Marketing in the post-cookie era.

In a world where digital evolution is accelerating and privacy concerns are increasing, we are witnessing a radical shift in the digital marketing landscape. This transformation is known as the post-cookie era, and it presents both a challenge and an opportunity for marketers and brands. As the end of reliance on third-party cookies approaches, it has become necessary to adopt new and more innovative strategies to effectively target audiences while respecting user privacy.

What are cookies and why do they change?
To understand this shift, we must first know what cookies are.  Cookies  are small text files that websites create and send to a user's browser. Their primary function is to store simple identifying information, such as login details, language preferences, or browsing behavior within the site. These cookies help to remember shopping cart items or store the registration status without having to re-enter the information each time.

Cookies are divided into two main types:

  • First-party cookies: These are files created by the website that the user is directly visiting. These cookies are used to improve the visitor's experience on the same website, such as remembering shopping cart items or storing login status. They are in turn divided into session cookies that disappear when the browser is closed and persistent cookies that remain stored on the device for a longer period of time and require the user's consent.

  • Third-party cookies: These are files created by a third party that do not track the site that the user is visiting. For example, when an ad for the Google AdSense service  appears on any page, Google creates its own cookie to track the user's activity across multiple sites. These cookies collect behavioral information, such as pages visited and favorite content, and are used to show personalized ads that are tailored to the user's interests.

Why are third-party cookies a concern?
Despite their pivotal role in digital marketing for decades, third-party cookies have become a growing concern due to privacy concerns. These cookies may be used in ways that violate the user's right to confidentiality, resulting in frequent or annoying advertisements, often unrelated to their actual interests. As a result, major browsers such as Safari,  Firefox, and soon Chrome have begun, by blocking third-party cookies by default, prompting marketers and ad networks to look for alternatives that respect user privacy.

New Laws and Data Privacy Challenges
Recent years have seen significant tightening of data protection regulations globally. The European Union is a leader in this area, with the legislative structure for user privacy formed on the basis  of the GDPR that has been in force since 2018. This regulation requires the user's explicit and prior consent before any statement is stored on their device, especially in cases of the use of cookies.

In the United States, the California CPRA Act came  into  effect in 2023, which gives consumers the right to explicitly refuse to sell or share their personal data. Other countries such as the United Arab Emirates also passed the Federal Personal Data Protection Act (PDPL)  in January 2023, which requires explicit and prior consent before any personal statement is processed for the purpose of marketing. These laws require companies to provide full transparency in the way data is collected and used, and make the transition to cookie-free marketing A necessity, not an option.

New strategies to effectively target audiences

With the absence of third-party cookies, new strategies and tools have emerged that help brands implement effective targeting campaigns without sacrificing accuracy or results. These strategies focus on building a direct relationship with customers and respecting their privacy:

  • First-Party Data: The mainstay of the post-cookie era. This data is collected directly from the user via their interactions with the site or app, such as purchases, browsing, or newsletter sign-ups. With this data, brands can build accurate customer profiles, allowing them to be retargeted in a more personalized and effective way. Tools like Google Analytics 4 GA4 and CustomerLabs CDP It allows tracking of users' behavior within the site in a privacy-respecting manner.

  • Contextual Targeting: This approach is based on the actual content that the user is currently viewing rather than the history of their previous browsing. For example, if a user is reading an article about travel, an ad for a suitcase or a trip view can be displayed. This type of ad is highly relevant to the current moment, which increases the likelihood of interaction, without the need to store any data about the user. Tools like GumGum or Peer39 It helps analyze page content and display ads in a compatible context.

  • Custom Audience Lists: Brands can leverage their existing customer lists, such as email addresses or phone numbers. These lists can be uploaded to advertising platforms such as Meta and Google, which in turn match this data to their users and show ads to the right people, anonymously. This method is very effective, especially when used in campaigns to re-engage with customers who haven't completed purchases or abandoned their cart.

  • Login Systems: When a customer logs in with an email or Google/Facebook account, their activity can be linked across different sessions and devices. This restores the tracking accuracy that cookies used to provide, but in a more transparent and explicit way of user consent.

  • Email Marketing: Email marketing is still a powerful tool for retargeting. By analyzing users' interactions with messages, personalized campaigns can be designed that remind them of products they have seen or offers that may be of interest to them. When combined with automation tools like Mailchimp or Klaviyo, smart messages can be sent at the right time based on user behavior.

  • Using AI  and Machine Learning: Instead of tracking the user across multiple locations, how they interact with product pages, offers, and buy buttons within the same site can be analyzed. Personalized recommendations or dynamic on-site offers can be made in the next session based on this analysis.

The post-cookie era is not the end of digital marketing, but rather the beginning of a new phase that requires marketers to be more creative and focused on building trust with audiences. By adopting strategies based on raw data, contextual targeting, direct communication, and leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, brands can continue to target their audience effectively and achieve success in a digital environment that is more respectful of user privacy.