The five golden rules for navigating in the post-cookie era

Without a doubt, the entire digital industry is facing a challenge due to the loss of cookies. But in order to continue marketing and digital advertising effectively, a change is needed. A change in approach, a change in teams and partners, and a change in scope.

The key is to ensure that the parameters are clearly defined: Is the market defined? Where do the company's own brands stand within these markets, and how will success be measured in the future? It is also important to analyze as well as review the current target group needs and divide them accordingly according to relevant categories, such as demographics or interest.

In terms of both data collection and usage, most first-party data is largely cookie-dependent and will shrink. Despite this expected reduction in volume, it will still be much more important strategically to focus on the use of this data. But in a different way. There are two important points to consider here.

1. use data beyond standard targeting

Use of data must go beyond direct response/lookalike modeling:

1. Consumer data should be the cornerstone of cookie-less transformation. For example, which contexts are most relevant to valuable audiences. To define an initial contextual targeting strategy, knowing what type of content end consumers are consuming in each market and for each brand is valuable information.
2. They should be used to support KPI measurement. Performance and effectiveness need not be evaluated for 100 percent of campaign delivery, but only for a statistically representative percentage for reliable extrapolation. First-party data should be used as extensively as possible to measure media effectiveness.

2. introduction of a sustainable identity solution as well as compliance with data protection regulations.

It is important to ensure that proper user privacy management is in place. This is not only important from a regulatory perspective, but also ensures that users are only addressed in a preferred manner.

We need to be realistic about replacing the cookie. Despite many claims, there will be no one-size-fits-all solution in the foreseeable future. The different approaches need to be properly understood, tested and combined. This is the only way to achieve the same level of advertising effectiveness. That's why you should not only keep an eye on current industry initiatives, but also test them yourself:

• Privacy SandboxThe first tests will probably take place during the first half of 2021.
• Profiling in real time: Here, insights and relevant (cookie-less) signals are used as a proxy of a target group - for example, context, device models, etc..
• First-party data from publishersIt makes sense to create a list of publishers who have relevant data for your core target groups and to play out campaigns via their inventory. However, one should be careful not to limit oneself too much in selecting certain publishers. Otherwise, it can happen that no sufficient reach is achieved or certain user groups are excluded.
• Unique ID: The focus is on the use of a login. Publishers will gradually integrate more login solutions. These developments must be monitored in any case so that the newly implemented solutions can be tested in a timely manner.

Contextual targeting is not a plan B, but a reliable and equally viable media strategy to play ads in appropriate editorial environments. Yet many still don't understand how to exploit the full potential of contextual targeting on a large scale. What are the first steps to getting the most out of it? Like all good campaigns, it all starts with good media planning to ensure proper actionability.

The use of first-party data, new tools and insights helps to understand which contextual information can be used when and how. The next step is to use contextual information for creative personalization: How can ads be personalized according to the content of the page to reinforce the message?

The next level is A/B testing of different contextual targeting solutions in the market. The aim here is to find out which one works best for your own brands and campaigns. Especially in 2021, you should go one step further and test new contextual information: Weather, time of day, device models, and there are many more. They are all important cookie-independent factors that enable greater personalization and media effectiveness.

The path away from cookies is paved with numerous challenges. Some have already been explained in this post, but no doubt more will be added throughout the year. With the right approach, as well as an appropriate approach, everyone is in the best possible position to prepare:

• Focus on the right mindset: There's no need to panic, but the fact that advertising must do without cookies is something to take seriously. This mindset must also exist throughout the digital marketing department.
• Focus efforts and define a clear schedule and project scope: What should be tested, how and when? In no case should all proprietary ad tech solutions be blindly tested, but only those that are most likely to contribute to one's own results and harmonize best with one's own ecosystem.
• be part of the discussion: The space for exchange and communication, for example in working groups, is still there. This opportunity should be used to share best practices with the industry and learn from the experiences as well as viewpoints of others.
• Cookie loss is a challenge we must all face together, and cross-industry collaboration is the best way to ensure business success while building consumer confidence.