The term “cookie deprecation” has been causing quite a stir with several updates being made by browsers and a lot of talk about changes that could affect affiliates and program managers.
With major browsers like Chrome and Safari phasing out third-party cookies by 2024, affiliate managers will need to understand how to maintain effective tracking, optimize their performance, and adapt to a new cookie-less landscape.
In this article, we will break down the technical changes you might need to implement in your affiliate program, what your platform provider should be doing to help you, and how to manage the inevitable tracking inefficiencies that will occur.
Understanding Cookie Deprecation
Cookies are small pieces of data stored in a user’s browser that help websites recognize and remember users, enabling more personalized experiences as well as enabling companies to track user interactions across all of the web. For affiliate managers, this means the traditional methods of tracking and attributing affiliate conversions (sales) may become less effective. To adapt and thrive in this new era, affiliate managers need to be proactive in addressing the technical, tracking, and reporting challenges that lie ahead.
Technical Changes for Affiliate Tracking
1. Transition to First-Party Cookies
As third-party cookies fade away, it’s essential to embrace first-party cookies. First-party cookies are placed by the website the user is visiting, making them more privacy-friendly and reliable for tracking. Users have to consent to allow first party cookies being placed on their device and Affiliate tracking systems should be configured to use first-party cookies for tracking interactions between affiliates and users.
2. Implement Server-to-Server (S2S) Tracking
Server-to-Server tracking is a robust alternative to relying solely on cookies. With S2S tracking, data is exchanged directly between the affiliate network and the advertiser’s server, bypassing the need for third-party cookies. This method provides more accurate tracking and ensures data security and privacy compliance.
3. Utilize Consent Management Platforms (CMPs)
Compliance with privacy regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, is crucial. Affiliates should Implement Consent Management Platforms to manage their user consent and brands should ensure affiliates collect and process data in compliance with these privacy regulations. Affiliates must respect users’ choices regarding their data collection and processing.
Platform Provider Responsibilities
While affiliate managers play a vital role in adapting to cookie deprecation, affiliate platform providers also have a significant responsibility to their clients. Here’s what you’re affiliate tracking platform provider should be doing:
1. Cookieless Tracking Solutions
Your Affiliate Platform provider should develop and offer cookieless tracking solutions for your program to upgrade to the latest standards. These solutions may include server-side tracking, fingerprinting, or other innovative methods that do not rely on third-party cookies. Ensure your platform provider is actively researching and implementing these alternatives, if they have not yet offered these solutions, you may want to consider an alternative provider who can.
2. Privacy and Geo Compliance Tools
Platform providers should offer tools and features that aid in privacy compliance. This includes integration with CMPs, compliance tools and or user consent management, and data anonymization features. Your affiliate platform provider must be committed to helping you maintain and run a lawful and ethical affiliate program.
Ensuring that your tracking can be geo targeted and creatives and bonus offers managed to only display to audiences that are in the right locations is also an important feature to have.
Mitigating Tracking Inefficiencies
Cookie deprecation is bound to introduce some tracking inefficiencies in your program because you might be working with a variety of different traffic referring partners. Proactive steps can be taken to minimize the impact this might have on your affiliate program.
Here are some of the recommended steps to mitigate any loss in tracking and data ahead of time:
1. Diversify Your Affiliate Traffic Sources
Over-reliance on third-party cookies has made affiliate marketing susceptible to tracking issues. Diversify your traffic sources by working with affiliates who have strong first-party data collection methods. This can include email marketers, influencers, content creators, and loyalty or reward based affiliates as well as web and mobile based partners.
2. Research your program Attribution Modeling
Traditional attribution models that heavily rely on cookies may no longer be effective.
Tracking an affiliate program on Last Click and a 30 days cookie – which is typically the norm for iGaming affiliate programs, might have to be revised based on activities happening on other direct or paid media channels.
You may have to explore alternative attribution models that take into account a customer’s various touch points in their sign up journey. Multi-touch attribution models and data-driven attribution can provide more accurate insights. Your affiliate platform should be able to track different attribution models once this has been decided.
3. Focus on Quality Over Quantity of Affiliate Partners
Instead of pursuing a large number of affiliates to drive volume into your program you might want to concentrate more effort on building relationships with high-quality affiliates who bring real value to your program and are already first party cookie compliant. Look for affiliates who can provide unique, engaging content and leverage their own first-party data to help promote your brand. You can also do a spring clean of partners in your program to get ahead of the changes that may be required when cookie deprecation comes into effect.
Conclusion
Cookie deprecation may serve to reshape the affiliate marketing landscape. While it presents some challenges, it also offers opportunities for affiliate managers to adapt, innovate, and build more privacy-conscious and effective affiliate programs. By embracing first-party data, staying informed, and working closely with your tracking platform provider and affiliates, you can navigate this storm and emerge stronger on the other side. Remember, the future of affiliate marketing is not about the cookies but about building meaningful connections and delivering value to users in a privacy-respecting way.
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Want to learn more? Download the Guide about What Every Affiliate Manager needs to know about cookie deprecation.
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