The digital advertising landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. As privacy laws tighten and third-party cookies become obsolete, brands and performance marketers must rethink how they approach paid search and paid social campaigns.
Without adapting, marketers risk losing visibility into what’s working, tanking campaign performance, and even falling foul of data protection regulations. But for those who do make the shift, there’s an opportunity to build trust and long-term performance by leaning into transparency and smarter data strategies.
The problem performance marketers are facing
Regulations like GDPR and the phasing out of third-party cookies are reshaping how marketers track and target users online. At the heart of the issue is user consent. Businesses must now be upfront about the data they collect and provide easy ways for users to opt out. And when users do opt out, it has serious consequences for performance tracking and optimisation.
Take conversion tracking. If a user doesn’t consent to being tracked, platforms like Google Ads may not be able to link their visit to a conversion. That makes campaigns look like they’re underperforming, even if they’re delivering results. On top of that, less available data makes smart bidding strategies less effective, hurting ROI.
What can marketers do to keep up?
1. Enable Google’s Consent Mode
Google’s Consent Mode is essential in a post-cookie world. It adjusts how data is collected based on each user’s preferences. Even if users decline tracking, Google can model some anonymised data to prevent you from flying completely blind.
However, this only works if Consent Mode is properly implemented. We’ve seen clients suffer massive data loss and long-term performance issues simply because cookie banners weren’t configured correctly.
2. Prioritise first-party data
With third-party data declining in value, your own data has never been more important. Emails, phone numbers, on-site behaviour – this is the gold you should be mining.
Tools like Enhanced Conversions let you securely upload this first-party data back into ad platforms. This improves attribution, which helps feed your bidding algorithms better data and, ultimately, improves performance.
We’ve seen uplifts of 5–15% in search campaigns just by enabling Enhanced Conversions – and even bigger gains (+33%) in YouTube performance. It’s not just about attribution; it’s about smarter optimisation.
3. Get your tagging right (preferably server-side)
Tagging is the foundation of your measurement setup. Focus first on your Google Ads tags and move toward server-side tagging where possible. This setup is more resilient to browser limitations and gives you more control over what’s collected and when.
This isn’t just a technical upgrade, it’s essential for maintaining accurate measurement in a privacy-restricted environment.
4. Maximise audience strategy
Don’t let Performance Max do all the heavy lifting. You should be using your first-party data to build strategic, intent-based audiences.
Example: uploading high-value customer or frequent buyer lists and using them in display campaigns with dynamic product feeds. This is a much more intentional and potentially profitable approach than relying entirely on Google’s automated systems.
5. Connect your CRM to ad platforms
Don’t let your customer data sit idle in tools like Salesforce or HubSpot. Use it to upload offline conversion goals and sync audience segments back into platforms like Google Ads.
This closes the loop on lead quality and helps platforms optimise toward what really matters to your business, not just a form fill, but an actual sale or high-value action.
Relevance, trust, and compliance are now performance levers
A study by PEW Research Centre found that 81% of users believe the risks of sharing data outweigh the benefits. That’s a trust gap that can’t be ignored.
If your ads and landing pages feel irrelevant, you’re not just wasting budget – you’re actively eroding trust. But if users feel like they’re getting value, they’re more willing to share their data. Relevance and trust aren’t just brand considerations anymore; they’re critical to campaign success.
Platforms like Google will continue to find ways to work around data loss—it’s in their financial interest. But they’re shifting the burden of compliance entirely onto advertisers. That means we need to be smarter, more transparent, and more intentional in how we collect and use data.
Final thought – Embrace the shift
Privacy-first doesn’t mean performance-last. In fact, brands that adapt well may end up with better data, stronger customer relationships, and more resilient strategies.
So take a hard look at your consent setup, tagging infrastructure, and first-party data strategy. The future of performance marketing belongs to those who embrace privacy, not those who try to dodge it.
