Cookieless Analytics - A Guide to Privacy-First Tracking

Cookie-based tracking is dying, and privacy-first tracking is the future. With many of the websites still relying on third-party cookies and 42.2% of users rejecting cookie consent banners, businesses must adapt to protect user privacy while maintaining effective analytics. This guide explains how to shift from traditional tracking to cookieless methods like server-side tracking.

What is Cookieless Analytics?

Cookieless analytics changes the way tracking works by moving away from using cookies. This shift is driven by stricter data protection laws and growing concerns about user privacy.

Basic Concepts

Cookieless analytics relies on server-based data collection. It focuses on protecting user privacy while still providing useful insights.

"Cookieless describes a way of marketing in which marketers are less reliant on cookies, which are bits of data that contain consumer personal identifiers" [3]

These methods highlight the differences between traditional and modern tracking approaches.

Comparing Old vs New Methods

Aspect	Traditional Cookie-Based	Cookieless Analytics
Data Storage	Stored on user devices	Processed server-side
Privacy Impact	Raises tracking concerns	Improves user privacy
Compliance	Requires explicit consent	Eases compliance efforts
Data Quality	Limited by browser settings	Provides more reliable data
Implementation	Simple but increasingly limited	More complex but future-ready

Failing to embrace cookieless tracking could lead to major revenue losses. .

"The purpose of GDPR and similar regulations is to ensure that users are not tracked without their explicit consent. Thus, any strategy to work around this has to align with these data privacy norms." - Able Customer Data Platform Customer Success Team [4]

With 42.2% of users rejecting cookie consent banners [1], adopting cookieless analytics is crucial. It ensures more accurate data collection, respects privacy, and complies with evolving regulations.

Main Privacy-First Tracking Methods

The methods align with cookieless analytics principles, emphasizing secure and privacy-conscious tracking.

Server-Side Tracking

Server-side tracking shifts data collection to secure servers, ensuring better control over data privacy and accuracy. Here's how you can set it up:

• Deploy Server-Side Google Tag Manager (sGTM): Acting as a middle layer between users and third-party vendors, sGTM improves website performance, refines data quality, and strengthens security measures .

• Use a consent management platform:

  "Consent Mode does not make your data collection/processing GDPR-compliant...Compliance is a process rather than a toggle" [1].

• Establish data protection protocols: Ensure your data storage complies with regional regulations and apply data hashing before sharing with third parties.

Air360 a Privacy-First Cookieless Analytics

In order to be cookieless, you would need to consider using a cookieless tracking solution for you website’s analysis. Air360 uses cookieless tracking, helping you transform data into actionable insights without relying on cookies.

Air360 Main Tools

While cookieless, Air360 provide all the features you need to monitor that your website is delivering the best possible experience to your customers. Air360 offers a no-code tracking suite packed with features to analyze user behavior effectively:

Tool	Purpose	Key Benefit
Auto-tracking	Automatically tracks user actions	Eliminates the need for manual tagging
Session Replays	Records user sessions for analysis	Pinpoint UX issues as they happen
Funnel Analysis	Tracks conversion pathways	Quickly identify drop-off points
User Journey Insights	Maps complete user paths	Gain clarity on navigation patterns
On-Page Analytics	Monitors in-page behavior	Optimize where content is placed

For example, Club Med used these tools and achieved a 97% boost in conversion rates by improving their user experience analysis .

Now, let’s dive into how you can set up these tools with the Quick Start Guide.

Quick Start Guide

Getting started with Air360 is simple and doesn't require advanced technical skills: You simply need to add the Air360 pixel to your website's header or to your tagging manager to start collecting data automatically!

"With Air360 we are gaining faster time to insights so we can help customers drive towards a positive impact on CRO and revenue."
– Jonny Longden, CRO Expert and Influencer, Journey Further [10]

Optimization Tips

To make the most of Air360, focus on these strategies:

• Identify User Friction Points: Use session replays to spot areas where users face challenges and refine those sections to improve navigation.

• Examine Drop-off Trends: Analyze funnel data to uncover obstacles in the conversion process.

• Utilize Instant Insights: With real-time analytics, quickly adapt to shifts in user behavior and improve performance.

"With Air360 we can get more people involved in making data-driven decisions on a global scale" [10]

Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Cookieless analytics is reshaping digital tracking, largely due to stricter privacy regulations and changing user expectations. With many users declining cookie consent, the push for privacy-first solutions is more pressing than ever.

Here’s why it matters:

Advantage	Impact
Regulatory Compliance	Becoming GDPR compliant is more crucial then ever. Without that, you could be penalized for it, but also loose trust from your customers.
Building Trust	Consumers are more likely to share data when collection practices are clear
Get more data	Track users who denied the cookie banner so you can have more data for your analysis. More data means more accurate analysis.

A 2023 Adobe survey found that 75% of marketers still depend on third-party cookies [12], emphasizing the need to shift toward cookieless solutions.

What to Do Next

To turn these insights into action, consider these steps:

1. Evaluate Your Analytics Tools: Identify areas where privacy-first alternatives are needed.

2. Adopt Privacy-First Tools: Tools like Air360 offer auto-tracking and server-side solutions to keep analytics accurate while respecting privacy laws.