For digital marketers in Africa, 2024 is more than just a year. It's a turning point. With Chrome's planned retirement of third-party cookies looming in the second half of the year, and changing regulatory trends, the familiar landscape of targeted advertising is upending. But amidst uncertainty comes thrilling opportunity, making 2024 an uncomfortably exciting year for digital marketers.
People want to know what personal data is collected, how it is used, and with whom it is shared online. A reflection of European sentiment highlighted in the IAB Europe survey. It is clear that 75% of Europeans would choose the current Internet experience with targeted advertising over a version without personalized advertising and where access to websites and content requires payment became. , apps, etc. Africans also appreciate personalized online experiences, despite privacy concerns.
Now is the time to take a hard look at your advertising privacy strategy and get realistic about how much you may rely on traditional technologies like third-party cookies. This is the end of the era of “precision” in favor of new tools such as AI and privacy-preserving technologies that enable “prediction.” Here are five steps every marketer needs to take.
Tagging is the most important step. Tagging is the foundation for building a successful measurement strategy. Tagging is a way for advertisers to understand the performance of their websites and campaigns, measure conversions, and collect first-party data thoughtfully and responsibly.
A strong tagging foundation is essential for advertisers to have the information they need to make strategic decisions. This is the best way to measure conversions and optimize the value of your marketing investments.
Consent, consent, consent: It goes without saying that obtaining proper consent is important. Even if users do not consent, advertisers can combine first-party data with Google AI to maintain ad personalization capabilities. To help advertisers ensure they have the right consent structure for their measurement and advertising purposes, we're announcing an upgrade to consent mode.
AI-driven tools require less data to make predictions and fill in unknown gaps, helping you optimize towards your campaign goals.
For example, leveraging consent and conversion modeling technology could bring significant benefits to African airlines, mirroring the success Air France has seen in the European market.
By adopting a similar strategy, Air France was able to increase conversions by an average of 9% across Europe, including a notable 4% increase in France alone.
This was achieved by more accurately measuring consent and conversion, highlighting the effectiveness of these modeling techniques.
Create a first-party data strategy: First-party data is absolutely paramount to the future of measurement and advertising. In an ever-evolving landscape, building and strengthening your first-party strategy is more important than ever, especially as consumers move from device to device and are harder to reach.
Simplify data management and usage: Less than one-third of marketers consistently and effectively access and integrate their first-party data across channels.
Google Ads Data Manager turns what could be months of work into a few easy steps, making it easier for advertisers to manage and control their data. Bring all your data management controls together in one place so you can drive increased revenue and better business outcomes.
Know and adapt: This year, Chrome will be deprecating third-party cookies. Now is the time to evaluate how much of your measurement strategy still relies on third-party cookies and start implementing long-lasting measurement solutions like Enhanced Conversions and Google Analytics 4.
Companies that have begun to adopt this new mindset shift and privacy-preserving technologies are already beginning to see results.
Frankly, privacy is good for business. What they showed us is that it's important to test and learn now to find and adjust what works best.
No matter where you stand, the landscape has already changed. Third-party identifiers are rapidly deteriorating.
It's time to embrace change and enter a new era of innovation and growth together.
The author is Managing Director of Google Africa
