First-party cookies - how do we use them for tracking

Let's dive deeper into the future of digital advertising without third-party cookies!

As many of you know, Google's decision to phase out third-party cookies on Chrome by this year marks a shift in digital advertising, continuing a trend already set by other browsers in recent years.

This shift was anticipated, yet it represents a significant evolution in how we approach online tracking and advertising.

But, let's first rewind a bit and delve into the mechanics of cookies and how they've traditionally been utilized in digital advertising until now.

Cookie basics

A cookie is essentially a small piece of data stored on your browser by a website you visit. This process enables websites to remember your actions and preferences over time.

🖲 For instance, visiting someshoppingsite[.]com might result in a cookie being set by this domain, allowing the site to remember your visit and preferences.

In the context of ad tracking, third-party cookies were important in monitoring user behavior across different sites, facilitating targeted advertising based on these insights.

The process of tracking typically worked as follows:

▶ Traffic is directed to a tracking link (e.g., trackmyads[.]com), where a cookie is set to initiate visitor tracking.

▶ The visitor is then redirected to the target site (e.g., mysite[.]com).

▶ Upon completion of a purchase, these cookies were analyzed to attribute the conversion accurately to the specific visitor.

▶ This system enabled access to cookies from the tracking domain, even when the user was on a different domain.

Now, accessing a cookie from a different domain, while you are visiting another domain, is no longer possible,

The power of First-Party cookies

In the wake of these privacy regulations and the end of third-party cookie support, first-party cookies emerge as the beacon of hope for marketers.

Unlike their third-party counterparts, first-party cookies are set by the domain the user is actively engaging with, making them inherently more privacy-compliant and user-friendly.

Here’s how they redefine tracking:

• When a visitor lands on your site (say, mysite[.]com), a first-party cookie is set by this very domain.

• This cookie lives within the ecosystem of your domain, ensuring that all tracking activities, from visitor behavior analysis to conversion tracking, are seamlessly integrated and privacy-compliant.

• The direct relationship between the cookie and the domain means there's no cross-domain data sharing without user consent, aligning perfectly with today’s privacy standards.

🛠 Seamless tracking and conversion attribution

The transition to first-party cookies aligns with privacy norms.

• Conversion tracking becomes straightforward. When a user makes a purchase or completes an action on your site, the first-party cookie ensures that this conversion is accurately attributed to the right campaign, directly within your domain.

• This direct attribution model not only simplifies analytics but also enhances the accuracy of your marketing insights, allowing for more targeted and effective campaign optimizations.

🌟 Embracing the change

The shift towards first-party cookies represents an evolution in digital marketing, one that places greater emphasis on user privacy and data security.

• The key to thriving in this new landscape is to embrace the change, leveraging technology and strategies that align with these emerging standards.

• Custom tracking domains, for instance, offer a powerful way to utilize first-party cookies effectively, ensuring your tracking efforts are both compliant and efficient. Our CPV Lab users have been using custom tracking domains for their campaigns for years. So there is no news for them. But custom tracking domains are a powerful way of using first-party data for tracking. I will come back with more details regarding custom tracking domains, or you can check the cpvlab.pro blog.

• By integrating first-party data into your marketing strategies, you not only adhere to the new norms but also gain richer, more actionable insights into your audience’s preferences and behaviors.

As we navigate this transition, the focus should be on innovation and adaptability.

The end of third-party cookies is not a barrier but an opportunity to redefine digital marketing in a way that’s both effective and respectful of user privacy.

If you want to understand better the differences between first-party cookies and third-party cookies, check this article here on the blog.