What is a cookie on the Internet?

ANA BÁEZ

It's normal that we don't really know what a cookie is, we hear it over and over again and we assume we know what it is... but would you really know how to understand what cookies are for? A cookie is a small piece of data sent from a website and stored in the web browser on the user's computer while browsing.

  1. The browser requests the page from the server. All cookies in scope will be included with this request.
  2. The server generates the page. It can access all the cookies sent in the request and can add its own cookie to include in future requests.
  3. The page loads in the browser, where JavaScript can use all the original cookies, plus any new ones added by the server.

DIFFERENTIATING COOKIES:

There are basically two types of cookies: first-party and third-party. From a technical perspective, there is no real difference between the two types of cookies, however, the real difference has to do with how they are created and subsequently used.

  • First-party cookies: These are stored by the domain (the website) you are visiting directly. They allow website owners to compile analytics data, remember language settings and perform other useful functions that help provide a good user experience. For example: items you add to shopping carts, your username and passwords, and language preferences you have set.
  • Third-party cookies are created by domains other than the one you are directly visiting, hence the name third-party. They are used for cross-site tracking, retargeting, and ad serving. For example: let's say you are visiting teipedigital.com, and this site has a YouTube video on one of its pages. In this case YouTube will set a cookie which will then be saved on your computer.
  • There are also “second-party” cookies, which are cookies that are transferred from one company (the one that created the first-party cookies) to another company through some type of data association.

COOKIES AND FUNDAMENTAL PIXELS (depending on how we use the internet):

  • You don't have to log in to many websites every time you enter one.
  • When you visit a page, it remembers your preferences.
  • It helps you “add to cart”
  • Feeds internet advertising for free (sponsors).
 

Cookies have also been instrumental in audience buying as a data-driven delivery mechanism. Google remarketing came out in 2010. Over the past 10 years, Google and the advertising ecosystem relied on pixels to help in ad personalization, but the ecosystem is changing day by day. Now the user wants to have more control over the use of their data, hence the permission pop-up every time you enter a website!

::: BE AWARE OF THE NEW REGULATIONS :::

The industry is changing to meet these higher expectations, creating important considerations for digital marketers:

  • Privacy Controls: User can now set their custom privacy control.
  • Regulatory changes: New regulations, such as GDPR, are impacting how data can be collected and used Improved browser updates.
  • Browser updates: Enhanced controls are affecting traditional data collection (e.g., third-party cookies and device identifiers). Different tools are now available with Google such as “Mute this Ad,” “Download your Data,” “Why this Ad?”, “My Activity,” and “Ad Settings.”

    This is just scratching the surface, but it's a good start!

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