How Hubspot Marketers Can Adapt to the Third-Party Cookie Phase-Out

The phase-out of third-party cookies is reshaping digital marketing, and Hubspot users need a clear plan to stay ahead, protect performance, and respect user privacy.

Major browsers, led by Google Chrome, are moving away from third-party cookies. This affects ad tracking, attribution, and personalization across the web. However, it also opens opportunities to build stronger first-party relationships and use privacy-focused tools more effectively.

Drawing from HubSpot’s own guidance on third-party cookies, this article explains what is changing and shows you how to prepare your marketing stack and strategy.

What the Third-Party Cookie Phase-Out Means for Hubspot Users

Third-party cookies are small pieces of data placed on a browser by a domain other than the one a user is visiting. They have been widely used for:

• Cross-site tracking and audience targeting
• Retargeting ads across multiple domains
• Multi-touch attribution for advertising

Browsers like Safari and Firefox already block many third-party cookies. Chrome, which holds a large share of global traffic, is now following a similar path. For marketers working with Hubspot and ad platforms, this means:

• Less reliable cross-site behavioral data
• Smaller retargeting audiences over time
• More difficulty measuring some paid campaign results

First-party cookies, which are set by the domain a user is visiting, will continue to function. That is where a strong CRM and marketing automation platform becomes critical.

How Hubspot Fits into a First-Party Data Strategy

A key adaptation is shifting focus from third-party data to first-party data. Hubspot can serve as the central repository for this data and the engine for activating it.

First-party data includes:

• Form submissions and lead capture details
• Email engagement and on-site behavior
• Customer preferences, past purchases, and support history

By consolidating this information, you can continue to personalize experiences and measure performance without over-relying on third-party cookies.

Hubspot contact records as your single source of truth

Every interaction you track directly on your website or app can be tied to a contact record. Over time, this creates a rich profile for:

• Lead scoring and lifecycle stages
• Segmentation for campaigns
• Sales and service follow-up

With a strong contact database, you are less dependent on external identifiers that are threatened by browser changes.

Using Hubspot tracking and consent tools

Modern privacy expectations demand transparency and choice. You should:

• Configure cookie notices and consent banners where required by law
• Explain what data you collect and how you use it
• Honor user preferences on tracking and communication

Aligning Hubspot tracking settings with your legal and compliance teams helps ensure you gather first-party data in a responsible way.

Step-by-Step Plan to Prepare Your Hubspot Setup

Use the following steps to make your marketing more resilient as third-party cookies fade away.

Step 1: Audit your current reliance on third-party cookies

Start with a clear inventory. Document:

• All advertising platforms you use that rely on third-party cookies
• Retargeting, lookalike, and audience-based campaigns
• Analytics or tracking scripts added to your site

Highlight any workflows in which campaign performance would significantly drop without cross-site tracking.

Step 2: Strengthen first-party data collection in Hubspot

Next, focus on capturing and enriching contact data directly in your systems. Within your Hubspot environment:

• Review and optimize forms for clarity and ease of use
• Add progressive fields to learn more over time
• Offer valuable content or tools in exchange for contact details

Ensure that your landing pages load quickly, display clearly on mobile, and clearly communicate what a user receives in return for submitting information.

Step 3: Build privacy-friendly audiences and segments

Once you strengthen collection, improve how you activate that data. In Hubspot you can:

• Create lifecycle-based segments (leads, MQLs, customers)
• Segment by engagement (high openers, clickers, active site visitors)
• Segment by product interest, industry, or use case

These segments can then power email nurturing, on-site personalization, and synced audiences in advertising platforms that support first-party data uploads.

Step 4: Connect Hubspot with your ad platforms

Many ad networks are moving toward privacy-safe matching based on first-party data. To align with this shift:

• Use native integrations to sync contact lists to platforms that allow it
• Leverage server-side or API-based conversions where supported
• Focus on consented, high-intent contacts for audience building

This approach improves match quality while reducing dependence on browser-based third-party cookies.

Step 5: Adjust your measurement and attribution model

As third-party cookies disappear, some familiar attribution paths may no longer look the same. Within your analytics stack linked to Hubspot, you can:

• Place more emphasis on first-party data sources and CRM-based reporting
• Use multi-touch models that rely on known contact interactions
• Track key conversion points (demos, trials, purchases) with robust tagging

Accept that some granular cross-site insights will be less precise and design your reporting to focus on reliable data you control.

Best Practices for Using Hubspot in a Cookieless Future

Beyond basic setup, several ongoing practices will help you maintain performance.

Invest in content and value exchange

Without extensive third-party data, you will rely more heavily on direct relationships. Use Hubspot to:

• Manage a consistent editorial calendar
• Promote gated resources that provide real value
• Automate follow-up nurturing tied to content topics

This builds trust and drives voluntary data sharing, which is more sustainable than opaque tracking.

Monitor consent, preferences, and deliverability

Effective first-party data strategies depend on ongoing trust. Within Hubspot:

• Respect subscription types and communication preferences
• Regularly clean inactive or invalid contacts
• Review email engagement and spam metrics

Healthy lists and clear opt-ins support both compliance and performance.

Collaborate across teams using Hubspot data

As cookies fade, marketing, sales, and service data should be more unified. Encourage teams to:

• Log key interactions in contact records
• Use shared properties and consistent naming conventions
• Reference timeline history when engaging high-value accounts

This shared context compensates for the loss of some third-party visibility.

Staying Agile as Privacy and Cookies Evolve

The third-party cookie phase-out is not a one-time flip of a switch but an ongoing evolution. Browser policies, ad platform capabilities, and user expectations will continue to change.

Hubspot gives you a flexible foundation to adapt as long as you:

• Prioritize first-party data quality and governance
• Maintain clear communication about privacy and consent
• Regularly review integrations, tracking, and reporting

Consider partnering with specialists who can help you refine your setup and strategy as the landscape shifts. Agencies like Consultevo can assist with advanced configuration, analytics, and performance optimization.

By leaning into first-party relationships, consolidating data within a strong CRM, and respecting user privacy, you can continue to run effective, measurable campaigns even as third-party cookies disappear. Your work today to optimize Hubspot will pay off in a more resilient, future-ready marketing engine.