UK marketers and publishers prepare for a cookieless future

Third-party cookies are due to be replaced with new tracking technology in most browsers and, ahead of the switch, a new survey has revealed that more than two-thirds (68%) of marketers in the UK believe the future of advertising in a cookieless ecosystem relies on multiple interoperable ID solutions.

That is according to Lotame, a data management and solutions firm, which polled more than 200 senior marketing and digital publishing executives in January 2021.

Key marketer findings

• Half (51%) of marketers and publishers are actively searching for an identity partner.
• Almost all marketers have at least some concerns over their first-party data assets, with accuracy the key issue.
• Three-in-four marketers believe that contextual targeting alone is not sufficient in terms of replacing audience targeting.
• Two-thirds of marketers see the future of identity embracing multiple solutions.
• Two-thirds of companies have or plan to use identity graph solutions to map audiences.

Key publisher findings

• Subscriptions, e-commerce, and affiliate advertising are perceived as the most likely sources of revenue for publishers in the short term.
• Nearly all publishers (95%) report using supplemental data to enrich their first-party data assets.
• A third of publishers lack confidence in their contextual targeting as a replacement for audience targeting, and half (49%) are looking for a further solution to cover the potential loss of third-party tracking.
• One-in-four publishers are looking for help in finding quality data to enrich their first-party data, while 49% are currently using survey and panel data.
• More than half of publishers (56%) believe that individual opt-outs are the best choice for consumer privacy.

Key quote

“As the deadline to retire third-party cookies edges closer, marketers and publishers need to collaborate to enable advertising that is relevant, responsible, and resilient. These findings also challenge the narrative that third-party data enrichment is dead and indicate second-party and third-party data still hold considerable clout” – Chris Hogg, Lotame managing director EMEA

Sourced from Lotame