Adapting to privacy changes: a guide to third-party cookie compliance for your website

In response to increased privacy regulations, major web browsers are phasing out third-party cookies. These changes impact how businesses can track user behaviour, affecting targeted marketing and user profiling capabilities. This guide explains what this means for your business and how Purplex can support you.

What are third-party cookies?

Third-party cookies are pieces of data placed on user browsers by entities other than the website they’re visiting, often for tracking and advertising. These cookies allow advertisers to follow users across websites to deliver relevant ads based on interests. For example, you may see ads for products you viewed previously on another site. Purplex has used this approach to help clients reach target audiences effectively.

Why are third-party cookies being phased out?

Driven by evolving privacy laws, such as GDPR, web browsers like Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox will restrict third-party cookies to protect user privacy. As Google’s EU user consent policy requires, sites must obtain user consent before collecting and using personal data for ads. This shift mandates changes to ensure compliance.

How will this impact your marketing?

Key areas affected:

1. Targeted marketing: With limited ability to track users across sites, ad targeting will be less precise.
2. User profiling: Cookies have allowed for creating detailed user segments based on behaviours and interests. Without third-party cookies, profiling for targeted ads becomes challenging.
3. Retargeting: Ads that “follow” users to remind them of previously viewed products will be less effective without consent to cookies.
4. Reporting: Tracking user journeys between sites becomes complex, making it harder to attribute leads to specific campaigns accurately.
5. Website cookie policies: Sites must now request consent before setting cookies. Users need clear options to accept, decline, or manage cookies per the Google EU consent policy.

Our solution: updating your website with Termly

To comply with evolving privacy standards, Purplex will update your website’s cookie policies and integrate a user-friendly consent pop-up, managed through Termly. This solution aligns with Google’s EU user consent requirements, providing a robust compliance framework while maintaining a positive user experience.

How we’ll help you adapt

1. Shift to first-party data: We’ll help clients gather first-party data (directly from users), such as email subscriptions, to retain insights.
2. Enhanced campaign feedback: Sharing lead data from Google Ads allows for better campaign optimisation, improving ad relevance.
3. Contextual advertising: Ads will target users based on the content they are viewing rather than their browsing history.

What’s next?

The transition is expected over the coming months as major browsers implement restrictions. Purplex will manage the necessary updates to ensure compliance, including an affordable Termly plan to support your consent needs.

Contact us

If you have any questions about these changes or their impact, look at our frequently asked questions section below or contact us to discuss how we can make this transition seamless and beneficial for your marketing strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are third-party cookies, and why are they being phased out?
   Third-party cookies are small pieces of data stored on your browser by websites other than the one you’re visiting. They track users across the web to deliver targeted ads. Due to privacy concerns and regulations, browsers like Google Chrome and Safari are phasing out these cookies to give users more control over their data.
2. How will phasing out third-party cookies impact my marketing efforts?
   Without third-party cookies, it will be harder to track users across websites and deliver ads based on their past interactions. This can impact the accuracy of targeted advertising, reduce the effectiveness of retargeting ads, and make it more challenging to analyse user behaviour for campaign insights.
3. What is Google Consent Mode, and why is it important for my website?
   Google Consent Mode allows your website to adjust the behaviour of Google tags based on user consent choices. It ensures that analytics and ads can still be measured to some degree even if a user declines cookies, thereby maintaining some tracking data for ads and campaigns. Without it, tracking may be significantly impacted, leading to less accurate ad targeting and measurement.
4. What happens if I don’t implement Google Consent Mode on my site?
   If you don’t implement Google Consent Mode, you risk losing valuable insights from Google Ads, remarketing campaigns, and analytics. When users decline cookies, data about their interactions won’t be tracked, making it difficult to optimise campaigns or measure the performance of ads. This can lead to less effective advertising spend and reduced return on investment.
5. How will the changes affect my Google Ads and social media advertising?
   Without third-party cookies, it becomes harder to track user behaviour for Google Ads and social media campaigns. This impacts your ability to retarget users with ads after they leave your website and can reduce ad relevance, resulting in a less efficient use of your advertising budget. Google is also more likely to decline ads if you don’t have a Google Consent Mode compliant website, which would then impact our ability to run these types of ads.
6. Can we still use retargeting (remarketing) ads after third-party cookies are phased out?
   Retargeting will become more challenging without third-party cookies. Users who decline cookies cannot be tracked for follow-up ads. Consent solutions, like Google Consent Mode, can help capture some retargeting data by respecting user preferences, ensuring that ads reach users who have opted into tracking.
7. What is first-party data, and how can it help my marketing strategy?
   First-party data is information collected directly from users, such as email addresses or on-site behaviour. This data is privacy-compliant and valuable for targeting users without relying on third-party cookies. Shifting to first-party data can help maintain effective campaigns, allowing you to build stronger relationships with users who have shown interest in your brand. For example, encouraging visitors to your website to sign up to your email newsletter or provide an email address in order to receive a free white paper, buying guide or special offers.
8. What are the benefits of implementing a consent management solution like Termly?
   Implementing a consent management solution ensures compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR and the Google EU User Consent Policy. With Termly, your website can display clear options for users to accept, decline, or manage cookies, maintaining transparency and trust. It also ensures that your data collection practices are compliant and that you retain critical insights for marketing purposes.
9. How will these changes impact our marketing reports?
   Tracking limitations from third-party cookie phase-outs mean that reporting accuracy may decrease, especially for multi-channel attribution. While you will still receive performance data, it will be harder to trace the specific sources of leads and assess the complete customer journey. Consent management can help retain some data while staying compliant.
10. Will these changes affect my website’s analytics and lead tracking?
    Yes, traditional tracking across multiple sites will be limited without third-party cookies, impacting detailed insights. However, implementing first-party data collection methods and Google Consent Mode will enable continued tracking of essential metrics, preserving a high-level understanding of campaign effectiveness.
11. What happens if users accept cookies or choose specific preferences on my website?
    When users accept all cookies on your website, tracking tools (like Google Analytics) and advertising platforms (such as Google Ads) can collect data about their behaviour, helping you understand their preferences and improve targeted marketing. This data allows for detailed insights into user activity, enabling more personalised ads, retargeting, and accurate campaign tracking.
    If users choose to accept only certain cookie types (e.g. functional cookies but not marketing cookies), only the permitted data will be collected. This may limit the depth of insights available for advertising but still allows some level of tracking to enhance their experience on your site. Purplex’s implementation with Termly will ensure users can manage their preferences easily, helping maintain compliance while respecting user privacy.
12. What steps can I take to prepare for these changes?
    1. Implement a consent management solution, such as Termly, to comply with privacy regulations.
    2. Shift to collecting first-party data, such as email signups, to build direct relationships with your audience.
    3. Leverage contextual advertising to target users based on the content they view, rather than their browsing history.
    4. Work with Purplex to adapt your campaigns to new privacy standards, ensuring continuity in your marketing effectiveness.