New Study Finds Only 32% Of Global Publishers Are Actively Preparing For The Cookieless Future

Despite an Urgent Need for Action, Teads’ Latest Survey Highlights the Industry’s Cookie Confusion and Lack of Preparedness Among Global Publishers

NEW YORK, NY – May 21, 2024 – The transition to a cookieless digital landscape has already taken significant strides despite the delay in Google’s phase-out of third-party cookies. With 45% of global web traffic now cookieless on Teads’ SSP, publishers and advertisers are navigating uncharted territory. This shift poses substantial challenges for publishers and advertisers, as highlighted in Teads’ latest survey. The study, involving 555 publishers across 58 countries, reveals a pressing need for the industry to adapt swiftly to these ongoing changes.

The results highlight the urgent challenges publishers face in transitioning to a cookieless online environment. The findings below reflect critical areas of concern, with many publishers still grappling with confusion and a lack of preparation even as the end of third-party cookies looms near.

Read the coverage in AdMonsters, eMarketer and MediaPost. 

Overarching Concerns:

• Preparation and Proactivity: Alarmingly, only 32% of publishers are actively preparing for the cookieless future. Most are delaying action, potentially waiting until after the full impact of the deprecation becomes unavoidable. However, some organizations are not hesitating to plan to get ahead of the deprecation. 

Kedar Prabhu, VP of Product Management, Dow Jones, notes “By focusing on the wealth of data generated by our direct and long-standing relationships with subscribers, we’ve not only prepared ourselves for the post-cookie world but have also unlocked new opportunities for growth and engagement. We’re now in a position where we can offer our advertisers targeted, effective ad placements based on direct audiences composed of known users and enriched with real, meaningful insights into preferences and behaviors, all while maintaining the privacy standards that our customers (not to mention regulators) expect.”

“At the IAB, we see this as a critical time to advance our guidelines and frameworks to support the industry’s transition. We’re accelerating our efforts to develop standards that address the needs of a cookieless web, ensuring that all parties can navigate this shift smoothly,” said Angelina Eng, VP of IAB’s Measurement, Addressability & Data Center.

“At Freestar, we’re using this time as an opportunity to strengthen our cookieless solutions. We’re focusing on developing durable technologies and strategies that will remain relevant regardless of cookie policies. The extension doesn’t change our momentum but allows us more stability for testing and implementing these solutions,” said Heather Carver, Chief Revenue Officer, Freestar

• Confusion and Confidence: 53% are overwhelmed by the numerous cookieless solutions available and only 28% feel confident in their understanding of the new landscape.

• Financial Impact: Approximately 45% of publishers expect a significant decrease in ad revenue and a 120% increase in concern year-over-year. This is underscored by findings that cookieless traffic not only fills less but also yields less, putting revenue streams at risk.

• Login Struggles: A major challenge remains in encouraging user logins, with 70% of publishers reporting less than 25% user login rates. Additionally, only 24% of publishers report more than half of their users visiting more than three times per month, highlighting that some cookieless alternatives that require logged-in users may struggle with scale.

Positive Outlook Amidst Challenges:

• Resilience and Opportunity: Despite potential revenue losses, 44% of publishers see this transition as an opportunity to leverage their first-party data and enhance the quality of their content. Furthermore, 37% of respondents appreciate the privacy benefits, expressing confidence in finding new alternatives.

Tier-Specific Insights and Strategies:

Tier 1 Publishers: Leading the Charge in a Cookieless World

• Distinguished as the world’s leading publishers, demonstrate a robust grasp of the industry’s shift towards a cookieless environment, with 52% believing “These changes give us the opportunity to differentiate through our 1st-party data and the quality of our content” (61% if we use MRG publishers as a proxy for Tier 1). They are also more bullish about getting signed-in users, with 62% (or 66% for MRG) having a signed-in strategy, doubling the global average (when looking at MRG) of having 10%-25% of users signed in. This tier is highly proactive, with 38% employing dedicated resources to test and implement cookieless solutions. Their adaptive strategies are evident as 22% have accelerated their plans in response to Google’s phased cookie removal. Furthermore, a significant 74% engage directly with advertisers using first-party data, underscoring their leading position in monetizing digital assets effectively.

