Welcome back to another week... I hope you have been enjoying reading all our blogs... the bad news is that this blog is actually the last in the current series. Don't worry you can still catch up with us on Instagram
This week I am going to talk all about Customer Data. We referred to this in earlier posts and the benefits of gathering this data to use to make vital business decisions. Sales Data can be used to look at trends and customer behaviors while Customer Data is vital for a business to retarget customers to gain more sales. I have decided in this blog to cover something that people see many times everyday but do they actually know what it is....
The Federal Trade Commission states that a cookie is information saved by your web browser. When you visit a website, the site may place a cookie on your web browser so it can recognize your device in the future. If you return to that site later on, it can read that cookie to remember you from your last visit and keep track of your over time.
Slightly creepy isn't it but that's what cookies do - so you need to be aware of these and that's how when you visit sites again and again they can track your movements.
It is important as a business owner that your website complies with GDPR but also that you cookies are compliant. Many tools are available to check this online and it is advisable that companies do look into this.
As a user when you enter onto a website it normally pops up "Accept Cookies" and normally the quickest think people do is accept this. Website cookies or HTTP Cookies is a small piece of data from a specific website that is stored on a users computer while they are browsing the web. They can be used to track users browsing activity so the business can send targeted advertising. Many people will see this when they search an item to buy and then will continuously see this item for sale on other platforms throughout the day.
Cookies can also be helpful to the customer as they can remember useful stuff like passwords to users accounts. For businesses due to cookies been unique they can track the amount of visitors they actually have in one day rather than multiple visitors who visit a couple of times.
So basically your Cookie on your PC is your identification on the World Wide Web, it is pretty cool but also dangerous as you cannot be sure how some companies will use this information. Companies are legally obliged to ask you to agree to there cookies policy. This is why the EU introduced GDPR, here you can read more about it and how it protects you as a consumer.
Cookies work basically when you visit a new site, a cookie is placed on your hard drive to keep track of your session from start to finish. This means they do not have to store the information on their hard-drives. This is very useful for online shops who can see what items you are looking at and can recommend similar items.
David this post was so interesting. Like you say, everyone is familiar with the concept of cookies but not many will know what exactly they are used for or how exactly they work. Your definition of cookies was really helpful to allow the reader understand this.
ReplyDeleteI actually never realised that there were tools available to see if your cookies were GDPR compliant so I found that aspect particularly interesting.
Cookies do have their uses, but I agree, sometimes when you get very targeted advertising as a result, its hard not to have the sense of "well how did they know I was interested in that product". Some customers might find this idea of being followed around the Web in this way slightly unnerving.
Going forward though, I think third party cookies are reaching the end of their lifespan as they have already been blocked by Firefox and Mozilla browsers and will be blocked by Google by the end of 2023. This is an ever evolving area - so watch this space.
Meanwhile I'm off for tea... And a cookie! Lol
This post is great David, really interesting. We see cookies every single time we log onto a site and most probably just accept and move on. It's an area we are oh so familiar with but then again are we? It's imperative the consumer knows to what in fact they are consenting. Knowledge for the consumer is power and GDPR is in place to protect the consumer. Your link to GDPR provides a great source of information. We as consumers need to be cognisant of who we are allowing to peek into our browsing history. Sad to see this is your last post but delighted the Cookie Monster made a cameo ;-)
ReplyDeleteColette Breen-O'Boyle
Hi David, firstly I just want to say that this has been my favorite blog post from you from all your content. What a clever way to use Cookies V Cookies for a food marketing blog.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, you have explained exactly what cookies are very well here. I think a lot of people don't actually realise what data is being collected about them when they click 'accept and continue' to cookies. As you have discussed, it can be both a useful and a dangerous tool to have. Very interesting post.
Suzanne Earley
Hi guys first time visiting your blog, first of all I love your title, the marketing bite, the association of food with marketing, who wouldn't be enticed, I am. Really, liked the way you simplified the cookie concept which might be technical of what goes in the background but your presentation makes it very simple to understand and realize when we browse what we need to be aware of. Many useful tips in here David, well done, surely when I come across cookies off and online I will think of your blog. Comment By- Sultan Nazir
ReplyDelete