That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles!

Targeted ads and pop-ups, specific to our likes, have become a mainstay of our online activity, especially with the rise of social media, but this could be about to change following proposals from some browsers.

Google and Mozilla have both unveiled ways that people can now opt out of cookies and tracking, ensuring that their online activity remains private.

Whilst this may well be welcomed by users concerned that their online activity is being tracked and stored, it could present a crippling problem to online advertisers. PPC and SEO are likely to be affected considerably with everything from analytics and remarketing through to keyword reporting and bounce rate analysis for SEO affected by the proposed changes.

“Drawbacks for the User Too”

It could dramatically change the landscape of analytics online however, with Google announcing changes they are bound to have a trick or two up their sleeve; such is the reliance on their services.

Daniel Evans, online campaign manager at homejames, commented on the news. He said:

“Nearly everything we track online requires the use of cookies. Therefore, online advertisers will be less able to establish where their conversions are coming from and which users to target.”

Yet it is not just advertisers that will notice the impact made by these plans, according to Mr. Evans users are likely to notice a change in the activity online.

“Blocking cookies can also have drawbacks for the user. They would no longer be able to set auto passwords, configure online dashboards or customise any online accounts.”