Research Briefing: Marketers Make a Change Now that Google Has Actually Retired Cookies

69% of brand professionals are investing in technology to capture their data

Google began disabling third-party cookies for 1% of Chrome users this month, and marketers are facing changes to their data collection strategies to manage the impact. Trends in recent years include the push for more complete funnel marketing efforts, the recognition of the importance of owned channels compared to paid channels, and the need to strengthen loyalty programs to continue collecting first-party data. included.

When it comes to what exactly replaces third-party cookies, first-party data is the clear winner among brands. More than two-thirds (69%) of brand professionals said they are investing in technology to capture more first-party data in Q2 2023, according to a DIGIDAY+ RESEARCH survey.

Brands are also increasingly partnering with retail media networks (RMNs) because they have access to first-party data from customer transactions, loyalty programs, in-store purchases, and online browsing behavior. Walmart's Walmart Connect and Target's Roundel are the second and third most used retail media networks by marketers in 2023, according to CMO Strategies research from DIGIDAY+ RESEARCH.

Walmart Connect, the most used RMN after Amazon, provides access to an array of consumer data that can be used for ad targeting and personalization. Meanwhile, Roundel leverages Target's first-party customer data not only on its online site but also on its mobile app, which can also be used to track customer behavior in-store.

Insights and statistics:

• “Brand demand for this type of data is expected to increase as they realize the limitations posed by the end of third-party cookies and privacy regulations. We need to look to marketing channels that provide useful data.” — Maren Kelly, VP of Marketing, PriceSpider Brand Commerce Platform
• More than a third (38%) of marketers say they use retail media advertising, second only to display advertising (used by 61% of respondents) and social media (used by 97% of respondents) has become a marketing channel for
• Grocery store chains are becoming attractive RMN partners because consumers shop at them more frequently, and grocers have more insight into how their customers shop compared to other retailers. You can get the data. The Kroger-Albertsons merger means they will reach about 85 million households together, according to the companies and likely related data.

Learn more about RMN and its details here. beginning-Party data

DIGIDAY+ Research Digest

Half of publishers expected revenue to increase in 2023, but only about one-third saw revenue increase in 2023. That's according to a Digiday+ RESEARCH survey of more than 100 publishing professionals. As of Q4 2022, 51% of publishing professionals expect their revenue to increase in 2023. I answered. In fact, just over one in three (36%) said 2023 Q4 revenues were actually higher than last year. But publishers' struggles in 2023 don't prevent them from hoping for a better year in 2024.

statistics:

• Half (50%) of publishers said they agreed that their ad revenue would increase in 2024 to a varying degree in Q4 2023. Thirty-five percent said they somewhat agreed that advertising revenue would increase this year, and 15% said they strongly agreed.
• Most publishers looking forward to revenue growth in 2024 are expressing somewhat subdued optimism. 38% of publisher professionals said they believe their company's 2024 revenue will increase by 1% to 10%.
• Almost a quarter (27%) of publishing professionals say they think revenue will be roughly flat in 2024, with just 16% expecting revenue to decline.

Read more about the publisher's 2024 revenue forecast

While publishers think their prospects for 2024 are positive, they think differently about the media industry as a whole. Almost two-thirds (63%) of publishing professionals said they agreed they were optimistic about their company's outlook this year, but fewer respondents agreed they were optimistic about the media industry's outlook. Only 20% of people This is according to a DIGIDAY+ RESEARCH survey of 54 publishing professionals conducted late in the fourth quarter of 2023. That said, publishers' optimism about their company's performance is not completely unbridled.

statistics:

• More than half (56%) of publisher respondents said they only somewhat agreed they were optimistic about their company's outlook for this year, while only 7% strongly agreed they were optimistic. did.
• The largest percentage of respondents said they were neutral on whether it would be a successful year for the media industry. 35% of publishing professionals said they neither agreed nor disagreed that they are optimistic about the outlook for the media industry in 2024.

Read more about the publisher industry forecast for 2024