Beyond Cookies: Future-Proof Identity Strategies for Spas

The Cookie Deprecation Timeline

Google’s phased deprecation of third-party cookies in Chrome, which began in Q1 2024 with 1% of users and is expected to reach 100% by late 2025, represents the largest shift in digital advertising infrastructure in over a decade.

For spa marketers who have relied on cookie-based retargeting and attribution, this shift creates both challenges and opportunities. The properties that adapt early will have a significant advantage over those that wait.

Why This Matters for Spa Marketing

Spa marketing differs from general retail in several key ways that make identity resolution particularly valuable:

• Long consideration cycles: Spa services, especially at luxury properties, often involve weeks or months between initial research and booking
• Multi-device journeys: Guests typically research on mobile, compare on desktop, and book through a third device or phone call
• High-value transactions: With average treatment values often exceeding $200 and package stays reaching thousands, accurate attribution significantly impacts marketing ROI

When third-party cookies disappear, spas lose the ability to track these cross-device journeys through traditional retargeting. The guest who browsed your couples massage page on mobile won’t automatically see your ad on desktop unless you have an alternative identification strategy.

First-Party Data: The Foundation

First-party data—information collected directly from guests with their consent—becomes the cornerstone of post-cookie marketing. For spas, this includes:

• Email addresses from newsletter signups and booking confirmations
• Account registrations and loyalty program enrollments
• Website behavior tracked through authenticated sessions
• Booking history and treatment preferences
• Survey responses and feedback

The properties that systematically collect and organize this data now will have a significant competitive advantage when cookie-based alternatives disappear entirely.

What Identity Resolution Actually Does

Identity resolution technology connects disparate data points—a website visit here, an email open there, a booking last month—into unified guest profiles. This enables:

• Cross-device attribution: Connecting the mobile browser to the desktop booker to the in-spa guest
• Accurate campaign measurement: Understanding which marketing channels actually drive bookings, not just clicks
• Personalized outreach: Tailoring offers based on complete guest history rather than siloed snapshots
• Suppression capabilities: Avoiding wasted ad spend on guests who already booked

Segment-Specific Considerations

Different spa segments will experience cookie deprecation differently:

Practical Next Steps

Regardless of whether you implement identity resolution technology, these foundational steps will improve your marketing resilience:

1. Audit your first-party data: What guest information do you currently collect? Where does it live? How complete is it?
2. Prioritize email collection: Every guest interaction should include an opportunity for email capture with clear value exchange
3. Implement server-side tracking: Move beyond client-side pixels to server-based event tracking that doesn’t depend on cookies
4. Review consent mechanisms: Ensure your data collection complies with privacy regulations and provides clear opt-in choices
5. Connect your systems: Work toward a single source of truth for guest data across booking, CRM, and marketing platforms

The Competitive Window

The spa industry, like hospitality broadly, has been slower to adopt marketing technology than other sectors. According to ISPA’s 2023 Industry Study, only 47% of spas report using any form of marketing automation, and fewer than 20% have implemented comprehensive CRM systems.

This gap represents both a challenge and an opportunity. Properties that invest in data infrastructure now will be better positioned as the post-cookie landscape matures. Those that wait will find themselves competing at a disadvantage.

Looking Ahead

The deprecation of third-party cookies is not a temporary disruption—it represents a permanent shift in how digital marketing operates. For spa marketers, this means:

• Traditional retargeting will become less effective and more expensive
• Attribution will require deliberate investment in tracking infrastructure
• First-party data becomes a genuine competitive asset
• Properties with strong guest relationships will have marketing advantages

The spas that treat this transition as an opportunity to build stronger guest data foundations will emerge with capabilities their competitors lack. The question isn’t whether to adapt, but how thoughtfully and quickly.

Published: January 2025. Industry conditions evolve; verify current statistics before making business decisions.