushed rollout of alternative solutions such as the Privacy Sandbox and the transition to GA4 analytics, it is not surprising that Google decided not to move forward with deprecating third-party cookies. The delays indicate many internal discussions on how to proceed without losing profit from advertising dollars. This decision does not impact the development of the Privacy Sandbox, but it may take more time to ensure it effectively addresses consumer privacy issues. Additionally, in their blog post, Google mentioned they will introduce IP Protection in Chrome’s incognito mode as an added measure as you’re browsing the web.
What’s Next For Advertisers?
Just because Google isn’t going forward with the Chrome third-party cookie deprecation (for now), the shift towards a privacy-first world is inevitable. Digital marketers must continue to test and refine their strategies. So what should you still be considering?
- Implement Consent Mode: This will continue to significantly impact the cookie landscape. It's increasingly important to ensure that your website includes a consumer consent mode for collecting cookie data. Whether consumers accept or reject cookies will affect your ability to leverage that data in your marketing strategies. Giving the option to consumers coming to your website ensures they have the privacy if desired.
There are multiple ways to get consent mode implemented, and some ways are more customizable than others. Make sure to discuss with your legal team to understand the level needed for your specific business needs.
Data and Reporting Efficacy: Understand that the move towards a privacy-first digital landscape remains prevalent. This transition may impact your reporting capabilities, which should be communicated to leadership within your organization. Preparing for these changes is crucial for maintaining effective data analysis and reporting.
- Make the most of your GA4 instance: Ensure your Google Analytics 4 configuration is set up effectively for your organization. Do you have the proper events set up? Should you implement server-side tagging or set up user-ID tracking? First-party data should still be a large part of your digital marketing strategy, and it’s important that everything is configured in a way that is usable and beneficial for your organization.
If you’re unsure where to start in GA4, check out our Guide to Navigating Cookieless Tracking in Google Analytics 4. It’ll be a helpful guide to getting you on the right track with your own data-tracking solutions.
Keep Testing: This is essential. Testing alternative targeting strategies, such as contextual targeting, can still be an effective way to reach your audience without relying on third-party data. Continuously exploring and adapting to new methods will help ensure your marketing strategies remain effective.
While Google has removed the urgency to deprecate third-party cookies in Chrome, browsers such as Safari and Firefox have long implemented these changes. Consequently, many advertisers already operate in a cookieless environment for a significant portion of their audience.
What Our Team Has to Say About The Announcement:
Andrew Miller, Co-founder and VP of Client Services:
“Given Google's delays and course corrections over the past few years, it's not a huge surprise that they finally abandoned the push to deprecate 3rd party cookies in Chrome. Fortunately, we did prepare by educating ourselves and our clients in anticipation of the impact it might have on our ability to measure marketing performance accurately. The future is in privacy-centric marketing and first-party data, so many of the techniques and tools we adopted are already serving us well no matter what Google decides to do.”
Brian Forrester, Co-founder and CEO:
“Given the ubiquity of cookie consent, marketers will still need to consider the impact this will have one their data. Some reports show consent for use of cookies among website visitors as low as 20% (some lower) so the impact could be similar to the loss of third-party cookie data should more/most/all sites move to cookie consent pop-ups.
I don't think this news by Google means third-party cookies are here to stay forever and I still believe marketers will be considering first-party data collection as a way to refine and upgrade their marketing initiatives. First-party data is a good hedge against any future cookie deprecation and the waive of privacy-first, pro-cookie consent legislation.”
Chris LaRoche, Director of SMB Solutions:
"Google would not be doing this if it weren't in the best interest of the company's bottom line. I would wager that they got wind of the discussions around the challenges cookieless would pose to advertisers, which was making advertisers second guess their digital marketing investments. And they calculated that continuing to rely on and support cookies would help advertisers stay put, even in the face of growing privacy concerns....for now."
Morgan Jarvis, Director of Paid Media
"While the decision does not come as a total surprise, this is by no means the end of the cookie tracking and web privacy saga. Privacy will continue to be a hot topic, and we will see the industry giants continue to explore new solutions to improve privacy without adversely affecting advertising and their related revenue streams. The lessons we’ve learned and strategies we’ve employed to improve targeting and trackability will have positive impacts on paid media performance in the short term, and will further future proof our strategies against data loss from privacy initiatives."
If you’re unsure about navigating your digital marketing strategy in a privacy-first world, we're here to help! Our Analytics and Paid Media experts are ready to drive success for your business as we adapt to increasing regulations and a more privacy-focused digital world. Let’s get the conversation started.