COMING AT YOU WEEK OF 3.9.21

Weekly catch up

It’s possible you’re sick of hearing about Google’s latest shake-up. But we’d look like real idiots if we didn’t talk about it. So, here we go. 

Part 1: Google decides to phase out third-party cookies. Google’s products (think: Chrome, Google Ads, and Adsense) will no longer be supporting third-party cookies. Advertisers and publishers are concerned because targeting their audience could be more difficult.

Part 2: People started thinking of alternatives. Email hashing, UUID (Universally Unique Identifier), cache-based tracking, fingerprinting, etc. are a few ideas that have been floating around.

Part 3: Google said to stop trying to think of alternatives that track individual users. They’ve introduced their own solution: The Privacy Sandbox featuring FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts). They believe, according to David Temkin, that “people shouldn’t have to accept being tracked across the web in order to get the benefits of relevant advertising.”

The world has quite a few feelings about all this.

For​
Gregg Johnson, CEO of Invoca, said, “Google’s announcement today is a wake-up call for marketers to break their third-party data addictions and instead turn to review the data strategies within their organizations. First-party, privacy-friendly datasets are richer and more impactful when it comes to improving campaign performance. They also stand the test of time while strengthening the trust between the customer and the business.”

And against
​Andy Monfried, CEO of data management said, “Google uses privacy as a shield to weaponize its ‘moat.’ The Moat is YouTube and their Search business. Almost everything else is a rounding error. Make no mistake, Google is now going to brand themselves as a ‘Privacy Concerned’ company for consumers. Don’t fall for it.”

Stay tuned for how to handle other privacy changes.

Ask yourself this

How should we react when FB ads gets a makeover?

Background 

The iOS 14.5 update includes serious user data changes. It’s currently in beta testing, so we expect it live any day. JumpFly wrote a great piece detailing the update, Facebook’s subsequent changes, and how advertisers should prepare. Here’s a condensed version.

IDFA prompt

Currently, FB ads rely on IDFA (Identity for Advertisers) data to influence their targeting, attribution, and audience insights. Users have always had the ability to opt-out, but they had to proactively go and change that setting. With the update, a prompt will ask users to opt-in or opt-out. A Singular survey projects that 62% of users won’t opt-in, which will make FB ads less effective at reaching the ideal audience.

Data nutrition label and tracking transparency prompt

FB advertiser to-do list

 FB is adjusting their ad features to account for the expected data loss. Here are some things to ask yourself if you want to avoid a significant decrease in ad efficacy.

 1. Did we verify our domain?​
To verify domains, go to Business manage > Business settings > Brand safety. You’ll see why this is important in step two. 

2. Have we prioritized events?
​If one user completes multiple events/conversions, only one will be reported. Prioritize events in order to report the most important ones. You’re allowed 8 pixel events per domain.

If you define your domains like this → uk.company.com and us.company.com, then all your domains will need to share the eight events. If you define your domains like this → company.com and company.uk, then domains will get their own eight events.

3. Should our automated rules change?
​There will be changes to attribution windows. If you use automated rules, update them to match the adjustments.

4. What strategies should we test?
​Targeting, measurement, and bidding are changing, so identify new strategies that pivot with these updates. Then, test them.

 The unfortunate truth: you’ll probably experience drops in ad performance. Make sure your superiors know that, prepare yourselves accordingly, brace for impact, and stay positive.

What TV taught us

Jurassic Park

We think Ian’s iconic line can relate back to this privacy discussion.

You can debate Google’s and Apple’s intentions with the prioritization of user privacy. But let’s take this a step inwards. This week, when looking at your company, your marketing, your pricing, and your team, don’t only consider what you could do, but what you should.

Wordless Wisdom

A mountain of mistakes