APPLE’S IOS14 UPDATE – HOW WILL IT AFFECT ME?

APPLE HAVE CAUSED A LITTLE RIPPLE IN THE DIGITAL MARKETING POND RECENTLY WITH THEIR ANNOUNCEMENTS SURROUNDING IOS14. FOLLOWING THE NEWS THAT THEY’LL BE HIGHLIGHTING OPTIONAL DATA RESTRICTIONS TO THEIR USERS, THE DIGITAL MARKETING WORLD SEEMS TO HAVE FOUND ITSELF IN A TIZZY. FACEBOOK RELIES HEAVILY ON THIS DATA TO BE THE WELL-OILED MARKETING MACHINE IT IS TODAY.

Update: As of May 2024, iOS is in its 17th iteration. This latest version has better data privacy and security features, giving users greater control over their personal information. Advanced Tracking Transparency is a feature that strictly limits background data usage by apps. This shift has prompted advertisers to adapt their data analytics strategies, as direct access to user behaviour analytics is increasingly restricted. Companies now focus more on aggregated and anonymised data to gauge campaign effectiveness, reflecting a broader industry move towards privacy-respecting practices in digital marketing.

Thankfully, the world is not just blue and white. And whilst Facebook have already set protocols for data and behaviour tracking post-iOS14, there are many other options and avenues for us to take.

The short version of what’s going on is as follows – Apple is giving their users an opt out button on data sharing and tracking in all apps. This means a portion of users will be opting out, and that means less accurate targeting for advert placement, everywhere.

Facebook, being the undisputed-heavy-weight-champion of ad placement will feel the effects of this more than most. Whilst this presents a blip on our radar, we’ve ample time to make separate arrangements and thankfully for you, we have never been a one trick pony.

We put a lot of time into building target audiences for campaigns. The potential impact of Facebook’s shortfall will only disrupt a small percentage of our strategy. There are other opportunities and avenues to explore and opening the market up, might pay dividends moving forward.

Building on first party data has always been good practice. For those simply relying on algorithms, the time has come to up your game. Getting to know your target-audience is the key to a successful business.

If you’re still worried, there are a few precautionary steps you can take to limit the impact of iOS14:

Keep checking on our blog for more updates!