“What are internet cookies?”
Have you ever asked that question yourself or heard someone ask it out loud while trying to get a website to load?
Tracking cookies are small pieces of data stored on a user’s device, such as an iPhone, by websites the user visits. These cookies can track a user’s browsing behavior and collect information such as their interests, demographic data, and purchasing habits. This information can then be used to deliver targeted advertising to the user.
For example, Apple’s iOS 14 update, released in September 2020, brought many new features and improvements to the iPhone and iPad. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the most notable changes with iOS 14.
The notable upgrades made with iOS 14 include:
An Upgraded App Library:
The App Library is a new feature that automatically organizes your apps into categories and folders. This helps declutter your home screen and makes finding the app you’re looking for easier. You can also use the App Library to hide app pages you don’t need.
Widgets:
Widgets have been redesigned in iOS 14 to be more customizable and interactive. You can now add widgets to your home screen and choose from a variety of sizes and styles. In addition, widgets can display information such as weather, news, or calendar events.
Picture in Picture:
With iOS 14, you can now watch videos or take FaceTime calls while using other apps. The Picture in Picture feature lets you resize the video window and move it around the screen, so you can continue multitasking while staying connected.
App Clips:
App Clips are small, lightweight versions of apps that you can use without downloading the full app. App Clips are great for when you need to quickly access a specific feature of an app, such as paying for parking or ordering food.
Translate:
The new Translate app in iOS 14 allows you to translate text or speech in real-time between two languages. The app supports 11 languages and can even detect which language is being spoken.
Siri:
Siri has been redesigned in iOS 14 to take up less screen space and provide more accurate results. Siri can now also send audio messages and support cycling directions.
Privacy:
Apple has always strongly emphasized user privacy, and iOS 14 is no exception. The new update includes features such as App Tracking Transparency, which gives users more control over how apps can track their data.
CarPlay:
CarPlay has been updated in iOS 14 to support new wallpapers and the ability to set up and use third-party navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze.
Privacy Questions Remain
Even with an upgraded privacy policy, questions around privacy remain as users grow more and more conscious of where their information goes, and it all has to do with “cookies.”
Apple has taken steps to limit the use of tracking cookies on its devices. For example, the company has introduced a feature called Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) that blocks third-party cookies from being used for cross-site tracking in the Safari browser on iPhones and other Apple devices. Additionally, Apple requires app developers to obtain user consent before using tracking technologies like cookies.
While Apple’s measures may limit the effectiveness of tracking cookies for some types of advertising, it is still possible for marketers to use other methods to target iPhone users, such as device fingerprinting or contextual advertising based on the content of the websites the user visits. However, these methods may be less precise than tracking cookies and may not provide as much insight into a user’s behavior and interests.
Cookies aren’t always harmful, though – they make room for:
- Personalization: Marketing cookies allow websites to deliver personalized content to users based on their preferences and interests. For example, if you visit a clothing website and browse through a few pages, marketing cookies can help the website suggest products that are more relevant to your interests. This can make your browsing experience more enjoyable and efficient.
- Advertisements: Cookies help advertisers deliver more relevant ads to users. This means that users are more likely to see ads for products and services that they are interested in. This can be beneficial for both users and advertisers, as it can lead to higher click-through rates and more sales.
- Analytics: Most importantly, marketing cookies help website owners understand how users interact with their website. This information can be used to improve the user experience and optimize the website for better performance. For example, if website owners notice that users are leaving a particular page quickly, they can make changes to that page to make it more engaging and keep users on the site for longer.
That’s right, the Intersect portal can handle all three aspects.
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It’s important to recognize that marketing pixels are not always bad. While they may have a bad reputation, when used ethically and responsibly, they can actually enhance a user’s experience. By tailoring marketing messages to specific interests and behaviors, pixels can help users discover products and services that are relevant to them. Furthermore, pixels can improve website performance by collecting data that can be used to optimize content and user experience.
The whole crux of this idea is that it is crucial for businesses to be transparent about their use of pixels and to give users the option to opt out of tracking if they choose to. By doing so, businesses can build trust with their audience and foster a positive user experience. At the end of the day, it’s all about striking a balance between effective marketing and respecting user privacy.
