Data collection in a cookieless future

You might have already heard that Google plans on banning third-party cookies from Google Chrome in 2023. Google Chrome accounts for 67% of the global desktop internet browser market share, so this would have a significant impact on marketers who use cookies for tracking.

Firefox already has full protection in place against cookie tracking, and Apple will soon join them with anti-tracking features on Safari. General opinion seems to be mounting against tracking, with some regional data privacy laws getting tougher in America. But, at the same time, consumers increasingly want personalisation, with 90% of consumers saying that marketing personalisation is either very or somewhat appealing, according to Statista.

What can marketers do?

Marketers who want to continue targeting and growing their audiences need to adapt their strategies and use different types of data, including first-party, second-party and zero-party data.

• First-party data is a term that refers to information collected directly from the customer. It can be anything from the customer's preferences and interests to their purchase history, location and social media profiles.
• The value of this data is that it's more accurate than other types of data because it comes directly from the customer. So when you're building a model or making decisions based on your customers' behaviour, first-party data will be more accurate than third-party data (information about your customers collected by someone else). However, some legal requirements need to be met when collecting data from customers, including providing an up-to-date privacy policy at the collection point, the purpose of collecting the data, and what you intend to use it for.
• Second-party data doesn't come directly from the customers but originates from trusted sources.
• The value of this data: although it comes from an indirect source, it is a trusted source, so it is better than third-party data. Companies that have data-sharing agreements can share second-party data. They can also acquire second-party data from data marketplaces to match with their existing database.
• Zero-party data has been enabled by the rise of self-identification criteria: people are now able to provide information about themselves without being asked for it. This type of information is known as "zero-party" data because no third parties are involved in the process. It can be collected using email, website preference data, purchase intentions, self-identification criteria, and personal context. It can be used for personalised experiences and better product recommendations.
• The value of this data is that because the consumer supplies it, it is accurate, can be collected cost-effectively, and is compliant with data protection regulations.

Be sure to use the time before Google implements its new policy on third-party data collection to develop alternative strategies for data collection. Your business can be successful in a cookieless world, but it might just require some new thinking and fresh ideas.

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