Controversial Changes to iOS14
Late last year, Apple announced a (soon-to-be-released) policy update to iOS14. Keeping it simple, this update means iOS14 device users must give permission to Apps to track their activity on apps and websites.
Facebook have strongly opposed the update, raising concerns for small businesses for whom the update will decrease ad performance and personalisation, and increase ad spend.
So What Exactly is the Change?
Once the update has been made, when users open any app they will see a popup saying we would like to track you across apps and websites and will be given the option to OPT IN or OPT OUT of tracking. If they opt in, it’s business as usual. If they opt out, that app will not be able to see what users do outside of it.
So What Does That Mean for Our Facebook Ads?
If users opt OUT of tracking, beyond the Facebook advertisement they see (or Facebook family of apps such as such as Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp), advertisers won’t know what they are doing beyond the App they clicked from. Facebook, as per the iOS policy MUST limit data collection. They will receive information on ONE Pixel event only.
So for example, a person clicks on a Facebook ad for a gym towel and goes to the website, adds to cart, but doesn’t buy one. Usually, the advertiser can then send a targeted, personalised ad to them to encourage them to go back to their cart, complete their purchase and ultimately buy said gym towel. However, if PURCHASE is the event the have selected to track, the advertiser has no ability to know that they added-to-cart and not purchased, then they can not send them a hyper-personalised ‘Hey you left something in your cart!’ ad as they have usually done.
Advertisers will no longer be able to gather ALL of that sophisticated data about what the users are looking at, doing, are interested in, etc. in order to build their various audiences and to develop and very direct and targeted ads.
So What are Facebook Doing to Combat This?
Facebook have been very vocal about their concerns about these changes for advertisers and have been proactive in implementing some changes on their end to overcome and manage the new data restrictions.
The most significant change is the new Business Tool called the ‘Aggregated Event Manager’ (AEM). This will limit transmission of user-data to stay within Apple’s policy parameters, but still support advertisers needs. With the AEM, advertisers will need to nominate 8 domain events and then rank these in order of priority (noting the number 1 event is the single event that people who opt out can be tracked for).
There are also changes for app-based advertisers, if you’re one of these maybe jump across here to learn more on that.
Any Other Impacts?
Yes there are other impacts, such as:
- The attribution window changing (from 28 days to 7)
- Real time reporting being inhibited (up to 3 day delay)
- Delivery and action breakdowns based on age, gender, region and placement will no longer be available.
Eeeeek! So how do I prepare for this?
- The first thing you need to do is Verify Your Domain via Business Manager. This needs to happen to be able to track anywebsite activity through Facebook.
If you’re not sure how to do this, there is some info here
- Get familiar with Facebooks new tool Aggregated Event Manager (AEM). This will allow you to select and rank based on priority 8 chosen Pixel events that you want to track.
- And just be prepared to go with the flow! The truth is, until these changes officially roll out we don’t know just how much they will affect us. And like any changes, we may lose something, but gain something else. It may mean new marketing strategies, new ways of retargeting, new ways of data analysis, new ways of getting through to your audience. BUT YOU WILL ADAPT!
JUST ALWAYS REMEMBER.
High quality videos and ad copy
+
calculated objective, audience and budget selection will NEVER go out of fashion no matter what.
GOOD NEWS FOR OUR CLIENTS!
The first bit of GREAT news! The SMM strategies we employ for our campaigns are not affected by the Apple iOS14 policy updates. So for CFM campaigns, we don’t expect there to be any downturn in results.
The second bit of GREAT news! All of our current clients have FREE access to the help of our Digital Marketing Team between campaigns. Any support, resources or learning that you may need, we can help you. Or if you have any questions or concerns up the iOS14 updates, be in touch and we can talk through how this may affect your business and how you can prepare for it.
https://www.aus.cfm.net/blogs/journal/social-media-a-beacon-of-hope
RESOURCES:
iOS14 Updates for Web Advertisers
Advertiser’s Preparation Checklist
written by Hannah Robertson, CFM Digital Marketing Manager
Our Digital Marketing team have been called inspiring’ by Facebook themselves. So call (03) 8643 7474 or email oznz@cfm.net and we can help you.