Publishers can prepare for Google Topics by continuing to focus on gathering as much first-party data as possible — with consent, of course. This focus has remained the same since Google first revealed its plan to eliminate cookies in its January 2020 announcement. First-party data allows publishers to target more narrowly than Topics, since they can identify users who have given permission. Publishers with robust first-party data will be more valuable to advertisers and, theoretically, will be able to charge premium rates.