Data Dilemma: Marketers Caught in a Cookie Conundrum as Consumer Trust Crumbles

New research from customer engagement platform Twilio has revealed interesting insights into how marketers are using data, and the current expectations of consumers.

First-party data continues to be a priority for marketers, as we approach Google’s total removal of third-party cookies in 2024, even though many are still unprepared.

The benefits of this data are already familiar. Twilio’s findings show that nine in ten (89%) companies report that first-party data improves customer experiences. This is because it can provide personalisation opportunities without breaching the consumers’ comfort and trust. It’s also of particular interest to affiliate marketers, as the space moves from a bottom-of-the-funnel to a full-funnel strategy.

Consumer qualms

Consumers no longer trust third-party cookies, and are wary about handing over their data online. Even though Google has given marketers until 2024 to reroute strategies, it appears that consumers are driving this change at a quicker pace. In the past 12 months, half of UK consumers state they have left a site instead of accepting cookies, and a third (32%) say that they always or often reject cookies on websites.