Apple’s iOS 14, its impact on Facebook ads and reporting, and how advertisers should prepare themselves
Advertisers may be affected by the impact of iOS 14 when it comes to Facebook Ads or other advertising platforms. Apple’s iOS 14.5 has a new privacy feature that gives users greater control over data collection. Previously, the rules were available but had to be manually checked. Apple users can now opt in or out of tracking for iOS 14.5 by using this prompt. Applications will be prevented from tracking site and app behavior through pixels if permission is refused.
It will affect social media platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and Pinterest, along with other third-party apps, including ad tech applications. Facebook will be the hardest-hit platform. Ad personalization and reporting performance will be restricted for app and web conversions as more users opt out of tracking. In response to these changes, Facebook will begin processing Pixel conversion events starting with iOS 14.5. They will change the pixel implementation and event tracking to minimize data loss. This is called ‘Aggregated Events Management’ and will affect all Facebook advertisers.
Why did Apple release this update
Apple has always prioritized privacy and data protection, which is why this update builds on Apple’s approach. Apple changed its Safari browser in September 2017 to prevent cookie tracking from third-party applications and other website data using artificial intelligence. Apple’s App Tracking Framework in iOS is designed to give users more options and control over the data being tracked.
Image source: Twitter
What is the problem with Apple’s iOS 14 Update for Facebook Ads
iOS 14 can affect Facebook’s audience targeting, conversion tracking, and Pixel. Apple’s iOS 14.5, the latest version, includes a new information format and prompts for all applications. The update aims to inform users about what apps will track and how they can opt-out before installing them.
Image source: Apple Inc.
The tracking will be enabled automatically after installation.
Image source: Itega
Apple’s App Tracking Transparency prompt is called “Apple’s App Tracking Transparency” (ATT). It will impact Facebook ads delivery, tracking, attribution, custom conversions and audiences, lookalikes, and dynamic product ads.
What will the impact of iOS 14 on Facebook Ads be
This update affects all Facebook advertisers using Apple, Android, or Windows to access Facebook via the app and website.
Facebook has introduced “Aggregated Event Measurement” to help users maintain their privacy while allowing advertisers to run more effective campaigns.
In Events Manager, only eight conversion events per domain can be configured. The attribution window period has also been reduced from 28 to 7 days. This may result in fewer conversions and less data for optimization.
What is Facebook doing to change its approach
Facebook advertisers are limited to tracking eight conversions per domain. It could be eight custom conversions or even eight pixels-based events. The change will be automatic, so there is no need to make any changes. Reporting will rank the eight conversions based on their priority.
What does it mean?
Assume you have two events from the eight: Add to Cart and Purchase. If a user does both actions, only the Purchase event is reported as a “higher priority.” You can specify in Events Manager which of the eight events to track.
Facebook Ads conversion tracking and optimization
After Aggregated Events Measurement has been configured, all users can track and optimize ads, even if they have opted out on Apple iOS 14.5 devices.
Under Aggregated event measurement, only one of the eight conversion events can configure and use.
What should Facebook Advertisers do now
Take action now
Upgrade to Facebook’s SDK iOS version 8.1 for ads optimized for your app’s conversion events.
You can deliver ads that are optimized for conversions on your website.
Verify your website’s domain as soon as you can with Facebook through DNS Verification or HTML File Upload.
Make sure you implement the correct pixel code on your site, depending on how the domain is structured.
Choose the right web conversion events per domain to be tracked in Events Manager.
For more information, please refer to the Facebook Developers Documentation if you have already or plan on setting up your Pixel using IMG Tags.
Change the 28-day attribution period to a 7-day attribution period.
Turn on Auto-Advanced Matching in Events Manager.
Take all the above steps to optimize Facebook tracking and ad distribution if you want to deliver optimized web and app conversion ads.
Facebook has merged account-level attribution and ad-set level conversion windows into a single attribution setting at the ad-set level. This can be accessed when creating a campaign.
The Attribution Settings is available on the Ad Set level. The default window for attribution will now be seven days after the click. The view-through will no longer be available.
Under the new attribution settings, you will be able to select from the following window periods:
Click here for a 1-day deal
7-day click (default after Apple’s iOS 14 prompt enforcement)
Click on 1-day and see it for one day
Click seven days and view one day (default initial default, implemented January 19 to December 20, 2021).
Image source: Jon Loomer, Digital
After iOS 14 is implemented, the viewing-through period will no longer be available. Only clicks that result in conversions will be reported. The default window for attribution will be seven days following a click.
Before this, the default click period was 28 days, and for views, it was seven days.
This means that someone who clicked on an advertisement and took action within the next 28 days was a conversion.
A conversion is considered when someone sees the ad but does not click on it and then takes action within the next seven days.
The new default attribution will make it difficult to measure, as the underreporting of organic and paid posts will be a result. Facebook dark posts will also increase.