How Google Uses First-Party Data for Personalised Search Results

Growing concerns regarding data misuse and privacy have resulted in some major changes you need to be aware of:

• Regulatory Push – Laws have introduced stringent requirements on how companies can collect, store, and use personal data
• Some browsers have blocked third-party cookies, such as Safari and Firefox
• Consumer expectations have evolved to privacy, transparency, and control

First-Party Data Solution from Google

In order to help website owners navigate the transition from third-party cookies, Google rolled out a new feature in Google Analytics 4 Customer Match. It empowers you to use first-party data to remarket audiences, enhancing advert performance and ensuring you maintain performance in this new cookie-free digital environment.

Understanding Customer Match

Customer match enables advertisers to integrate user-provided data, including email addresses, phone numbers, and other identifiers into their marketing strategy. These data points are to maintain privacy and security, while still being usable for targeting.

The features of Customer Match includes:

• Improved remarketing – Businesses can reach users across Google platforms using first-party data
• Privacy approach – the format ensures all sensitive information remains protected
• Easy integrations – Customer Match is automatic with Smart Bidding campaigns

Using Google's Customer Match for Targeted Marketing

Google's Customer Match offers a platform where you can reach your targeted audience across numerous Google properties. So how does it work?

• Google Search and Shopping – tailored campaigns based on past behaviours and interactions
• Gmail advertising – place ads in Gmail in-boxes to re-engage existing customers and reach out to similar audiences
• YouTube targeting – reach existing customers and tap into similar audiences
• Display Network – re target existing customers and reach new customers

How to Set Up Customer Match

Using Customer Match in Google Analytics is a straightforward process:

Data Collection

The first step to using Customer Match in Google Analytics is to enable the user-provided data collection within your Google Analytics 4. This involves creating methods to collect user information from apps, websites, and more.

Link Google

In order for Customer Match to work effectively, Google Analytics 4 needs to be linked with Google Ads and your other advertising platforms, ensuring first-party data is collected accurately.

Personalised Advertising Settings

It's important that you turn on “Personalised Advertising Settings,” ensuring your campaign is relevant. These settings enable Google to integrate first-party data into your targeting. Once set up, it integrates seamlessly into your existing campaigns.

The Benefits of First-Party-Data

First-party data offers numerous solutions for businesses as we adapt to a cookie-free future:

• Message delivery – ensures ads and messages reach audiences directly
• Multi-Platform – gain exposure across various Google properties
• Audience reach – reach a broader audience with more opportunities for lead generation
• Audience targeting – accurate and reliable audience segments for highly targeted campaigns
• Privacy – comply with privacy regulations that are reshaping the digital landscape
• Customer relationships – create personalised experiences to boost loyalty and trust 
• Future-proof – third-party cookies are obsolete. Remain competitive with first-party data

Conclusion

Google's first-party data is a powerful tool to handle the change from third-party cookies. Align with privacy regulations, while gaining valuable insights to create personalised advert campaigns. Are you ready for a third-party cookie-less future? Are you ready to future-proof your marketing strategy? Get in touch with Genie Crawl today to find out more.