First Party User IDs & The future of data solutions

Third-party cookies are set to expire in 2023, meaning Advertisers will have to rely on users opting into ad tracking for Apple to access IDFAs (unique device identifiers) that track user data.

These IDFAs are needed for marketers to reach web visitors, deliver relevant messaging to the right users, control frequency across devices, drive sales, avoid poor user experiences and to attribute online activity to sales (both online & offline). IDFA tracking helps advertisers learn more about and optimise campaigns through data & insights, which can increase the value of activity and ROI.

With cookies now being sunsetted, a new identity solution has appeared in first-party user IDs (1P IDs) which will continue the one-to-one marketing but without using third-party cookies. Using these 1P IDs can facilitate greater privacy, more accuracy, and higher reliability across the digital and biddable ecosystem, making it ideal for publishers, advertisers, and brands alike.

1P IDs generally use encrypted email to associate users across sites and devices, allowing brands to use the same identity data across multiple sites and platforms, with benefits including:

• Privacy: Users must allow for their encrypted email to be used by brands and publishers.
• Control: Brands & publishers will have to choose which ID provider they allow to target & measure on their site. This ensures control and transparency and further diminishes the need for cookies, which can no longer be relied upon as a long-term solution.
• Data retention: IDs are integrated across multiple parts of the digital & biddable ecosystem, and will help stop data loss that can occur when syncing third-party cookies

The challenge brands now face is needing to choose a primary identity partner for programmatic activation, rather than rely on third-party cookie syncing across platforms. Brands will use this 1P ID to build audience segments, remarket to site visitors, and measure attribution. In order to ensure tomorrow is successful, brands, publishers and advertisers will have to start preparing for it today. ADMATIC is committed to ensuring our clients are prepared for the demise of cookies with data solutions in place, reach out to learn more.