Is Your Search Program Ready for a Cookieless Future?

In April, Google decided to postpone third-party cookie deprecation for Chrome until 2025. But now is the time to prepare for the inevitable, because, regardless of when it happens, search will be impacted by cookie deprecation and privacy changes.

The conversation around cookie deprecation has usually focused on its effect on programmatic campaigns. That’s because paid search campaigns won’t be directly impacted. However, as an integral part of the digital marketing ecosystem, we predict that search will eventually see some impact.

Paid search marketers currently use post-click cookies, which are considered first-party cookies. But it is likely that even first-party cookies will eventually be replaced by more sustained and privacy-oriented solutions. Google's track record suggests it is taking steps to phase out cookies and prepare us for their absence. The discontinuation of similar-to audiences, the introduction of broad match and PMax, and the continued rollout of more AI-supported features make it clear that even search campaigns are going to be impacted by privacy changes.

How can marketers future-proof their campaigns for upcoming changes? Expert marketers should review their paid search campaigns from two perspectives and take the necessary steps in each area.

Search within the broader ecosystem is crucial, especially as cookie deprecation affects tracking and analytics. To adapt, it's essential to:

• Audit and update to modern tagging systems.
• Ensure your analytics platform is optimized for privacy.
• Implement enhanced conversions with partners that utilize auction time bidding.
• Develop a first-party data strategy, like customer match.

Analytics teams should prioritize these steps, while paid search teams should focus on adopting modern search principles for success in a privacy-centric world.

Embrace best practices for a future without cookies, akin to anticipating moves in hockey: "Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been." Utilize forward-looking tools and strategies, including:

• Auction Time Bidding (ATB) will become increasingly crucial as data anonymization grows and manual optimization becomes less effective due to data blind spots.
• Broad match smartly broadens search parameters to connect with the right audience.
• Performance Max (PMax) campaigns address the complex customer journey by integrating various assets like video, images, and text early in the search process for optimal results.
• Automatically Created Assets (ACA) offer the pinnacle of ad personalization in a privacy-safe environment, allowing for tailored advertisements based on user needs and preferences.

AI and privacy go hand in hand

AI enhances privacy in digital marketing. While users increasingly demand more privacy and control over their data, 66% still expect companies to understand their unique needs and 52% look for personalized offers. AI helps anonymize data yet smartly utilizes "partner signals" like past search behavior and interests to deliver the personalization consumers expect without compromising their privacy. These signals are inferred from digital traces left by users, not direct data sharing.

Is AI indispensable in this process? Not entirely. While AI is integral to modern digital strategies and tools provided by giants like Google and Microsoft, it doesn't replace the human expertise of search marketers. Tools like PMax, ACA, Broad Match, and ATB, though AI-powered, require human oversight and adjustment to align with business goals and ensure success.