Mid-Tier Publishers: Strong Adaptation with Direct Engagement

• Recognized as quality publishers within national or vertical markets, they closely mirror Tier 1 in their approach, with an equally high 74% engaging directly with advertisers through first-party data. They display a commendable understanding of the industry changes, with 32% having a strong grasp of the evolving digital landscape. About 36% have set aside specific resources for exploring cookieless technologies, indicating a solid commitment to adapting their operations. This tier’s readiness to adapt is further highlighted by 25% of these publishers who have accelerated their plans following industry changes.

Lower Tier Publishers: Facing Challenges with Industry Solutions

• Categorized as the long tail of the market, it shows a greater dependence on industry solutions such as Seller Defined Audiences (SDA), with less direct engagement with advertisers. This group faces more significant challenges, with only 22% having a strong understanding of the shift towards a cookieless framework. Their proactive measures are less pronounced, with merely 17% testing cookieless alternatives. This tier’s more cautious approach is also reflected in their slower response to industry changes, with only 17% accelerating their plans in light of Google’s updates.

Working with a Trusted Partner Ready for Cookie Deprecation Despite Google’s Delay

“Despite Google’s recent announcement, the phase-out has only been delayed until early 2025 and the reality of a cookieless world is here,” said Simon Klein, Global SVP of Supply at Teads. “Our survey underscores the urgent need for industry-wide adaptation and the critical role of innovative solutions in this transition.”

Leading the charge in the cookieless market, Teads uses cookieless technologies to ensure that publisher monetization remains high pre, during and post cookie deprecation. These technologies are crucial for publishers navigating the post-cookie landscape confidently. With a substantial 79% of Teads campaigns already running without third-party cookies, and 62% of revenue for publishers generated from cookieless inventory in the U.S., Teads demonstrates a proven pathway to success.

As the conversation around cookie deprecation evolves and emotions intensify, the industry must adopt innovative technologies and strategies to successfully navigate the realities of a cookieless world.

Read more about Teads’ cookie preparedness here.

 

Methodology 

Teads surveyed 555 publishers across 58 countries to understand the state of the industry. Fieldwork was administered online between March 1, 2024 to March 31, 2024. Teads has conducted this survey for four consecutive years. Consistent questions have been retained over the years to track changes in sentiment over time. Time-sensitive questions have been designed as standalone queries specific to each year. For all questions, percentages are determined based on the number of respondents per answer versus the total number of respondents for that question. When respondents can select more than one option, percentages are based on the total number of responses per option versus the total number of responses for that question. Many questions include a “Not Sure/Other” option to accommodate respondents whose roles may not directly pertain to the specific question. The survey is anonymous, but Teads can identify respondents and cross-reference them with their specific website/publisher to determine their country and publisher type. This information is used solely for analytical purposes.

 

About Teads

Teads is a global media platform and the creator of the inRead advertising format, which integrates seamlessly within articles on the largest press sites. Historically known for video, the company has since expanded into display formats, CTV, and performance campaigns. By bringing together the largest French and international media, Teads offers massive reach with 1.9 billion internet users each month, covering 9 out of 10 internet users. Its end-to-end platform combines technology, creativity, and media to deliver better advertising efficiency to brands, better monetization solutions for publishers, and better experiences for consumers. Teads also extends its expertise to connected TV (CTV), offering seamless integration of its innovative advertising solutions into an omnichannel strategy. Its creative entity, Teads Studio, consists of 150 designers dedicated to adapting and optimizing advertisers’ advertising formats. All of Teads’ capabilities, including its cookieless solutions, are integrated into its Teads Ad Manager interface, allowing for campaigns to be set up and operated with extreme simplicity while offering priority access to the largest press sites and unprecedented performance. Teads has over 1,200 employees in 32 countries across all continents. To learn more, visit www.teads.com