How can marketers prepare for a cookieless world?

Don’t wait until the cookies are all gone. If you haven’t done so already, now’s the time to take action. Google has been working on this for years.

And now, for you to get the same results you’ve come to expect, you’ll need to source it differently, via data that is not reliant on cookies. It’s not the end of the world, but relying on your own first-party data may seem daunting — even for the most savvy marketers. Once you know how to plan and activate your health system, you’re headed in the right direction. Here’s the key: continue to meet patients exactly where they are, while staying HIPAA compliant. How? With high-performing campaigns. Want advice on how to get there?

First, here’s a hint: education

The main focus for marketers should be on educating more healthcare providers and patient audiences. Tell them all about the treatment options available and teach them about the conditions that really concern them. Why? Your efforts will ultimately lead to improving patient outcomes. Ready to get going?
Here are three takeaways to move your efforts forward.

Assess your third-party cookies

• Are your campaigns dependent on them? If yes, just how dependent are they?
• Which of your digital marketing activities rely on third-party cookies?
• Do you really know your audiences? Where they are in their brand journey?

Don’t forget to personalize your efforts and target behavior. Keep it all privacy-compliant and measure results at every stage.

Check in with your advertising technology partners

• Is your agency on board to support you in the transition?
• What steps have they taken to prepare for the deprecation of third-party cookies?
• Will they help you identify what actions you need to take to continue talking to your core audience?

Be sure your ad tech partners are compliant with your first-party identifiers. Find out how they ensure privacy and address HIPAA regulations. Plan ahead. This part alone could take 2 to 3 months.

Create a test campaign to prepare for cookieless traffic

• Is your plan for evaluating your digital landscape in order?
• Have you decided how many test campaigns you want to run?
• Do you have metrics in place to measure the results?

Keep in mind that, if you run more than one test campaign, you can compare different user identifiers. Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions all along the way. The planning you do now will be well worth it. You want to reap the benefits of better campaign performance, don’t you?

But, if it all sounds too confusing, you can always leave it to the professionals. The good news is, you still have about two years to prepare for being cookieless.

Ready to meet your audience where they are? If all of this seems a bit overwhelming, we completely understand; it can be a lot to manage. You can trust our team of experts at DECODE to help you cut through the clutter and stand out amongst your competitors.

Discover how DECODE helped a Houston hospital system connect with members of the community during the pandemic with with just a simple cup of coffee. Or, ready to chat with us? Give us a call, and we’d be happy to discuss a partnership with you over your own cup of joe.