One, Two, Google's Coming for you

What is Google’s new privacy policy?

Last year, Google announced its timeline for implementing its new privacy policy: a life without cookies. While we are all too familiar with chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, digital cookies are what captures and stores our online movements: our online shopping habits, our most frequent searches, and yes, even our passwords. With a two-year goal in mind, by 2022, Google users, marketers, and advertisers should expect a cookie-less world. But what does that mean for YOU? In the world of digital marketing, whether you are the consumer or the marketer, change in privacy, accessibility, and exposure is coming your way. Here’s what you need to know and how it pertains to you.

How does this affect you, the consumer?

Tired of clicking that infamous “Accept All Cookies” button? Well, now you don’t have to. Instead of pressing a button, now it’s automatic—wahoo! Even though Google has decided to do away with this third-party tool, they are still monitoring your online habits—after all, it is the internet. Google will not be adding another middleman to take the place of the historic cookie. Instead, Google themselves will be putting you and others similar into groups based on your online activity. While you get more privacy as an individual, your interests alone are not the top priority anymore. So, your privacy comes with strings— and a lot of them.

How does this affect you, the marketer?

Whether you are a small business or a large corporation, the loss of cookies will affect you dramatically. The first step in marketing is knowing who your target audience is and how you can reach them. Without cookies, the web now limits your chances of interacting with your audience. What now? Well, it is time for a new strategy. However, with a brand-new approach comes a brand-new budget. A cookie-less society not only tanks your exposure but also decreases your revenue. Advertisers have relied on cookies for almost two decades, but with the web now changing, it is time for the marketer to evolve with it. While the stakes may be more costly, you have the power to captivate your audience and take advantage of the strings.

Pros and cons for the individual

As the consumer, you benefit from Google’s empty cookie jar and marketer’s plans to connect with you. But with every pro, there is a con. While you get to keep your online identity hidden, your internet interests are still being targeted and recorded. Google saves the data of your favorites, but being put into a group means that you will see the same content again and again. Your online preferences and needs are being met—great until you have to see the same ad for the eighth time.

Pros and cons for businesses

And just when you give Google a cookie, the whole batch is gone. Unfortunately, marketers and advertisers will have to find different strategies to engage their audience. While both small and large businesses will face a dip in investments and revenue shortages, Google web products will be reliant on preserving APIs and deliver reliable results to website owners. Finding a dependable and safe plan to interact with users will be trickier and costlier, but the good news is that consumer behavior is not changing. Cookies were a way to understand audiences and their preferences easily; however, businesses can take complete control to navigate a marketing strategy without them.

My take on cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are my personal favorite, but the third-party web tool is a close second. I am both a consumer and a marketer; I want what you want. I want my identity hidden, but I also desire the easy, cookie-cutter route to attract my audience. While I wish that Google provided businesses with more time to prepare their marketing strategies, cookies were never meant to be permanent, and it is time for companies and their users to adapt to web change. Marketers have the opportunity to target their audience directly, without the use of a third party, creating sincere interaction and engagement. Sure, most users do not want their private information floating around the internet. However, users do want their online presence to be meaningful, organic, and all about them. Google grants consumers their privacy, and business marketers give them an experience that attracts their interests. With the internet constantly changing, so will we. Advertisers and their users get to adapt to an overall better online experience, and well, that is just how the cookie crumbles.

Sources

Atlas, Zach. “Google Privacy Sandbox: A Rallying Cry to Replace the Third-Party Cookie.” SpotX, 18 Mar. 2021, www.spotx.tv/resources/blog/product-pulse/google-privacy-sandbox/.

BBC, News. “Google’s Announced Timeline for New Privacy Policy.” BBC News, BBC, 15 Jan. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/technology-51115315#:~:text=The%20new%20policy%20known%20as,problem%20from%20a%20competition%20perspective.

Bohn, Dieter. “Google to ‘Phase out’ Third-Party Cookies in Chrome, but Not for Two Years.” The Verge, The Verge, 14 Jan. 2020, www.theverge.com/2020/1/14/21064698/google-third-party-cookies-chrome-two-years-privacy-safari-firefox.

Howley, Daniel. “Google’s New Privacy Policy for Chrome Won’t Stop Targeted Ads.” Yahoo! Finance, Yahoo!, 5 Mar. 2021, finance.yahoo.com/news/googles-new-privacy-policy-for-chrome-wont-stop-targeted-ads-223724067.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALX6HaJKwqJ9HFUktHHRPQwZAgguFtpAmjikxjKRIoE6PQpEWXPIKiqiWIWlkaW_EVKwy-caMkFeKksotMaMNgMUiW9wZUi38Eb2FG7k9PKIzz1Fb1L2xhx_DdfSQ-_cFxTNGkAe6eeAZoKMT4Enu1dgSNLLFQKi2IFPf73tjNn6.