Navigating Data Policy Changes in 2024: Three Key Deadlines for Marketers to Remember

iCrossing’s Edouard Payne and Theodora Tang, senior data & analytics analysts, are gearing up for a year of rapid change in data policies that will impact marketers. As 2024 unfolds, marketers are facing challenges with updates like changes in how Google handles data collection, requiring careful decision-making on advertising strategies to ensure compliance with the latest consent policy changes.

To help marketers navigate these changes and safeguard their marketing effectiveness programs, Payne and Tang have highlighted three key deadlines to mark on your calendar:

1. **March 1, 2024: Google Tag Manager consent mode compliance deadline**
– Google is strengthening the enforcement of the EU’s user consent policy in March. Failure to comply will result in data not being recorded in Google Ads accounts and the disabling of features like ad personalization and remarketing. Marketers are advised to review their Google Tag Manager and ensure they are passing consent signals to tags that are sending data by the end of February.

2. **July 1, 2024: Safeguard historical GA3 data with a data warehousing tool by this deadline**
– GA3 properties stopped collecting data last year, and businesses will not be able to access historical data from July 1, 2024. Marketers are urged to archive all GA3 data by the end of June using data warehousing tools like BigQuery to ensure holistic reporting and forecasting ability for future marketing campaigns.

3. **By October 2024: Enable AI performance reporting assistant**
– Google has announced the upcoming release of Duet AI in Looker Studio Pro, a virtual business analyst that can provide quick insights on marketing campaigns and e-commerce performance through an easy chat interface. By enabling Duet AI, marketers can save time on generating insights from data and focus on implementing impactful campaigns.

2024 is shaping up to be a year of data activation for marketers, with these key deadlines playing a crucial role in ensuring marketing effectiveness and compliance with evolving data policies. In addition to these milestones, marketers are also advised to address cookie changes, such as Chrome’s cookie deprecation, by exploring cookieless tracking solutions.

Stay ahead of the curve and mark these deadlines on your calendar to navigate the changing landscape of data policies and enhance your marketing strategies for success in 2024.