Cookie

Store information in browsers to track user behaviour across visits and enable personalised experiences without requiring login for every interaction.

Cookie

Cookie

definition

Introduction

A cookie is a small file that a website stores on a visitor's device. It contains data about that visitor - typically their user ID, preferences, or behavioural information - that the website can retrieve on future visits. Cookies enable websites to 'remember' visitors and personalise their experience.

From a technical perspective, cookies are simple: a website sends instructions to your browser to save a small text file (usually under 4KB). When you revisit that website, your browser sends the cookie data back to the website, allowing it to identify you and recall your previous interactions. Without cookies, every visit would be treated as a completely new, anonymous visitor.

Types of Cookies Relevant to B2B Marketing

  • First-party cookies: set by the website you're visiting, used for authentication, preferences, and analytics
  • Third-party cookies: set by other domains (like advertising networks), used for cross-site tracking
  • Session cookies: expire when you close your browser
  • Persistent cookies: expire after a set period (days, months, or years)

In B2B marketing, cookies are especially valuable for tracking account-based marketing efforts. You can use cookies to identify when someone from a target account has visited your website, what pages they viewed, and how often they've returned. This information informs your sales outreach.

Why it matters

For B2B growth teams, cookies are how you track visitors across your website without requiring them to log in or identify themselves. Without cookies, you couldn't tell whether the 100 people who visited your pricing page yesterday included repeat visitors or entirely new prospects.

Cookies enable personalisation at scale. You can use cookie data to show different website content to different visitor segments: new visitors see educational content, returning visitors see case studies and pricing, and logged-in users see custom dashboards or personalised recommendations.

However, cookie regulations are changing rapidly. Privacy regulations like GDPR (Europe), CCPA (California), and others restrict how you can set and use cookies. Many organisations are moving toward cookieless solutions and first-party data strategies. Understanding cookies and their limitations is essential as the landscape evolves.

How to apply it

If you use Google Analytics or similar tools, understand that your analytics is powered by cookies. Your analytics vendor sets first-party cookies on your domain that track visitor behaviour. Ensure you have a clear privacy policy explaining that you use cookies for analytics and personalisation.

For account-based marketing, consider implementing first-party cookie tracking to identify when employees from target accounts visit your website. Tools like 6sense, Terminus, and similar ABM platforms use IP tracking and cookie technology to identify high-value accounts visiting your site, alerting your sales team.

Be aware of cookie consent requirements. In many jurisdictions, you must obtain explicit consent before setting non-essential cookies. Implement a cookie consent banner that explains what cookies you use and why. Respect user choices: if someone opts out of marketing cookies, don't set them.

Website personalisation with cookies

A B2B SaaS company used first-party cookies to personalise their website experience. First-time visitors saw a 'Getting Started' page with educational content. If the same visitor returned (detected via cookie) within 30 days, they saw a 'Compare Pricing' page instead. Returning visitors from target accounts saw custom homepage messaging about industry-specific use cases. This personalisation increased time on site by 40% compared to a control group without personalisation.

Account-based advertising with cookies

An enterprise software company used ABM technology to identify when employees from target accounts visited their website via cookie and IP tracking. When someone from a target account visited, they saw different ads on external websites showing that company's use case. This coordinated approach increased conversation rates for target accounts by 60% compared to non-target accounts.

Customer retention via cookie-based analytics

A consulting firm used cookies and analytics to track customer engagement after sale. They identified when existing customers hadn't visited their knowledge base or customer portal for 30 days, signalling potential at-risk relationships. The customer success team proactively reached out to these accounts, preventing churn and increasing upsell opportunities.

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