[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ min_height=”1615px” custom_margin=”||-2px|||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” min_height=”1498px”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ text_font=”Montserrat|300|||||||” text_text_color=”#333333″ text_font_size=”21px” text_line_height=”32px” link_font=”Montserrat||||||||” ul_font=”Montserrat||||||||” header_font=”Montserrat||||||||” header_2_font=”Montserrat||||||||” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_3_font=”Montserrat||||||||” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” min_height=”326px” custom_margin=”-14px|||||” custom_padding=”||0px|||”]<\/p>\n
There\u2019s been a lot of buzz around Apple\u2019s AppTracking Transparency (ATT) framework<\/a> recently, and some businesses are asking if it will really impact them.<\/p>\n It\u2019s clear and undeniable that Apple\u2019s ATT framework will impact everyone, including businesses and advertisers of all sizes as it directly impacts all paid social platforms.<\/p>\n If you care about measuring your marketing performance on a website or in-app and you use paid social platforms like Facebook Ads, YouTube Ads, and Promoted Pins, this update will impact how you target<\/a>, optimize, and measure performance.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that with paid social platforms like Facebook, data is at the center of heightened performance. The platforms use the data they collect to not only assess performance, but to deliver the right ad to the users with the highest likelihood of taking action. The ATT will hinder that ability.<\/p>\n I recently participated in a webinar<\/a> with Funnel.io and Fixel to discuss these changes. Below is a recap of some of the topics we discussed including the iOS 14 changes and what\u2019s happening with the ATT framework, how it will impact you, and what you can do now to adjust.<\/p>\n Many are already familiar with the older \u201copt-in\/out\u201d system that\u2019s been around for a hot minute, allowing users to dig into an app\u2019s setting to opt-out of data tracking. In the majority of cases, previously data tracking was conducted automatically and you needed to be proactive about opting out.<\/p>\n Now, there\u2019s a pop-up prompt that\u2019s displayed the first time you load each app post-update that asks if you\u2019d like to opt in. The opt-out is now essentially the default, as apps need to gain permission to track data.<\/p>\n –\u00a0 When users choose to opt-out, the we lose the following:<\/p>\n –\u00a0 The ability to accurately target and measure using user data<\/p>\n –\u00a0 App data through the SKAdNetwork<\/p>\n –\u00a0 We can no longer track where in the funnel clicks came from in terms of ad level; we can only see the campaign that drove them<\/p>\n –\u00a0 The platform\u2019s ability to optimize your ads automatically can be hindered if a large number of users are opting-out, which can impact performance<\/p>\n Some advertisers weren\u2019t too worried about this update at first. They felt that it was similar to GDPR<\/a>, which required all sites reaching EU users to ask permission to use cookies.<\/p>\n This update, however, is significantly more substantial in its impact to most advertisers as it\u2019s ultimately less about the opt-in vs out-opt, and more about the prompt that Apple mandates all advertisers institute.<\/p>\n Essentially, GDPR is an opt-in system for cookie tracking, but the advertiser has the ability to fully control what the experience looks like. They can implement their own copy to ensure that they\u2019re educated on what\u2019s happening, influencing them to accept.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/disruptivedigital.agency\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-20-at-12.30.34-PM.png” title_text=”Screen Shot 2021-04-20 at 12.30.34 PM” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|120px||120px||”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n Samsung site showing GDPR notice that frames data-tracking in positive light<\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ text_font=”Montserrat|300|||||||” text_text_color=”#333333″ text_font_size=”21px” text_line_height=”32px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” min_height=”146px” custom_margin=”2px|||||” custom_padding=”||||false|false”]<\/p>\n The iOS 14 prompt does not allow for this. Apple has a prompt with limited information, but the language is technical and sounds more extreme. When you consider the heightened privacy concerns<\/a> amongst the general population for \u201cdata tracking,\u201d this will lead to an increasing percentage opting out instead of in.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video _builder_version=”4.6.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|120px||120px||”][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/disruptivedigital.agency\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/iOS-tracking-e1603397743627-1.png” title_text=”iOS-tracking-e1603397743627″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”600px” height=”700px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n Apple\u2019s iOS 14 prompt allowing users to opt in or out of data tracking.<\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ text_font=”Montserrat|300|||||||” text_text_color=”#333333″ text_font_size=”21px” text_line_height=”32px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” min_height=”99px” custom_margin=”-2px|||||” custom_padding=”||||false|false”]<\/p>\n We know that Apple\u2019s ATT framework will impact advertisers directly and in a number of ways. Let\u2019s take a closer look at how we\u2019ll be affected moving forward.<\/p>\n When users don\u2019t have data tracking disabled and you have the tracking pixel installed on your site, you can retarget users who took certain actions on your sites. This might be viewing a certain page, or abandoning a cart.