Maybe you have heard or may you have not but in recent events, Facebook has called out Apple Inc. for its privacy changes that restrict advertisers from running personalized ads. Here you can read more details on the topic.
So the details here are that the iPhone maker will in the coming months roll out an update to its iOS 14 operating system that prompts you to give apps permission to track their activity across other apps and the web. That change may seem small at first glance. In fact a lot of apps already track our web activity through default settings we accept when we install them.
Facebook, however, has been fuming about the change, which actually threatens the source of its $86 billion in annual revenue: targeted ads.
What will be the effect?
The social network has waged a months-long campaign against Apple, running full-page ads in newspapers and media outlets and testing pop-ups inside the Facebook app to encourage users to accept its tracking. It’s also alleged that Apple’s changes are designed to help the iPhone maker’s own business, rather than protect consumer privacy.
The facts however are the following: the app tracking transparency in iOS 14 will require apps to ask for permission to track user activity and will give users the option to limit apps from collecting data.
If users opt to restrict app tracking, Facebook claims that this will affect small and mid-sized businesses that rely heavily on targeted advertising to reach customers.
Without personalized (targeted) ads, Facebook states that “small business advertisers could see a cut of over 60% in their sales for every dollar they spend.” Facebook also pointed out that the updates can affect the measurement of campaign performance, making it difficult for advertisers to gauge the effectiveness of their campaigns.
How could this change affect me or my business?
“Apple may say that they’re doing this to help people, but the moves clearly track their competitive interests,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in January during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call. Apple CEO Tim Cook says the change is rooted in the company’s belief that “users should have the choice over the data that is being collected about them and how it’s used.”
As a very short summary and useful tip we would like to point out that if you run digital ads and optimize, target, or report on mobile and desktop web events from Facebook pixel or any of their other business tools, you can take certain steps to prepare your event setup, tracking and management for these changes:
1. Plan to operate with eight conversion events per domain.
2. Initial configuration and how to change it.
3. Complete domain verification.
If Apple gets its way, Facebook’s Audience Network is “basically” finished and may throw its conversion tracking and retargeting options into a whirlwind.
After all Tim Cook has also pointed out that Facebook can still track users. It just needs to get their permission first.
If you would like to know more on the topic send us a message or contact the team directly.
ThanX
ExpandX Marketing & Web
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