Although many marketers have often speculated about the fate of Facebook Ads, it was not until Apple announced its iOS 14 update that the reality of advertisement limitations dawned. The iOS 14 update which was released in September 2020 and is expected to be fully implemented later this year, will give Apple users more choice over the data collected and used by third parties such as Facebook.
The iOS 14 update comes with the App Tracking Transparency feature that will prompt users to either give or deny third-party applications' permission to collect their data and use it to track them. The opt-out prompt will be the default, automatically denying apps the ability to collect Identifier For Advertisers data and preventing them from tracking users on other websites and applications.
How Will the iOS 14 Update Affect Facebook Ads
Businesses rely heavily on data collected from their audiences to customize their marketing campaigns and increase conversion rates. While marketers will continue to target the same audience, the iOS 14 update will limit their reach because it is expected that more Apple users will deny Facebook and other advertisers the permission to track their data.
This will make it difficult for businesses to effectively tailor their ads to relevant audiences because they will not have accurate data on engagement and conversions from certain customers. Without accurate data, marketers will have a harder time deducing their ROIs and track conversions from iOS 14 users to their marketing campaigns. This will inevitably reduce their ability to justify their spending and efficiently allocate future advertising budgets.
What Can Marketers Do to Minimize the Effect of iOS 14 Updates on their Ads?
Even though the historical data from campaign ads conducted before the iOS update will remain untouched, the effectiveness of ads in reaching target audiences will fall with time. The following are some recommendations for businesses that want to stay ahead of their Facebook ad game despite the changes that both Apple and Facebook are making:-
Using the Facebook Lookback Window Effectively.
By choosing the right Lookback Window you will be able to analyze and draw insights from the conversion data collected on Facebook. Even though Facebook got rid of the 28-Day Window attribution, you can still use the 7-Day to track ad views, clicks, and conversions.
Verify Your Domain with Facebook.
Domain verification lets you to claim ownership of your brand’s domain in Business Manager. Once verified, you’re able to edit headlines, descriptions and images of ad links (and organic links, too) and control editing privileges of others posting your links. The reason this is so important now is that Facebook will be asking Apple’s permission to track eight conversion events per domain. Your Business Manager must have the authority to configure these conversions.
Instructions for verifying your domain can be found here.
Exclude iOS Users from Your Conversion Campaigns.
If you are conducting conversion-related campaigns, you can opt to exclude iOS users and only work with audiences using android devices. This will ensure that you get accurate data from your campaign.
Include Data Collection Step on Your Landing Page.
Since the iOS update will make it difficult to track conversions from iOS users, marketers can add a form on their conversion landing page to collect details such as customer names and email addresses. This will lengthen the customer journey but enhance the accuracy of the campaign results.
Ultimately, the real impact of the iOS update on Facebook ads will only be seen once the iOS 14 update comes into force. Stay tuned to this and more digital marketing news by subscribing to our monthly email digest, The Signal, below. Feel free to also contact us for more information.