January 18 2024
For years, third-party cookies have been the bread and butter of online advertising. The practice allows you, the marketer, to target website visitors with laser precision based on their browsing history.
However, the winds of change are blowing through the digital landscape, and Google Chrome, the world's dominant browser, is leading the charge toward a privacy-first future. Its plan? To phase out third-party cookies entirely by the end of 2024.
Note: As of October 2023, Google Chrome has the highest browser share in the United States at 51.94%. Safari at 29.29%, Edge at 8.67%, and Opera at 4.4%.
So, how exactly is Google accomplishing this cookie crackdown? Buckle up real estate marketers, because it's about to get technical!
Anthony Chaves, who is the VP of Privacy Sandbox at Google, announced in his article titled "The next step toward phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome" that,
… January 4, we'll begin testing Tracking Protection, a new feature that limits cross-site tracking by restricting website access to third-party cookies by default. We'll roll this out to 1% of Chrome users globally, a key milestone in our Privacy Sandbox initiative to phase out third-party cookies for everyone in the second half of 2024, subject to addressing any remaining competition concerns from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority.
Currently in its testing phase, this feature restricts third-party cookies by default for a small percentage of Chrome users. As the rollout expands, websites' ability to track users across different domains will be severely limited.
This umbrella term encompasses Google's alternative solutions for targeted advertising and user measurement without relying on third-party cookies. These solutions are still under development by Google and the broader web community.
Some proposed technologies include:
The blocking of third-party cookies presents both challenges and opportunities for real estate marketing. Here are five crucial insights to navigate the changing landscape:
The key difference between third-party cookies and first-party cookies lies in who creates and uses them.
First-party cookies
Third-party cookies
While Google's third-party cookie phaseout may seem daunting, it also presents an opportunity for real estate marketers to refine their strategies and prioritize user privacy. Embrace first-party data, invest in contextual targeting, and build direct relationships to thrive in the privacy-first future. Remember, the focus is shifting from intrusive tracking to building trust and delivering value. Embrace this change, and unlock the potential of a more sustainable and ethical approach to real estate marketing.
This article is designed to be informative and actionable, but it's important to stay updated on the latest developments in Google's Privacy Sandbox and adapt your strategies accordingly. Don't hesitate to seek further resources and guidance from qualified SEO and marketing professionals or contact David Gumpper of the WAV Group.
To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.