6th March 2025
Two years ago, Google announced they would be removing third-party cookies from all sites loaded through Chrome.
How Cookies Influence Marketing
For years, cookies have been used to track browsing data and gain customer behaviour insights. Without them:
“Cookies play a discrete but indispensable role in facilitating targeted advertising. Without them, profiles could not be created, accessed or maintained; without the user profile, there is no customer data; and without the data there is no targeted marketing.” – Target Internet
What Does This Mean for the Future of Marketing?
Irrelevant advertisements are not only annoying for consumers, but they are ineffective – increasing overall market wastage.
In the coming years, ROI for a variety of pay-per-click adverts is bound to decrease, and marketing employees are going to struggle to generate leads and connect with high-intent audiences.
That’s not all.
The removal of cookies means that many marketers will be unable to make personalised content. As HubSpot reports 80% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand providing a tailored experience unique to their needs, this is devastating news.
What are the Data Alternatives for Cookies?
It’s not all bad, though. There are certainly alternatives to cookies, and one of them is designed by Google itself.
This software application allows websites to receive user information without compromising privacy – helping businesses and the search engine itself stay out of trouble and avoid fines. Worldwide, governments are continuing to crack down on data regulations, but Google’s Privacy Sandbox might be able to facilitate a different approach to marketing.
Although it feels like a big step back for many marketers, contextual advertising can still be effective. If you know your target audience of female 16-24-year-olds spend most of their time on Instagram, then it makes sense to place an advert on the platform for them to see. If you sell activewear clothing, you might sponsor an advert on a fitness blogger’s website.
The leading alternative to cookies is an ongoing collaboration with big data companies (like Salesforce), who can provide anonymised, GDPR compliant, customer insights across a variety of industries.
However, there is a downfall. This information is often delivered in difficult-to-understand packages that require comprehensive data understanding and analytics.
Are Big Data Scientists the Future of Marketing?
If Google does inevitably remove third-party cookies, then, yes, Data Scientists are going to have a huge part to play in the future of marketing.
Fine-tuned targeting is a critical element of successful advertisements, and Data Scientists/Analysts would be able to assess NPII data and build detailed customer personas that tell marketers:
Recruiting Big Data Scientists for Your Marketing Team
It seems that digitally-savvy data employees are going to become an essential part of every marketing team. They will be able to design innovative solutions to research and source data after Google removes cookies.
When recruiting, you should look for someone who has a good understanding of:
As these are all top data skills your marketing team will desperately need.
Recruit through Ross Clifford & Associates
As specialists in the Digital, Creative, Marketing, and Technology spaces, Ross Clifford & Associates are perfectly positioned to help you find your next high-quality, experienced data candidate. Reach out today.