The Cookie-less Future
As third-party cookies phase out, marketers face challenges in retargeting, analytics, and audience targeting. Here we explain how DMOs can navigate this shift by leveraging first-party data, geo-based and contextual strategies, and emerging tools.
Written By - Kelly Smith
May 2024
There’s no denying that 3rd party cookies have been a tremendously helpful tool for marketers, and that DMOs will feel their absence when Chrome officially disables. We’re especially going to feel it in areas like website retargeting, third-party website analytics, and interest-based advertising audiences, as traditional website retargeting becomes more difficult, reaching niche audiences becomes more expensive, and digital demographics targeting become unreliable – or disappear entirely. It’s essential to recognize that these challenges have created the need for new solutions.
So how can DMOs execute successful audience targeting strategies that don't require third-party cookies? The answer lies in placing a greater emphasis on first-party data, leaning into geo-based and contextual targeting strategies, and in the emerging concepts of identity networks and clean rooms.
First-party data
- We know how hard your DMO has been working to build this list, so let’s start growing it and using it – Not only for email marketing campaigns, but also for more types of programmatic targeting and in-market attribution.
Geo-based and contextual strategies
- Leaning into geo-based strategies (putting your advertising dollars into the geographical markets where you’ll get the most traction) and contextual strategies (placing advertising on websites whose readers are likely to share your interest) will still allow DMOs to reach their most strategic audiences.
Clean rooms and identity networks
- The deprecation of cookies will lead to the rise of identity networks and clean rooms – two concepts that allow us to analyze and activate customer data within the new privacy framework, and work hand-in-hand with each other to allow us to link online activity to the same user.
Contact your Datafy CX representative or book a demo to see how we’re already implementing these critical emerging marketing tactics for destinations.