Problem – Google’s Lawsuit

What Happened:

Google claimed that using the Incognito mode in their Chrome browser would provide users with privacy and untraceable searches. However, it was revealed that Google was actually tracking and recording users’ actions, using the data to identify individuals and their browsing habits. This information was then sold to businesses for targeted marketing campaigns. This breach of confidentiality and illegal activity has resulted in a $5 billion lawsuit against Google.¹

Google’s Decision:

On January 4th, 2024 Google implemented the Tracking Protection function to its Chrome browser.

The Consequences of Google’s Decision:

  • Chrome, which currently has over 60% share in the web browser market, has introduced the Chrome Privacy Sandbox API. Currently, 1% of users may notice a “Browse with more privacy” window on their browser, however Google plans to roll out this functionality to all users by the end of the year. 

  • The browser won’t have any data of people when they use Incognito mode, which in turn creates a gap for Google to discover the visitors and audience of a business.

  • Any Ads used by a company will not show any tracking of users who use Incognito mode.

  • Google’s Plan for Third Party Cookies Elimination:²

    • Every website will get hurt by this: Google Ads, META, Tabula, Network Ads and tracking in general. Nobody will have any information about the user, which means it will be impossible to know whether a user is returning or new (When the user is in Incognito mode), and the only way to find out will be through the IP Address (When the user is not using Incognito mode).

    • Building audiences and segmentation will be directly affected: It will be impossible to know where the user has been browsing and what their interests are, which in turn leads to a difficulty in targeting these users due to a lack of behavioral information. To put it simply, the ability to connect between the dots of the sites a user browses, will be impossible.

    • Impossible to understand a user’s journey: The lack of historical data of the browser, what site a user came from and what the user has searched for will make it impossible to understand a user’s journey, and the only trackable journey will be your own, assuming that you are the website owner.

    • The Impact on SEO: The impact on SEO will limit the ability of specialists to tailor content to user needs effectively, favoring SEO strategies focused on general content, user experience, and compliance with search engine algorithms.

    • The Impact on PPC and Advertising: PPC and advertising may struggle to achieve good performance from personalized ads without access to third-party cookie data. This may lead to a shift towards contextual targeting methods based on page content and context, fostering closer cooperation between PPC and SEO specialists.

Solution & How to Legally Obtain Visitor Data

If you’ve read this far, it means that you now understand that first party data is more valuable and important than ever, definitely more than before. While there are solutions out there to obtain visitor’s data, one should strongly consider IceWeb’s unique data collection technology.

Most Data companies out there offer a low amount of data, and a very limited access to information. In comparison, IceWeb’s Data I.O has established powerful collaborations with largest leaders in all industries, allowing them to provide more information than others, more accurate information, and access to details which are a game changer for a business, at competitive prices.

IceWeb Data I.O

IceWeb Data I.O is a groundbreaking marketing technology that sets a new global standard for capturing visitor data from websites. With a success rate of 30%-60%, far surpassing the industry average of 15%, IceWeb Data I.O empowers businesses to unlock valuable customer insights like never before. This is all in compliance with all the legal regulations.

Key Features:

  • Enhanced Data Capture: IceWeb Data I.O leverages cutting-edge algorithms and advanced data collection techniques to capture a wide range of visitor data. Our technology ensures a 100% capture rate for essential information, including the visitor’s First & Last name, Email (segmented into business and personal), and IP address.

  • Comprehensive Visitor Profiles: In addition to the essential data, IceWeb Data I.O goes above and beyond by capturing additional valuable information at impressive rates. We are proud to offer a 70% capture rate for the visitor’s physical address, enabling businesses to gain deeper insights into their customers’ geographical distribution.

  • Advanced Data Insights: IceWeb Data I.O’s capabilities extend beyond basic demographic information. With a 50% capture rate, our technology enables businesses to access a wealth of supplementary data, including phone numbers, credit scores, income levels, vehicle ownership, home ownership, home value, online behavior across all major social platforms, cookie IDs, family descriptions, and even information on pets owned. This comprehensive dataset empowers businesses to tailor their marketing strategies with unparalleled precision.

  • Strategic Collaborations: IceWeb has forged strategic partnerships with industry giants Walgreens and Credit Karma. Leveraging their extensive networks and resources, we have enhanced our data capture capabilities and refined our algorithms to ensure the highest quality and accuracy of the collected data.

To learn more about this technology, feel free to schedule a meeting with us through IceWeb’s website or through a call.

Conclusion

In conclusion, businesses must adapt to the changing landscape of data collection and privacy regulations. By prioritizing the collection of first-party data, implementing ethical practices, and exploring innovative solutions, businesses can continue to gather valuable insights while respecting user privacy. While companies out there offer a proper solution to the new problem posed by Google, it’s important to have proper market research conducted and select the best company to help your business reach your visitors’ data.

¹ Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert, “Google settles $5B privacy lawsuit alleging it spied on ‘incognito’ Chrome users”, Business Insider, Axel Springer SE., Dec 30th 2023, https://www.businessinsider.com/google-settles-5-billion-privacy-lawsuit-incognito-chrome-users-2023-12.

² Allison Schiff, “Google Plans To Ring In The New Year With Third-Party Cookie Deprecation (For Real)”, adexchanger, John Ebbert, Dec 14th 2023, https://www.adexchanger.com/privacy/google-plans-to-ring-in-the-new-year-with-third-party-cookie-deprecation-for-real/.