Google has started a test in Chrome. For 1 per cent of users, third-party cookies are now switched off by default. That is a small group, but Chrome is by far the largest browser. It is therefore a preview of what may soon apply to all visitors.
In this article you will read what exactly is happening and which part of your marketing it affects. You will also learn how to check whether you are already noticing anything without complicated tools, and what you can put in place now.
What Google is testing
Chrome has a new feature called Tracking Protection. When it is on, websites run by a different party can no longer set or read cookies. Google is currently switching the feature on for a small share of users. Users who take part receive a notification in the browser.
Google has also indicated that it wants to switch off the cookies for more people later. It mentions the second half of 2024, depending on agreements with regulators. There is therefore no fixed date. But the direction is clear.
Other browsers got there before Chrome. Safari and Firefox have blocked third-party cookies by default for some time. Marketers there already know the consequences. The difference is that Chrome has far more visitors.
What are third-party cookies, exactly?
A cookie is a small file that a website stores in a visitor’s browser. There are two types that you need to tell apart.
- First-party cookies are set by your own website. They remember, for example, what is in the shopping basket or that someone has visited before.
- Third-party cookies are set by another party, such as an advertising network. This allows that party to recognise a visitor across multiple websites.
The test only concerns the second type. Cookies from your own domain continue to work as normal.
What it affects in your marketing
Not everything in your marketing depends on third-party cookies. Some elements do, and that is where you can expect measurement loss.
This is where you may notice something first:
- Retargeting via advertising networks. This lets you show ads to people who visited your site. Without a cookie, the network no longer recognises that visitor.
- Some affiliate tracking. If tracking relies on a cookie from the affiliate partner, a sale may go unrecorded.
- Tools that follow visitors across multiple websites. Think of audience data and reach measurement across sites.
- Cross-site attribution. The path from advert to purchase becomes less visible.
Your own analytics on your own domain keep working. A tool such as Google Analytics 4 uses first-party cookies. You will therefore still see what visitors do on your site. You will just see less clearly where they came from if that ran through another party.
How to check whether you are already noticing anything
Because this concerns 1 per cent of users, the effect is small for now. You can still investigate it in advance. Work through these steps.
- Review your retargeting audiences. Check in your advertising platforms whether the lists are shrinking or growing more slowly than before, while your traffic stays the same.
- Compare conversions by source. Do you see fewer conversions in an advertising platform while your revenue in your web shop or CRM stays the same? Then the platform is missing data.
- Split your traffic by browser. Check in your analytics whether Chrome visitors behave differently than before. Also compare them with visitors on Safari and Firefox.
- Test it yourself. In Chrome’s settings you can block third-party cookies. Then browse your own site and see which measurements still fire.
- Record a baseline. Write down your current figures now. That way you will see more quickly what changes later.
Pay attention to the outcome of step 2. The difference between platform and revenue is missed measurement, not a missed sale. Your customers are still buying. You just no longer see every purchase traced back to the advert that prompted it.
A practical example
Suppose you run a web shop selling garden furniture. Every month you spend a fixed amount on retargeting. Your advertising platform suddenly reports slightly fewer conversions than last month. Your revenue in the web shop system has stayed the same.
Without an explanation, it is easy to draw the wrong conclusion. You assume the ads are working less well and lower the budget. As a result, fewer visitors return and your revenue genuinely falls.
With a baseline, you look at it differently. You compare platform conversions with actual orders and split by browser. Then you see that the difference lies mainly in Chrome. That points to missed measurement. You leave the budget as it is and improve your measurement first. That way you make a decision based on reality.
What to put in place now
You do not need to wait until the problem grows. These steps make your measurement stronger, even if third-party cookies disappear.
- Also send conversions via your server. Use Meta’s Conversions API or server-side tagging in Google Tag Manager. Your server then passes the purchase directly to the platform, even if the browser passes nothing on.
- Switch on enhanced conversions. In Google Ads this is called enhanced conversions. It links a purchase to an ad using details the customer provided themselves, which are securely encrypted.
- Get your consent set up properly. A well-designed cookie banner and Google Consent Mode ensure you measure what is permitted. The platform fills in part of the missing data using modelling.
- Collect email addresses with consent. With your own list you can reach customers without cookies. This can be done through a newsletter, an account or a sign-up promotion.
- Compare measurement with your own figures. Place platform data next to your web shop or CRM. That way you keep a grip on what your advertising really delivers.
Above all, secure your own data. You collect it yourself, with your visitors’ consent. No browser change can take that away from you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to change anything in my campaigns now?
You do not need to overhaul your campaigns. This is currently a small test. It is wise, however, to improve your measurement and record a baseline. That way you will be prepared if the group gets larger.
Does Google Analytics still work as normal?
Yes, in essence it does. Google Analytics 4 uses first-party cookies on your own domain, and those continue to work. You will mainly notice the effect in traffic source data and in measurement across multiple websites.
Will retargeting no longer be possible?
Retargeting is changing, but it is not disappearing. You can still build audiences using your own data, such as email addresses of customers who gave consent. Server-side measurement also helps. The possibilities depend on the platform and your set-up.
Book a free 30-minute introductory call
Would you like to know how vulnerable your measurement is to this change? Then book a free 30-minute introductory call with Adventio Marketing in Amersfoort. Together we will look at your current tracking, your advertising platforms and your plans. You will hear concretely what you can tackle first, with no obligation.
Get in touch with us and choose a time that suits you.
