As new federal privacy regulations take hold and tech giants like Google, Apple, and Facebook adjust and adopt their own standards, you’re probably asking what it all means for marketing.
Apple’s new privacy settings are intended to make it harder for digital advertisers to track iPhone users. At the same time, Google has announced that in 2023, Chrome will stop allowing third-party cookies. While browsers like Safari and Firefox have already blocked them, Chrome still handles 60% of web traffic in the U.S., and that makes this a significant change.
From a marketer’s point of view, a world without third-party cookies and app data sounds pretty sad. But is it really? We don’t think so and neither should you. Here are a few reasons why.
Retargeting Isn’t Going Away.
So we’re all clear, third-party cookies allow you to learn about your web visitors’ online behaviors, such as the websites they visit, the kinds of ads they click on, and recent purchases. A third-party cookie is what tells Facebook that you were just on the Coach website searching for purses and that they should serve you an ad for purses.
Previously, this provided a trove of behavioral data that digital marketers could then use to target users. While that extra layer of data will go away, the good news is, first-party cookies won’t. That means, when someone visits your website, you’ll still be able to save a cookie to their computer (if they allow it) to retarget them later. All you need is a campaign landing page that’s setup to do just that.
The other thing to remember is that retargeting really just refers to the process of marketing to people who have already shown interest in your product. When we think about it in the context of higher education, the first thing that comes to mind are applied-not-enrolled students and stop-outs. These are populations whose phone numbers and email addresses you already have. Better yet, since Google is still allowing you to use that data to serve ads (via a tactic typically called CRM targeting), you’ll still be able to target them.
Here are a few other ideas for retargeting going forward:
- Use high-quality content. Instead of sending an ad encouraging a student to enroll or apply to a program, create more compelling content. Try sending ads about what a student can do with a degree, or about the different types of programs available.
- Try a giveaway. Graduate Communications recently worked on a marketing campaign where we sent an email poll using our first-party data. In exchange, everyone who took the poll had a chance to win a $250 scholarship. In one month, we got 400 people to fill out the form. It’s amazing what people will do for a chance to win something!
- Follow up with previous students. Another email campaign we did targeted students who had started a Medical Assistant Program certificate but had not finished it. Those emails had a 51 percent open rate. The more you can target your marketing, the more likely they are to respond.
- Collect first-party data. Considering the trend toward privacy is going to continue, it’s time to step up your use of first-party data! Not only should you be using landing pages and retargeting from them, but you should also consider lead generation tactics. We’ve seen great success with pop-ups that ask for a name and email, giving colleges a chance to track that prospect’s journey and retarget them elsewhere.
Emails and SMS Marketing Are Still the Bomb.
As digital marketers, we’re always looking for the next best platform, media, or social network to conquer. But let’s not forget about the tried-and-true.
Apple’s recent update is undoubtedly making things more difficult for email marketers (by impeding our ability to track open and click-through-rates on mobile) but email is still considered the most effective medium for engaging and converting prospects. In the world of consumer products, email marketing can be up to 40 times more effective than social media. And while text messages may seem like a thing of the past, you should rest assured that they are not—according to TechJury.net, text messages have a 98 percent open rate and a 19 percent CTR.
New Media Means New Opportunities.
There’s one more thing we need to talk about: advertising for the next generation.
Last summer, the announcement of new changes to all of Facebook’s platforms made it more difficult to target anyone under the age of 18. That was a great thing for children and parents, but not so much for education marketers who are providing a valuable opportunity. One platform, though, still allows targeting of younger users.
TikTok is set to become the fastest-growing app of all time, expected to surpass 1.5 billion users in the next year. So, if you want to target younger users, TikTok remains a great opportunity.
And even if TikTok eventually changes its targeting standards, the thing to remember is there will always be more great opportunities (and tactics) if only we’re willing to look for them.
So, instead of worrying about these changes, we invite you to join us in celebrating the innovative thinking they will inspire.
