Cookies are small chunk pieces of code designed to track your activities on the Internet. Cookies are used to store passwords and to personalise your overall experience. The 3rd party versions are used by advertisers to literally follow consumers in what is known as retargeting. In the past decade, cookies have grown to be one valuable asset to marketers. As a marketer, you might use this information to deliver targeted campaigns. The problem is that Cookies are now a privacy concern. In fact, Google decided to phase out third-party cookies to improve privacy on the Internet. So, what is the alternative in a cookieless world? Well, here are a few ways to prepare for the death of cookies.
Ask for consent to collect customer data
The dawn of the cookieless era has seen to it that you cannot collect customer data through third-party cookies. However, there is no harm in politely asking visitors to your site to share relevant information with you within the realms of data protection laws. Yes, it is time to build your own database. Studies show that 57% of consumers have no problem providing data about themselves if it will go to improving their customer experience. You could create basic customer profiles with fields such as the client’s name, age, and email address. The next step would be to send them targeted ads based on their response rate.
Make an effort to stay relevant
Frankly, cookies made most marketers a bit reactive rather than proactive in matters of data. Now that third-party cookies are no more, it is up to you to put in the work to remain relevant and ahead of the competition. The best way to stay relevant and provide value would be to learn more about your clients. Try to find out who they are, where to find them, and what they like. The absence of cookies could act as a stepping stone to make you find innovative ways to collect valuable customer information.
Build strong customer relationships
The eradication of third-party cookies is forcing marketers to resort to more traditional methods of providing customer satisfaction. It would help to build brand awareness by building strong customer relationships that your clients won’t help but come back for more. We also suggest you consider customer retention strategies to help you keep your loyal clients.
Consider linear TV advertising
Linear TV advertising is an umbrella term that encompasses all forms of traditional broadcasting on television. Though studies reveal that the average age of a TV viewer is 55, these are actually the most affluent people in society. This group is also known to have higher purchasing power than everyone else and accounts for more than 50% of all the spending in the United States. Therefore, advertising on linear tv might be the answer to your problems and help you navigate in a cookieless world.
Lay more emphasis on marketing channels that don’t require cookies
Fortunately, numerous channels don’t require cookies that can help you track your target audience. For instance, whenever a client visits your site, you could give them an option to leave their email address and receive newsletters. You can then use email marketing based on their interests to provide personalised suggestions on products they are likely to enjoy.
Use value exchange to collect first-party data
Since customers are worried about their data being taken without consent, first-party data has become all the rage. The goal is to encourage customers to share data about themselves in exchange for value. For instance, you could guarantee your clients one-on-one communication, recognition, or bespoke discounts if they answer a few questions about themselves. Value exchange could result in repeat purchases, increased sales, and customer satisfaction.
Encourage your clients to give feedback
After you have gained your customer’s trust and have their full consent, the next step would be to create an immediate feedback system. It would be best to get their feedback so they can still remember their experience with your brand. You could design a pop-up on your site that asks how they found out about your services or products and how they would rate you. An effective feedback system sheds light on the multiple channels you can reach your target audience and how you can tweak the customer experience to provide maximum satisfaction.
Concluding thoughts…
Consumers are now aware of data privacy. This is why moving into a cookieless world was just a matter of time. Since these changes are happening on major web browsers, we hope this article will help you find new ways of getting data in a cookieless world.
