{"id":2527,"date":"2022-07-19T03:17:50","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T03:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"\/?p=2527"},"modified":"2024-04-16T21:03:47","modified_gmt":"2024-04-16T21:03:47","slug":"how-a-cookieless-future-is-a-huge-win-for-publishers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/blog\/how-a-cookieless-future-is-a-huge-win-for-publishers\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Cookieless Future Is a Huge Win for Publishers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

All online users have encountered website pop-ups asking permission to use cookies. While you might wish these pop-ups were referring to delicious baked goods, that\u2019s unfortunately not the type of cookie websites use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet users have long had a negative perception of digital cookies, associating them with an invasion of privacy and unwanted data harvesting. Finally, users\u2019 complaints are having an impact, and a cookieless future is on the horizon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shift isn\u2019t just a win for internet users. Publishers should also celebrate. Instead of using digital cookies to track your customers, you now have an opportunity to build more authentic relationships with your readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll take a look at what that future looks like for publishers and provide six alternatives for building a personal online experience without cookies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Website Cookies?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cookies are digital records of a user\u2019s online activity. Every time a person visits a website, the website saves a record of that visit, including pages they viewed, forms they filled out, and information they saved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The website sends those cookies back to your browser, where they are stored. Then, as that user visits other sites, they create new records. The other sites they visit will also view their past cookies to see what other stops they made along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, the cookies might tell a website that the user came from a sporting goods site. The new website might respond by sharing ads for sporting equipment in the sidebar to create a personalized experience for the user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cookies can also pull up the most relevant information based on location or other known data; auto-fill forms or information based on the last visit; keep items in a user\u2019s shopping cart; and provide relevant website recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While cookies have a positive application, they also put users at risk of data breaches and privacy invasions. Only 3% of internet users in the U.S. understand\u00a0privacy laws<\/a>\u00a0and how their online content is protected. The rest are likely concerned about cookies and how websites use their data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do Publishers Use Cookies?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cookies aren\u2019t just used to improve the user\u2019s experience. They also provide valuable information to the website\u2019s publisher, allowing them to track more of their visitors\u2019 activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cookies will tell you where the visitor came from, what they do on your website, where they are located, and more, depending on the type of cookies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This data allows you to optimize your strategies for your visitors to enhance their experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Are Cookies a Thing of the Past?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Approximately 93% of Americans say they want to be able to\u00a0control their data<\/a>\u00a0and who can access it. While there are already laws protecting users, 66% of consumers want more laws in place to protect their privacy. Nearly 10% of people think the current laws aren\u2019t effective enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the consensus among consumers that tracking and data harvesting are negative, 80% of consumers prefer buying from companies that offer a\u00a0personalized experience<\/a>. In addition, 72% will only interact with personal messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These contradictory statistics show that consumers enjoy personalized experiences but don\u2019t want to have those experiences at the expense of their privacy. Therefore, their issue isn\u2019t that companies are collecting information to improve the user\u2019s experience. Instead, it’s with how companies go about collecting that data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a publisher, when you stop using cookies and move to alternative methods for data collection, you give more control to the customer. As a result, you will build trust and improve the customer experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Benefit of a Cookieless Future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever had a conversation with a friend about a particular topic, like a beach vacation, only to find your online ads filled with offers for exotic getaways and last-minute tickets shortly after? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The theory that devices are always listening is unnerving. However, if you told a sales rep that you wanted to take a vacation, and the next day that rep sent you an email with exclusive vacation offers, would that experience have the same negative undertone as the previous one?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most likely, it would not. In fact, it would probably have the exact opposite result. You would likely appreciate the personalized experience and exclusive offers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can offer that same feeling to your audience when you ditch cookies and instead rely on alternative methods for collecting data and tracking customer actions. Changing how you go about these tasks will also change how customers view your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By moving away from cookies, consumers will no longer view you as a company that mines visitors\u2019 data for unknown purposes. Instead, you are a company that cares about your customers and wants to provide a personalized and exclusive experience without compromising their\u00a0data privacy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 Ways Publishers Should Adjust Their Strategies for a Cookieless Future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These six strategies will help you prepare for a\u00a0cookieless future<\/a>\u00a0that is customer-centric and built on trust and transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Collect First-Party Data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are two primary types of cookies. Third-party cookies are what people most often think of in regard to website cookies. This is the data that browsers store and share on each website. Third-party cookies allow you to see which websites and pages users have visited in order to customize their current experience. While these cookies give you a broader picture of your visitors, they also put users at the greatest risk for data breaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First-party data only collects and stores data from a user\u2019s direct interactions with your brand. Through first-party data, you can still save a user\u2019s password, customize your website based on their location, and keep items in their cart without spreading their information across the internet or pulling data from other sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many browsers, like Chrome, are already eliminating\u00a0third-party cookies<\/a>\u00a0to protect users and their privacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Track People Using Other Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cookies aren\u2019t the only means of tracking your visitors. You can also follow people by phone number, email, or other personal identifiers. Using alternative identifiers allows you to create a more personalized experience, as you know exactly who you\u2019re addressing, and you\u2019re not just creating an experience based on the device or browser you detect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Build a Transparent Brand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cookies alone aren\u2019t the problem. The main controversy is that users want to know what data websites are collecting and how they use that data. One way to build trust with your users in the future is to be more transparent about what is happening behind the scenes of your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About 66% of consumers agree that\u00a0brand transparency<\/a>\u00a0is one of the essential qualities of a business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As users browse your website, be clear about what data you\u2019re collecting from their browsing experience, how you plan to use that data, where you will share it, and how long you plan to save it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most critical aspects of a transparent brand is your privacy policy. This is the page that outlines information about data collection, and it should reassure users that if they fill out forms on your website or click on links, you will protect the data they share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Perform Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Instead of gathering incomplete data through cookies, you can collect more valuable information by asking consumers directly about their behavior. Some ways to collect data directly from consumers include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n