“Are third-party cookies going away?”
“If so, how should we adapt our approach to gathering valuable customer data in a post-cookies environment?”
These questions have haunted marketing leaders and factored into their organizational strategy for years. They’ve watched warily as Google has announced — and repeatedly delayed and modified — plans to fully eliminate third-party cookies.
With the industry giant’s recent decision to cancel its cookie deprecation plan for its Chrome browser after all, many teams are wondering what comes next. Events leaders, of course, understand the importance of a reliable flow of data from attendees that can fuel marketing and sales strategy. The expected end of cookies promised to further increase the pressure to deliver a wealth of zero-party and first-party data that does not rely on cookies and complies with user privacy expectations.
So, does the continued existence of cookies change the equation? Not really, according to RainFocus executives who have closely monitored the ongoing saga from both technical and strategic marketing perspectives.
“This change may seem bigger than it is from a net-result standpoint,” explained Mike Bushman, RainFocus CTO. “Users still favor privacy when given the choice, as was seen by iPhone users when they were given a similar choice by Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature.” Notably, although Google’s plan keeps cookies available for users who do not opt out, it also enables one-time disabling that can then be adjusted at any time.
“Collecting zero- and first-party data is still going to be critical for marketing teams,” Bushman stressed. “Many Chrome users will choose to disable third-party cookies. Time will tell how much cookies will be marginalized.”
Despite Google’s abrupt shift, the overwhelming trend toward privacy and individual choice in data sharing will likely continue. “The era of cookies is still gradually drawing to a close as users gain more control over their privacy,” said Ashleigh Cook, RainFocus CMO, noting that other web browsers such as Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari have already blocked third-party cookies.
“This shift enhances trust and transparency in digital interactions,” she said. As consumers have become increasingly hesitant to share data with organizations in their everyday interactions, B2B leaders must also keep pace with evolving expectations.
Ultimately, regardless of how many individual Chrome users opt to continue to allow cookies, a smart business strategy continues to embrace the full potential of events to deliver the authentic, trustworthy interactions that win over prospects and customers. The data points generated from those interactions are mutually beneficial, allowing organizations to provide tailored event experiences while serving sales and marketing strategy.
“The adoption of zero-party and first-party data has not been merely a reaction to the so-called cookie crisis,” Cook explained. “It represents a broader movement toward genuine, transparent engagement with audiences.”
