Three Tips for Outsmarting Apple’s iOS14 Privacy Update

In April of this year, Apple released the iOS14 privacy update that gives users the ability to opt-out of ad tracking. The update is a small step that is part of a larger movement to give digital consumers more control over how their data is used online. Unfortunately for us, saying iOS 14 three times won’t send Apple’s privacy updates back to the grave, but the Ludwig+ team has done our research, attended many frantic platform webinars and picked three tips that can help social advertisers work through this update.

Due to the iOS14 update, Facebook and other platforms will have to rely on aggregated and estimated statistical modeling to account for all the lost data. On top of that, Facebook advertisers will also only be able to track a limited (8) number of online events per verified account/domain. The iOS 14 update impacts the way in which Facebook can receive and process conversion events from tools like the Facebook pixel. So, in essence, any business that advertises mobile apps, in addition to those who optimize, target, and report on web conversion events will be affected. For advertisers, using Facebook and other social media platforms for paid ads is a way to monetize a website and make money from that ad placement.

Now for the good news, many platforms have solutions to help advertisers navigate the iOS14 update transition. These solutions vary from in-app development to changing your ad messaging. We’ve reviewed many solutions and have three tips to help you steer through platform changes.

1. Sit down and review your current strategy. With some of the new limitations, your digital strategy may need a refresh. Consider revisiting the marketing funnel or purchase funnel to see how iOS 14 updates may impact your strategy as well as the business. In Facebook ads manager, the platform has a guided list of items that will need to be updated to allow for optimal data tracking. These items will include verifying your domain, limiting your online events to 8, updating your app SDK, etc.
2. If you have an app, set up an ATT (App Tracking Transparency) prompt ASAP. Not only is it required by Apple, but the in-app prompt messaging can help convince your users to opt-in and allow improved tracking. Especially for audience retargeting.

Apps like Facebook and Instagram provided transparency information regarding the iOS14 update and outlined how opting-in is beneficial to the user. We recommend avoiding scare tactics as well as lengthy messaging to prevent immediate opt-outs.

3. Evaluate the iOS14’s impact on your ad performance. Prior to Apple’s iOS14 roll-out on April 26th, there were many unknowns to the platform that advertisers could not prepare for. The biggest being how much of an impact would digital campaigns see in tracking. For mobile advertising on iOS14, performance looks dramatically worse due to shorter lookback windows, no view-through attribution and must less revenue to be attributed back to the campaign. Take the time to sit down to compare pre and post iOS 14 performance and look for decreases in key performance indicators as well as audience targeting. This will aid in understanding conversion losses and potential cost increases.

BONUS TIP: Communicate with your team and client. This is an important time to be, for lack of a better term, ‘transparent.’ After implementing iOS14 updates, reviewing campaign strategy and evaluating performance, you’ll be able to level-set internal and external performance expectations.

Staying on top of changes in the digital space is one of the things LUDWIG+ does best and a challenge we’re always willing to take on. Give us a follow to stay up-to-date on the latest advertising insights and trends.