Privacy is a major issue for consumers, and many companies have added new policies to address these concerns. Apple stated that the new private update would launch in spring 2021.
What’s the big deal for iOS 14 advertising? The latest App Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy from Apple asks mobile users for permission when apps want to obtain user information from their device IDs. This means users must provide explicit approval before a company and app can communicate with the device ID, also known as IDFA.
We take a look at why this update was created, and what this new policy means for your advertising strategy. You’ll likely need to make some adjustments if you use mobile advertising. Read on to learn more about the iOS 14 update’s impact on your advertising.
How the iOS 14 Update Changes Advertising
The ATT update took away visibility on some of the key metrics that show where and how conversions happen, such as with sales or app installs. This also affects how advertisers bid on impressions, as you won’t be able to see all values.
Many advertisers saw a significant change in revenue from Google ads, for example. After the ATT update took place, ad revenue shrank slightly. This is due to the inability to target some users by their devices and IDs if they opt out of advertising.
What is IDFA?
An IDFA is known as Identifier for Advertisers. It’s a unique ID used for mobile devices. When advertisers want to target mobile users, they use this mobile ID to do so. This means that brands are able to personalize content and track user behavior, while also measuring how well their advertising brought in conversions.
While this ID is not going away, users must now opt in to allow tracking. Businesses now have to be well known, liked, and trusted to get an opt in from users who are curious about more products.
Why Change iOS 14 Privacy Policies Now?
Previously, advertisers had unlimited access to track user IDs because consent was included in the app’s terms for downloading and sign up. After the Cookie Law under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 required websites to tell ask users to “accept cookies,” other policies were scrutinized for lack of privacy. Other new policies followed, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in 2019.
Hence, the new iOS 14 update included policy changes that restricted access to a user’s mobile ID unless a user opted in. That makes it hard for advertisers to reach customers on mobile devices, as new and returning customers likely won’t opt in unless they want to see advertising from a brand they trust.
New ATT Update Makes It More Difficult to Target Mobile Users
Both Facebook and Google have addressed how these changes will affect advertisers. Google noted that the change has already led to a significant rop in network publisher revenue.
Facebook also shared how the new iOS 14 changes would make it difficult to collect information from users in their own apps. The social network even hinted that they wouldn’t offer the Audience Network on iOS 14 in the future due to the inability to access mobile user ID information.
In addition, Facebook noted that this directly affects how advertisers will be able to target users, but also that they don’t know how big of an impact the update will ultimately be. For mobile app install campaigns, it’s a significant drop in revenue for revenue.
What Can Advertisers Do About the iOS 14 Advertising Update
Advertisers may be able to target users and measure their conversions even after the iOS 14 update. However, it depends on the network. Google and Facebook have both offered a few different ways to get around these limitations.
Facebook provided a workaround for advertisers through their Aggregated Event Measurement tool. This allows advertisers to measure web events from iOS 14 devices. If you still plan to advertiser and optimize for conversions within your business app, then here’s what you can do:
This update allows you to personalize ads for iOS 14 users while also receiving analytics and reports for app conversion events. To access, you’ll need to update from Events Manager, which requires you to be an app admin.
Google
To continue monetizing for iOS 14 users, Google asked developers to upgrade to version 7.64 of the Google Mobile Ads SDK, which includes SKAdNetwork support.
Advertisers also should upgrade to the newest version of Google Analytics for Firebase, which also supports the latest updates for SKAdNetwork following Apple’s ATT update.
In addition, Google stated the company is working to improve SKAdNetwork so that advertisers still have the ability to measure campaigns effectively for iOS 14 users.
What Changes to iOS 14 Advertising Mean for You
If you currently have an app or website that targets mobile users, you’ll need to comply with ATT. However, it’s currently not well known how to do this for every advertiser. For example, Pinterest, SnapChat, and Twitter have yet to release any guidelines on how advertisers can get around this new update.
For now, advertisers should closely follow their ads and monitor performance, particularly for mobile devices. More guidelines should become available as the update fully rolls out and advertising networks adjust to these changes.
