Shaping the Future of Digital Advertising: What’s Next for Your Ad Campaigns?

The More Things Change, the More they Stay the Same

Even though Google decided not to deprecate third-party cookies in the end, it’s clear that the way we target consumers must evolve. Safari and Firefox have already moved away from third-party cookies, and Google Chrome users will soon have the option to opt out. 

In their post, Google explained they are “proposing an updated approach that elevates user choice. Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they’d be able to adjust that choice at any time.”

But here’s the thing: We’ve been down the user-opt-in-choice path before. Take Apple App Tracking Transparency (ATT), which allows iOS users to opt out of app tracking. Given the choice, users will take it. According to The Business of Apps, games have the highest opt-in rates, and it’s only 39%. Across all app types, more than 84% of users opted against tracking.

What does that mean for marketers? 

Even though Google won’t deprecate cookies in Chrome, for all intents and purposes, the era of third-party cookies is dead. Chrome users will likely opt out of tracking, just as they did with Apple’s ATT. Relying on third-party cookies for targeting is becoming increasingly ineffective. Brands and agencies must move toward more sustainable, privacy-compliant solutions that don’t rely on tracking.

What’s Next for Brands and Media Agencies?

Luckily, the digital advertising industry has been hard at work developing alternatives to third-party cookies ever since Google’s deprecation plan was announced four years ago. These alternatives include:

• AI-driven contextual targeting. This strategy uses AI to analyze and understand the content and sentiment of placements, ensuring ads are shown in environments relevant to users. In addition to privacy compliance, contextual targeting enhances relevance, reaching users while they’re interest is piqued —  without relying on personal identifiers.

• First-party data strategies. Collecting and using data from your own channels, such as website interactions, email lists, or customer feedback, gives brands more reliable and permission-based information for creating personalized experiences. First-party data is especially valuable for its direct connection to consumer behavior.

• User Identity Resolution. By unifying multiple data points across devices and touchpoints, brands can create a cohesive profile of users without relying on third-party cookies. Solutions like ID graphs allow advertisers to connect their first-party data with user identifiers across platforms for effective targeting.
  
  Many companies, like The Trade Desk and LiveRamp offer them, allowing brands to match, say, the email addresses you have with a user’s mobile advertising identifier (MAID) or CTV.

No One Solution for Every Campaign

As you can see, targeting in the post-cookie era is more nuanced than ever before. Selecting the right approach is an art as much as a science. Different audiences, goals, and channels require a tailored strategy, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

That’s where Paragon Digital Services comes in. Our trafficking teams work with brands and agencies to design the best execution strategy for your unique campaigns, ensuring that your targeting remains sharp and that campaign results continue to improve. 

We are a global leader in digital AdOps, offering a range of managed services tailored for agencies and brands. 

Our programmatic management services are designed to optimize targeting strategies, including AI-driven contextual targeting, first-party data strategies, and identity resolution, to ensure your campaigns stay relevant in the new digital landscape. 

Whether it’s setting up campaigns or fine-tuning them for performance, Paragon provides the expertise needed to future-proof your targeting efforts.

The Future is Now

The future of targeting may feel uncertain, but your strategy doesn’t have to be. Let Paragon help you navigate the new digital landscape and future-proof your campaigns with innovative targeting techniques. 

Get in touch.