How does Bing Ads handle conversion tracking for users who clear their cookies?

When a user clears their cookies, Bing Ads (now part of Microsoft Advertising) can face challenges in accurately tracking conversions because cookies are often used to store tracking information for conversion events. However, Microsoft Advertising has implemented several techniques and solutions to mitigate this issue and still provide reliable conversion tracking, even in situations where users clear their cookies.

Here's how Bing Ads handles conversion tracking for users who clear their cookies:
1. First-Party Data (Microsoft's Universal Event Tracking - UET)
Microsoft Advertising relies heavily on Universal Event Tracking (UET), a system that places a tracking tag (a small snippet of code) on your website to capture user interactions and conversions.

UET Cookie Persistence: Typically, UET tags use cookies to track users, so if a user clears their cookies, their prior activity would no longer be tracked via UET cookies. However, if the user converts during a session in which they have an active cookie, the conversion would still be attributed to the ad interaction.

Device and Cross-Device Tracking: Microsoft Advertising also tracks users across devices when they log into their Microsoft or Bing accounts. If a user who cleared their cookies logs into a Microsoft service (e.g., Microsoft account, Outlook, Xbox) and completes the conversion on another device, Bing Ads might still capture the conversion if it can associate the action with a signed-in user.

2. **Use of Global Site Tags and Session-Based Tracking
In cases where cookies are cleared or not available, session-based tracking is used. Global Site Tags and session cookies are often used for a short-term period to track activity within a single session. If a user clears their cookies mid-session, it may disrupt the tracking of conversions, but the session can still be attributed to the conversion if it happens within that same browsing session (even if the cookie is cleared after).

3. Microsoft's Privacy-Centric Approach and Eventual Solutions
Microsoft Advertising follows a privacy-first approach to comply with global data privacy laws, such as GDPR. This means:

Anonymization: All tracking data is anonymized, and Microsoft ensures that even if users clear their cookies, it doesn't compromise the privacy of the information captured.

Privacy-focused features: Microsoft encourages advertisers to use features like conversion tracking for signed-in users and device fingerprinting, where applicable, to try to mitigate issues related to cookie clearing, though they cannot rely entirely on cookies in all scenarios.

4. Alternative Conversion Attribution (Cross-Device and Cross-Browser Tracking)
Microsoft Advertising's attribution system is designed to help advertisers understand the full conversion path, even if the user clears cookies during the process:

Cross-device tracking: Microsoft can track conversions across multiple devices as long as the user is signed into a Microsoft account. Even if cookies are cleared on one device, the conversion may still be attributed through another device where the user is logged in.

Server-side tracking: Microsoft supports server-side tracking, where the server can capture conversion events and store them independently of the client-side cookies. This method is often used to track offline conversions and ensure that conversion data is captured even if the user's cookies are cleared.

5. Conversion Tracking with User Authentication (Microsoft Accounts)
When a user interacts with Microsoft services that require login (e.g., Microsoft accounts), Bing Ads can track conversions even if cookies are cleared by the user. This is because user authentication allows Microsoft to identify users across different devices and sessions, ensuring that conversions can still be attributed to the correct campaigns.

6. Enhanced Conversion Features
Bing Ads offers additional conversion features that provide more robust tracking even when cookies are cleared:

Enhanced Conversion Tracking: Microsoft can use alternative identifiers, such as email addresses or device identifiers (with user consent), to improve conversion tracking accuracy. This can reduce the impact of cookie clearing since the conversion can be tracked by other means, such as through first-party data.

First-Party Data for Attribution: Advertisers can leverage first-party data (such as customer lists) to track user interactions across devices or after cookies are cleared. When users are logged in, Microsoft can match conversions to specific customers, ensuring a more accurate attribution.

7. Server-Side Tagging and Integration
For more advanced tracking and to mitigate issues like cookie deletion, server-side tagging allows advertisers to capture conversion data directly from the server, rather than relying on cookies stored in the user's browser. Server-side tracking is less affected by browser settings or cookie clearing and can help provide more accurate conversion reporting.

8. Google Chrome and Safari Restrictions
It's also important to note that browser updates (such as changes in Google Chrome or Safari) have reduced the ability to rely entirely on cookies for tracking. Third-party cookie restrictions and intelligent tracking prevention (ITP) on browsers have made it harder for advertisers to track users. In response, Microsoft Advertising, like other platforms, has adopted a more holistic approach to attribution by leveraging alternative methods (e.g., user authentication and cross-device tracking).

Key Takeaways:
Cookies are critical for conversion tracking, but Microsoft Advertising mitigates the challenges posed by cookie clearing through alternative tracking methods, such as signed-in users and cross-device tracking.

UET tags and session-based tracking are used to capture conversions, but if cookies are cleared mid-session, conversion attribution may be affected.

Cross-device and cross-browser tracking help track users who clear cookies but are still identifiable across sessions or devices when they are signed into Microsoft services.

Privacy-first policies and first-party data ensure Microsoft Advertising remains compliant while optimizing conversion tracking accuracy.

For more advanced solutions, server-side tracking can be used to avoid reliance on cookies and improve conversion tracking.

In summary, while cookie clearing can affect conversion tracking, Microsoft Advertising employs a variety of strategies, such as cross-device tracking, first-party data, and enhanced conversion features, to ensure accurate conversion attribution despite privacy concerns or cookie clearing.