Privacy changes are reshaping how marketers operate in the digital world. This article presents key strategies for adapting to these shifts while maintaining traffic growth. Drawing on insights from industry experts, readers will discover effective approaches to building direct customer relationships and leveraging first-party data for future success.
- Privacy Changes Reshape Digital Ad Landscape
- Build Direct Relationships to Counter Data Loss
- First-Party Data Strategies Drive Future Growth
Privacy Changes Reshape Digital Ad Landscape
One of the biggest impacts of privacy changes like Apple’s App Tracking Transparency and the deprecation of third-party cookies is the loss of precision in audience targeting and attribution. Marketers will have a harder time tracking the full customer journey, which makes it more difficult to optimize campaigns and prove ROI — especially for channels like display and social.
One effective way to adapt is to invest more in first-party data and own your customer relationships. This means building strong email lists, using CRM data smartly, and encouraging users to engage through channels you control (like your website, newsletter, or app). Another key is to double down on content and SEO — channels that build long-term value and aren’t dependent on third-party data.
In short: move away from relying on pixel-perfect tracking and instead focus on building trust and direct relationships with your audience.
Heinz Klemann, Senior Marketing Consultant, BeastBI GmbH
Build Direct Relationships to Counter Data Loss
Privacy changes like Apple’s App Tracking Transparency and the phasing out of third-party cookies are forcing a fundamental shift in how digital advertising works. In my consulting work with global brands and through ECDMA’s advisory councils, I’ve seen the most immediate impact: the diminished ability to track users across channels and personalize advertising at scale. This directly affects the efficiency of digital ad spend, as campaigns lose the precision that drove years of growth in customer acquisition and retention.
For many executive teams I advise, the loss of granular tracking initially feels like a threat to core growth metrics. Customer acquisition costs rise, and the predictability of performance marketing declines. However, companies that treat this shift as a catalyst for building direct customer relationships end up stronger. The new privacy landscape rewards brands that invest in owned audience data – first-party data collected with clear consent, through channels like loyalty programs, content hubs, and direct interactions.
One adaptation I consistently recommend to maintain traffic growth is to prioritize the development of high-value, permission-based data assets. This means designing experiences and value exchanges that encourage users to share their information willingly, whether through exclusive content, early access, or tailored offers. I’ve led projects where integrating CRM, e-commerce, and digital content ecosystems produced not just richer customer profiles, but also new channels for driving qualified traffic without over-reliance on third-party platforms. It’s crucial to align marketing, product, and technology teams around this goal, ensuring data collection is ethical, compliant, and delivers tangible value to the customer.
What distinguishes successful marketers now is their ability to build sustainable, consent-based traffic engines. This requires both technical investment and a shift in mindset: viewing privacy compliance as a competitive differentiator rather than a constraint. The brands that adapt fastest are those that see privacy not as an obstacle, but as a foundation for deeper trust and stronger customer relationships. I see this approach driving meaningful growth for clients in diverse sectors, and it’s central to the best practices we recognize through the ECDMA Global Awards each year.
Eugene Mischenko, President, E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Association
First-Party Data Strategies Drive Future Growth
One major impact of privacy changes like Apple’s App Tracking Transparency and the deprecation of third-party cookies is the loss of granular audience targeting and cross-site tracking, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of retargeting and lookalike audiences in digital advertising. This means marketers will face higher acquisition costs and reduced personalization unless they evolve quickly.
One powerful way to adapt is by investing in first-party data strategies—building your own audience through email subscriptions, gated content, loyalty programs, and community engagement. By collecting consented data directly from users, you can create custom segments and use them for retargeting through platforms that still support first-party targeting, like Google Ads’ Customer Match or Meta’s first-party tools.
Additionally, using tools like server-side tracking (e.g., Facebook Conversion API or Google Tag Manager server containers) helps recover attribution accuracy and maintain campaign performance.
In short, the future of traffic growth lies in owning your audience and building deeper, permission-based relationships—rather than relying on third-party networks to do it for you.
Kaushal Kishor, CEO, Clearcatnet
