Cookieless advertising

Cookieless advertising refers to the alternative strategies and methods used to target users without relying on third-party cookies.

Cookieless approaches have become prevalent due to the demise of third-party cookies in major browsers following user privacy and security concerns. Advertisers and marketers must adapt to new methods and technologies for tracking and targeting users across different websites and devices.

Cookieless advertising aims to deliver relevant, personalized ads while respecting user privacy and adhering to data privacy regulations.

Advertisers can choose from several cookieless strategies, including:

  • Google’s Privacy Sandbox.
  • Identity management solutions.
  • First-party and zero-party data collection.
  • Publisher-provided IDs (PPIDs).
  • User ID graphs.
  • Digital fingerprinting.
  • Second-party data partnerships.
  • Contextual targeting.
  • Data clean rooms.

However, these methods haven’t been widely adopted yet; hence, new ad industry standards without third-party cookies still need to be developed.

Learn more about cookieless advertising and marketing:


  • first party data

    First-party analytics without consent: Your Digital Omnibus compliance guide

    The Digital Omnibus is the European Commission’s simplification initiative to modernize the EU’s digital rulebook and reduce consent fatigue. The framework would enable first-party analytics without consent when specific criteria are met, ending years of uncertainty about the use of legitimate interest for web statistics.

  • University website personalization: First-party data strategies for student recruitment and retention

    University websites receive millions of visits annually from diverse audiences – prospective students, admitted students weighing their options, current undergraduates, graduate students, parents, alumni, and faculty. Yet most institutions serve identical content to all these visitors, missing critical opportunities to engage each audience with relevant information.