Publishing companies are soon facing the loss of Google Chrome’s third-party cookies support, which will most likely stop by the end of 2024. Without those cookies, it will be harder for publishers to gather user data, sell targeted segments to advertisers, and deliver on personalization.

Publishers will have to rely more on their first-party data, which is facing multiple challenges from growing data privacy regulations from Apple as well as increasing U.S. state-level and federal legislation.  

Along with publishers navigating a fluid, dynamic space on data privacy, brand budgets continue to be under pressure as brands must do more with less, and continue to drive brand passion and business outcomes.  

With this in mind, publishers are taking steps to ensure that first-party data is a crucial pillar of their ad sales strategy. A study by DoubleVerify of senior decision-makers in publishing and advertising about the post-third-party cookie advertising landscape found that first-party data is one of the most prominent solutions being considered for the future.

Why Salesforce Data Cloud is media’s answer to data challenges

Publishers must monetize their vast pool of audience and readership, but need the right people, process, and product to unlock this massive vein of value. Possessing customer data is just the first step for publishers. Preparing the data and shaping it into a high-quality, robust, unified data stack that delivers snackable insights is the second task. Otherwise, advertisers are going to run into that snow blower situation where they are just wasting impressions and losing value with customers.

From a strategic and data perspective, publishers should assess the data they have on their customers. You should look at the interactions with your customers and if you have the capabilities to see and understand those interactions. Then you should be able to bring those interactions together from across disparate systems to fully understand individual customers.  

Salesforce’s Data Cloud creates a single source of truth of rich customer data so publishers can deliver hyper-personalized engagement to advertisers across their properties. According to the Salesforce State of Marketing report, marketers expect a 40% increase in the number of data sources they use in the next year. A core strength of Data Cloud is the ability to consolidate and segment customer data into a unified customer profile. 

This unified profile also helps resolve some of the data privacy issues by better understanding audiences as individuals and linking identity with privacy compliance. Data Cloud includes privacy tools that protect data and manage customer consent by using embedded capabilities and alliances with identity and consent software providers.

Once you have the foundational elements set with Data Cloud, the next step is to take your data even further and leverage this data across Salesforce’s product portfolio, providing data unification, identity resolution, and activation.  

Data Cloud brings the power of automation, analytics, AI, data, and integration to the entire Customer 360 to create a single view of the customer across any cloud. Data Cloud paves the way for highly personalized 1:1 experiences between customers and advertisers. A single profile is necessary for publishers to compete in today’s data-centric world and identity-driven future. Because at some point, this innovative data technology capability will be the critical difference between an advertiser spending money with you versus your competition. 

Salesforce Data Cloud for Marketing + Marketing Cloud Personalization + Marketing Cloud Intelligence

All three of these technologies work harmoniously towards creating the monetization layer that avoids organizational technical debt and creates a scalable enterprise solution. By leveraging Salesforce Data Cloud for Marketing to create a unified view of the customer along with Marketing Cloud Personalization, marketers can ensure customers receive consistent messaging, offers, and recommendations, regardless of the platform or touchpoint they engage with. This enables marketers to deliver highly relevant and personalized messages, offers, and recommendations to customers, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.

Analyzing customer behavior in real-time across their marketing technology stack, marketers gain valuable insights to enhance campaign performance and make dynamic adjustments on the go. This agility, combined with the activation layer facilitated by Marketing Cloud Personalization, enables the delivery of personalized content and offers that deeply resonate with customers, leading to heightened campaign effectiveness and increased return on investment. This consistency enhances brand perception, fosters trust, and reinforces the overall marketing strategy.

Marketing Cloud Intelligence leverages algorithms and machine learning techniques to dissect data and unveil meaningful patterns. When integrated with Data Cloud, marketers gain the ability to generate advanced customer segments based on diverse attributes and behaviors. This precision targeting and personalization, inherent in the activation layer of MCP, ensure that the right message reaches the right audience at the right moment.

Combining Data Cloud and Marketing Cloud Personalization offers marketers a powerful synergy. It enables them to leverage comprehensive customer insights, enhance targeting, improve customer experiences, and optimize and deliver consistent messaging across channels. By leveraging these capabilities, marketers can drive better results, increase customer engagement, and achieve their marketing goals more effectively.

With the combined power of Data Cloud and Marketing Cloud Intelligence, marketers can meticulously track and analyze the impact of their marketing endeavors. They can attribute conversions to specific campaigns or touchpoints, enabling them to optimize their marketing mix with advanced segmentation, targeting, and activation strategies. 

This holistic view of the entire marketing mix, facilitated by the accountability layer within Marketing Cloud Intelligence, allows for a comprehensive understanding and optimization of marketing efforts. This data-driven approach, encompassing both Marketing Cloud Personalization and Marketing Cloud Intelligence, facilitates better resource allocation, optimization of marketing spend, and an overall improvement in performance.

How Silverline can help on your data journey

With over 10 years of experience, countless engagements, and a deep understanding of the Media and Entertainment industry, Silverline is your trusted partner for Salesforce solutions. Our expertise spans various sectors, including broadcast, publishing, and agencies, allowing us to provide valuable insights and guidance tailored to your media organization.

By partnering with Silverline, you gain access to a wealth of industry-specific knowledge and best practices. Our team has worked with numerous media organizations, helping them leverage the power of Salesforce to transform their operations, improve customer engagement, and drive business growth. We understand the intricacies of the media industry, and we are well equipped to guide you on your journey to success.

Discover how Silverline can help your media organization thrive. Contact us today to learn more about our tailored Salesforce solutions and how we can support your unique needs. Together, we’ll unlock the full potential of Salesforce and drive continuous value for your business.