Progress on online privacy: now, next & long-term priorities

As one of Google’s UK data & privacy leads Adam Taylor said at its recent UK Privacy Forum: “You care about being in compliance. It’s what you need and frankly what you expect. It’s our goal to ensure you never have to worry about it. It should be table stakes and it will be.”

His comment set the scene for the guiding principles that followed, to help brands and businesses lay the groundwork today in order to thrive tomorrow. Online privacy shouldn’t be seen as a hurdle but as a powerful tool for innovation to drive more effective marketing.

Now: build a strong foundation

With privacy regulations evolving, the groundwork for success starts with having the right tools and technology in place. A key takeaway? Ensuring you’re set up with a durable infrastructure is essential to navigating privacy challenges.

Tom Kelleher, a data and measurement lead at Google UK, reminded attendees to focus on the essentials. “A strong measurement foundation begins with durable tagging,” he said, encouraging companies to adopt tools like Google’s enhanced conversions and consent mode to keep up with privacy expectations and ensure effective measurement.

Privacy Sandbox’s new direction is all about elevating user choice. Gaby Jenkins, partner manager, Privacy Sandbox partnerships at Google, noted that “the mission remains the same… If we work together, we can build an internet we all deserve – one that’s private at its core, one that’s useful for businesses, and guided by openness and transparency.”

“We’re building a future where privacy and performance go hand in hand,” Jenkins added, underlining how essential it is to align privacy strategies with user empowerment.

Next: embrace proactive solutions

Google’s approach is shifting from reactive to proactive, investing in new technology and infrastructure to help businesses manage compliance while reaching marketing goals. This proactive stance is an exciting development for marketers, setting the stage for tools that not only solve today’s challenges but also lay the groundwork for future innovations.

With more privacy-centric measurement products on the way, businesses can look forward to a more integrated approach that unites compliance with marketing impact. Tools like Google Analytics 4 and Google Ads Data Manager will support these efforts, allowing brands to capture and leverage first-party data without compromising user trust.

Long: stay ahead of trends & tech advances

The way that people are engaging with products and services on a daily basis is evolving, creating exciting new opportunities for brands and retailers. Those doing the groundwork in the user privacy, data and measurement arena are the ones who will most benefit from these opportunities.

As Aggie Dawborn, head of data measurement, Google UK, shared: “AI is transforming search and how we interact with information and the world around us. From diverse inputs like text, images, and video to richer, more helpful outputs, AI is ushering in a new era for search and advertising.” She outlined three specific AI-driven trends for advertisers to take note of:

1. The “Exactly what I want” search: enables people to find specific information with ease through Gen AI, with the volume of searches with five or more words growing 1.5x as fast as shorter queries - connecting brands with highly engaged, ready-to-convert customers.
2. Search beyond words: 4 out of 5 of consumers say they'd find it helpful if AI allowed them to search for things that are difficult to describe. Up to 12 billion visual searches are now taking place each month using Google Lens with 1 in 4 having commercial intent, opening new opportunities for brands to connect with potential customers in innovative ways.
3. Search beyond answers: AI Overviews and Ads reach consumers in new moments of exploration, providing contextual, personalized results, and empower advertisers to become the immediate solution to a consumer's need by surfacing highly relevant ads precisely when a user demonstrates intent and is most receptive to purchasing.

For marketers, this shift means that to leverage AI’s potential fully, they need to collect and structure data effectively, implement a robust measurement strategy that reflects media investments accurately, and foster agility in setting budgets and optimizing campaigns, with the right technical infrastructure to not only get ahead, but stay ahead.

Privacy: a journey, not a destination

At the core of each presentation was the understanding that privacy is an ongoing process, not a single goal. Easyjet’s group data protection legal advisor Angelika Majchrowska reminded us that staying patient and persistent is crucial for long-term success: “Compliance isn’t a blocker, it’s a way to ensure transparency and accountability. If anything, compliance is an enabler. Stick with it, because it’s truly worth it.”

As businesses continue to refine their privacy strategies, they need to be prepared for a long road ahead. Success isn’t about quick fixes but about sustained effort and attention to detail.

“No one sees an end point where they can say when we reach there, we will have cracked this privacy gig. It’s an ongoing journey,” said Alex Press, head of legal and data protection officer, Domino’s. The privacy landscape will continue to evolve, and so must marketing strategies.

By focusing on building a solid foundation now, adopting proactive measures next, and staying flexible for the long term, brands can thrive in a privacy-first, data-driven world – creating meaningful connections with consumers while respecting their privacy choices.