Third-Party Pixels Withdrawn from YouTube by Google
February 8, 2017
Rajat Tyagi
Google has removed 3rd-Party Pixels and cookies from YouTube, which may hit today’s video marketing industry.
Google has brought a significant change in the way of tracking the videos on YouTube. Google has announced that they are removing Third-Party Pixels from YouTube and replacing it with a cloud-based measurement system named Google Ads Data Hub. This change will surely be going to hit the Video Strategy Management of the contributors.
What is Video Strategy Management?
Video Strategy Management covers the entire process of planning, monitoring, analysis and assessment of video production and distribution. It helps the organizations to set a proper goal/strategy and meet it efficiently. People can take the support of proper tools, get hold of the expert tips, and adopt video SEO best practices, to justify the video strategy management.
Studies have revealed that half of the companies are almost into video production. The possibilities are high that in-near future more companies will be interested for video, as video is considered as the future of content marketing.
What changes has Google brought on YouTube?
Google has decided to shift the measurement procedure of YouTube from cookie-based to cloud-based or identity-based methods. The changes will lead to the reduction or even removal of technologies of pixels and cookies across YouTube.
They have thought of tiding with more mature Customer Match product, by building hashed audience matches from email addresses.
This has been intended to bring mobile-first solutions in YouTube. Google claim that over 50% of YouTube views come from mobile. So, this step has been taken to make YouTube better in mobiles.
What impact will the change bring on the Existing Tracking?
The removal of pixel and cookie tracking or replacement of third-party pixel with YouTube’s own measuring techniques may be a matter of concern for the advertisers as it will definitely have an impact on the existing tracking. It is a serious concern as Google has effectively announced Game Over for all the third-party tracking and measurement on YouTube.
What does the change mean to the Marketers?
Google has claimed that this change will have a positive effect as this will improve cross-screen measurement on YouTube.
It is definitely a bad news for the marketers and agencies who rely on cookie-based DSPs and ad servers to target and measure on YouTube. This has been confirmed by Venkat Achanta, chief data and analytics officer for Neustar and the former chief data officer of Walmart.
“To regain some of these efficiencies, marketers will need to work with independent identity providers to help them bridge and measure online and offline channels,” Achanta said. It won’t be difficult for marketers, if they are aware of all video SEO tips.
It is predicted that it will be beneficial, as now Google will more efficiently be able to:
- Activate intent data from search on YouTube
- Behavioural data from DoubleClick
- Site data from Google Analytics
- CRM data from Customer Match
Critics are saying that Google is reinforcing the walls of their secured walled garden. This is an effort to make YouTube a much harder platform for the video marketers. But, with the support of proper video marketing services, it can’t be tough.
It is still a matter of argument whether pixels and cookies can still make a place in the video marketing world or not. If Google shifts its focus and allows advertisers to maintain a better campaign and measuring technique, then there is a chance that Third-Party Pixel will again come into the field.