<\/p>\n Now, if you\u2019re unable to track those users accurately, you won\u2019t be able to show your ad to all the users who took those specific actions. It\u2019s still possible to run these custom audiences, but you may see lower reach. Without IDFAs, we expect that in-app retargeting will likely no longer exist exactly as it does today, especially as the SKAdNetwork does not support re-engagement conversions and makes attribution is possible if the user does opt-in.<\/p>\n That being said, the ad platform\u2019s first-party data will not be impacted. This means that you can target users with on-platform activity, like people who clicked on your ads, watched a video, or marked themselves as interested in your event.<\/p>\n It is possible that your CRM data will be compliant with the ATT framework; we\u2019re waiting for a verdict on this, however.<\/p>\n Reporting is going to look different moving forward.<\/p>\n Longer lookback windows will be removed, which will directly impact advertisers and businesses with users who have longer consideration periods.<\/p>\n Now, lookback windows will be tied to day-of conversions compared to day-of impressions for the web. When this happens, data beyond the 1-day click<\/a> will likely only be partial, though overtime it\u2019s our best guess that publishers will get better at modeling tihs data.<\/p>\n As a result of these changes, ROAS data might become more of an estimated guess instead of an exact measurement. We may see value sets instead of the actual value, for example, for opted-out users. This isn\u2019t ideal, since precise data is wildly beneficial when it comes to running strong ad campaigns.<\/p>\n Facebook in particular is an absolute juggernaut of a paid social platform because of its conversion optimization potential<\/a>.<\/p>\n They look at user data to see who is most likely to take certain actions on ads (whether it\u2019s to watch a full video through to completion or make a purchase), and they\u2019ll show the right user the ad most likely to appeal to them. This helps drive Facebook\u2019s selling power.<\/p>\n Right now, it\u2019s completely unknown how the ATT will impact optimization levers, largely because opt-out rates are still unknown.<\/p>\n This is the biggest concern that we have, as it may decrease the efficacy of the platform overall. We\u2019re confident that Facebook Ads will still be useful in driving sales, but since such a large percentage of users are on mobile (with over 90%<\/a> using the Facebook mobile app at least some of the time), this may cause a hit in performance.<\/p>\n Right now, reporting shouldn\u2019t have a huge impact on Google Analytics and their tracking pixels specifically. The iOS 14.5 update is really only meant to impact web developers, so you\u2019ll still be able to collect data about which campaigns are sending traffic and sales to your site; you just won\u2019t be able to see which ad or ad set was responsible.<\/p>\n When it comes to apps, however, attribution will be impacted if IDFA is not accessible as we discussed above. We\u2019ll have to stay tuned to see how this ends up working out.<\/p>\n Both web and app advertisers will be impacted, but the reality is that app advertisers will face significantly more challenges when the update hits.<\/p>\n Web advertisers only require a user to opt-in to tracking on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms; app advertisers also need that user to opt-in to being tracked by you, too. That\u2019s a core difference.<\/p>\n We don\u2019t know what the opt-in rates will be right now, so that\u2019s the unknown factor that remains to be seen. According to Bumble, they expect a 10-20% opt-in rate for their own app, which is extremely limited in real-time data that can be used for advertising purposes. It\u2019s better than nothing, but it\u2019s a fraction compared to what many advertisers had before.<\/p>\n App advertisers will also have the following limitations for users who opt-out:<\/p>\n –\u00a0 Last-click only attribution<\/p>\n –\u00a0 No attribution window concept for MAI<\/p>\n –\u00a0 Limitations in how many campaigns can run at any given time<\/p>\n Hearing that your favorite ad platform (and potentially one of the biggest drivers of sales and revenue) may potentially take a hit in effectiveness isn\u2019t our favorite thing either.<\/p>\n The good news, however, is that you can take action now to adjust your campaigns so that they can account for these new changes.<\/p>\n We recommend making the following changes:<\/p>\n –\u00a0 Use post-purchase surveys<\/a> to gut-check models with multiple touch points, as delayed clicks and view-based conversions are less likely to be credited<\/p>\n –\u00a0 Expect lower performance metrics due to stricter lookback windows \u2014 we recommend moving clients to stricter reporting and new KPIs immediately if you haven\u2019t already<\/p>\n –\u00a0 Know that there will potentially be partial or limited data for anything beyond a 1-day click, at least for the time being<\/p>\n –\u00a0 ROAS will likely not be accurate, as conversion values aren\u2019t being passed back<\/p>\n –\u00a0 Notify each client now if you haven\u2019t already that they may see a slight upheaval in performance in the coming months; you don\u2019t want them to wait to know after the fact<\/p>\nWhat Exactly is Changing<\/h2>\n
How Apple\u2019s Latest Update is Different From Other Privacy Updates<\/h2>\n
How This Will Impact Advertising<\/h2>\n
The Impact on Targeted Audiences<\/h3>\n
The Impact on Reporting<\/h3>\n
The Impact on Facebook\u2019s Conversion Optimization Potential<\/h3>\n
The Impact on Measuring & Tracking Data<\/h3>\n
The Impact on Web Advertisers vs App Advertisers<\/h3>\n
How Marketers & Businesses Can Prepare<\/h2>\n