In 2020, Apple released iOS 14, and for months now advertisers have been expecting the changes to some settings that come with it, including Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) in relation to Facebook Ads.
This update has sparked a feud between Facebook and Apple as it pits marketing needs against privacy concerns.
Here is what you should know.
Apple Wants Privacy Protection for Users
Back in December, Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, tweeted out this statement:
Given that Facebook relies on various types of data for campaign types, such as remarketing, if user data is no longer being reported when they opt out, it will change how ads within Facebook run.
Facebook Is Trying to Prepare
This release was originally set for the summertime, but Apple delayed the launch, possibly in response to pushback from Facebook themselves.
But given that this update will be pushed out anytime now in February, when you currently log into your ads manager account on Facebook, you will see the following banner message at the top of the page:
In completing this task, you will be able to get a better understanding of how your own account and ads will be impacted, if at all.
Recommended Advice
In this thorough article from Search Engine Journal, the author provides some steps that advertisers should take:
- Be prepared for various amounts of data to no longer be visible, and be sure to download older data in the event that it disappears.
- If you have campaign settings connected to the “28-day attribution” feature, be sure to evaluate them so your spend isn’t impacted.
- Double-check that your domain is verified with the pixel code you have installed on your website.
Final Thoughts
Remember that this update only impacts those on iPhone who have updated to iOS14, and that Android users are unaffected by this change. And we will not know how many people on iOS14 will ultimately opt-out from sharing their data.
