Targeting with cookies

[#1]

I have a question about using cookies as conditions for experiment targeting.  Suppose I set a cookie as condition for being an experiment target and a visitor reaches a target url but ends up not meeting the targeting requirements.  Then the cookie that prevented them from being targeting subsequently expires.  Does this mean that the visitor will become an eligible target for the experiment or are they permanently excluded due to the original target matching?

Thanks,

Adam

[#2 · Accepted solution]

I've used cookie expirations to control the frequency at which a visitor sees an experiment. I can confirm that they will become an eligible target. By default, Optimizely does not permanently "opt out" visitors if they do not meet the targeting and audience requirements of an experiment. A visitor's validity is re-evaluated each time until they are successfully bucketed. It is possible to create a "permanent opt out" like what you describe, but that is something that would have to be deliberately coded on your end.

Here's a link to the Support article that highlights how to target with cookies (among many other targeting options). https://help.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/articles/201876450#cookies