With the impending loss of third-party cookies, how should marketers consider reach and accuracy in their retargeting programs? Check out some points to consider when reviewing your options.
Dear Zippy,
With the inevitability of the loss of third-party cookies, we need a new way to retarget our site visitors that doesn’t rely on third party data and I know Digitally Powered Direct Mail might just be the answer. But, we need to be sure we maintain the level of reach and accuracy we’ve come to expect from our digital retargeting program.
Can we be certain retargeting via direct mail will provide the reach and accuracy we need?
Sincerely,
Reaching for Cookies in California
Dear Cookie,
Fortunately, this question can be easily answered. The short answer is YES! You can ensure reach and accuracy as you prepare for changes to your retargeting programs.
Some digitally powered direct mail programs rely on third-party cookies for the matching process, some rely on first-party cookies. While some rely on IP addresses and others rely on email addresses.
For now, let’s set aside third-party cookie matching because we are aware of the changes to come. When considering the other options, there will typically be a trade-off to make.
I think the below table can help you evaluate what is right for you. Matching techniques that maximize reach (IP Address matching) tend to sacrifice accuracy and those that maximize accuracy (Email address matching) tend to sacrifice reach. It’s important to understand the mix that makes most sense for your business. If your offering is more generic, with broad appeal, maybe reach is more important. If your offering is more specific, appealing to a subset of specific consumers, accuracy is more likely the important criteria.
You can also calculate “accurate reach” (a term I just made up) as a function of reach and accuracy. Consider this math:
Isn’t it really accurate reach we are looking for after all?
If you'd like to see more on the topic of Match Rates, check out our Marketing in a Minute video here!
Sincerely,
Zippy
