For nearly as long as the internet has existed, marketers have relied on third-party cookies to gather user data. By tracking where customers go and what they like, advertisers have been able to deliver increasingly personalized ads and run retargeting campaigns.
But as users grow uncomfortable with constant tracking and demand more privacy and control over their data, third-party cookies are on their way out. This shift makes remarketing more challenging, if not nearly impossible.
What Are Third-Party Cookies?
Put simply, third-party cookies collect information about a user’s actions from sources other than the site they’re currently visiting, then use it for purposes such as advertising.
You’ve likely experienced this: you browse a clothing website but don’t buy anything, then hours later, your social media feed is filled with ads for that very item from multiple retailers. That’s third-party cookies at work.
Marketers use this data to personalize advertising and website content, making it more appealing to people within their target audience. In short, third-party cookies help boost sales through tailored ads while you see more of what you’re interested in.
Why Are They Being Phased Out?
The main concern is privacy.
- Intrusive experience. You may visit a site for a specific product, only to be bombarded later with similar offers from unrelated websites. This quickly feels like you’re being constantly watched.
- Lack of consent. Much of this tracking happens without explicit agreement, and the benefits are one-sided—marketers profit while users gain little.
- Data risk. Collected information can be sold, stolen, or misused, leaving users to deal with consequences such as unwanted ads or even security breaches.
Because of these concerns, third-party cookie use has come under heavy scrutiny. Privacy policies and cookie settings now give users more control, though these tools still exist in a reduced form.
A Word About Retargeting Marketing
Retargeting aims to bring back previous visitors or revive past customers’ interest. Without third-party cookies, retargeting loses much of its effectiveness due to the loss of contextual data. This means reduced brand visibility, fewer conversions, and less robust campaign analysis, making it harder for marketers to refine strategies.
The impact extends beyond retargeting to audience building, strategic planning, visibility, and conversion tracking.
What Changes Without Third-Party Cookies?
The decline of third-party cookies will significantly affect digital marketing. But not all change is bad, and new opportunities exist.
Available Alternatives
Contextual advertising is one strong option. These ads appear in a more natural, relevant way, matching the content of the page or the user’s current search. This improves the likelihood of conversions because the user is actively interested in related topics.
Public data, such as blog posts, social media shares, press releases, and independent research, is another valuable resource. It’s open, compliant with privacy laws, and readily available.
If sorting through raw public data feels overwhelming, you can gather information directly through polls, surveys, quizzes, and customer engagement. Or, focus on first-party data.
First-Party Data
If there are third-party cookies, you might guess there are first-party cookies too, and you’d be right. They work similarly, but collect data only from the site you’re visiting, for use by that same site.
For example, if you browse summer dresses on a clothing retailer’s website, you might later see ads for similar dresses from that same retailer – not from every store on the internet. This keeps the data in one place, making it safer and more privacy-friendly.
First-party data can also come from email sign-ups, loyalty programs, customer surveys, and website analytics. Building a first-party data pool — a database of information collected directly from your customers – allows you to personalize marketing without relying on third-party cookies. You can show visitors relevant articles, customize emails, and create sign-up forms that feel helpful rather than invasive.
In Summary
Third-party cookies have long been a core tool for online marketers, but they raise serious concerns around privacy, data security, and user consent. While they haven’t disappeared completely, restrictions are tightening, and they may eventually vanish altogether.
Marketers should prepare now by shifting toward alternatives such as contextual advertising, public data, zero-party data (directly provided by users), and especially first-party cookies. These methods not only respect privacy but can also deliver equal, or even greater, marketing effectiveness.
