The internet used to be blind—every visitor was a stranger. Then came cookies.
Cookies were invented to solve a basic problem: websites couldn’t remember anything about their visitors. If you left and came back, the site had no idea. So in 1994, a Netscape engineer created the first browser cookie—a tiny text file stored on your computer that allowed sites to recognize you.
At first, cookies were useful. They helped websites remember logins, save shopping carts, and personalize experiences. It was about convenience, not tracking.
Then, marketers saw an opportunity.
Breadcrumbs
Originally, websites could only read their own cookies. But as online advertising grew, companies found a way to track users across multiple sites. By embedding third-party cookies, advertisers could follow users from site to site, collecting data on their behavior, interests, and browsing history.
This is how the modern ad industry was born. Retargeting ads, behavioral tracking, and hyper-personalized marketing all came from cookies.
But then, users started noticing.
Ads followed them around. Private searches turned into targeted promotions. People felt watched. Privacy concerns exploded. And when companies like Apple and Google saw an opportunity to tighten their grip on online advertising, they cracked down on cookies.
Now, third-party cookies are disappearing—and many marketers are panicking.
Permission
For musicians, podcasters, and creators, this isn’t a crisis—it’s a reset. Great marketing was never about stalking strangers. It’s about relationships.
- Before cookies, businesses still found ways to connect with their audience.
- After cookies, the most effective marketing will still be fueled by trust, not tracking.
If you’re relying on chasing people with ads, you’re already losing. The best marketing? Anticipated, personal, and relevant messages and stories, delivered to people who want to get them
What to Do Now
- Own Your Audience – Build email lists, SMS groups, and direct channels. Don’t rely on algorithms.
- Be Unmissable – Create content people seek out, not ads that chase them.
- Personalize with Purpose – Make people feel seen without creeping them out.
- Play the Long Game – Hacks fade. Relationships endure.
The Only Metric That Matters
Cookies were a shortcut. But shortcuts don’t build value over the long term. The real question: Who wants to hear from you? Who do you seek to serve?
If you can answer that, you don’t need cookies. You need a plan to consistently show up, stand out, and deliver the type of value that people would miss if you were gone.
That’s how you build something that lasts.
