Google reports that they “will no longer use information (such as IDFA) that falls under ATT for the handful of our iOS apps that currently use it for advertising purposes.” They also note that you can expect to see new App Privacy Details for their app page listings as their iOS updates undergo routine upgrades aimed at fixing bugs, or incorporating new features. Additional details can be found in their recent Privacy Sandbox post.
iOS 14 App Preparation – ATT Changes
The IDFA – or Identifier for Advertisers – is what helps in not only intelligently targeting ads at the user level to ensure we’re serving the right ads to the audiences most likely to be interested in them, but also to measure how effective that advertising is. These measurements aid in further refinement of accurately targeted ad delivery, with the end goal being a win-win for users and advertisers alike.
While you are likely already monitoring your App campaigns closely, it will be even more important in the days and weeks immediately following changes so you can make any necessary adjustments as quickly as possible. Although some performance fluctuations are unavoidable in this new landscape, you can stay on top of what is and isn’t working well in alignment with your goals by keeping an even closer eye than usual on App campaigns. As the digital world prepares for Apple’s Privacy Policy Update, expected to be released early this year, Google has shared information and recommendations to help their “community prepare, as we know that developers and advertisers in the iOS ecosystem are still figuring out how to adapt.” They have broken out these insights and next steps into 3 key areas: preparing your App, measuring ad performance, and how Google itself is complying with App Tracking Transparency (ATT).
- Configuring SKAdNetwork with Google’s Network key for mobile and video
- Considering if implementing a pre-ATT prompt message that gives users more information about how you use their data might help to encourage them opting in. Improved transparency can help them in understanding the benefits of opting in or out, and give greater confidence in whichever decision they make
- iOS App Campaign consolidation that relies exclusively on tCPI or tCPA bidding
iOS 14 Ad Performance Measurement
One of the most important steps Google encourages App publishers to take in preparation for the upcoming changes is to “upgrade to version 7.64 of the Google Mobile Ads SDK for new features like SKAdNetwork support.” Other recommended actions include:
While Google and others in the industry work to provide Apple with actionable feedback on SKAdNetwork improvements, they are encouraging app advertisers to upgrade to the latest version of Google Analytics for Firebase for new features like SKAdNetwork support.
How Google is Complying with ATT
Be sure to follow our Privacy Prep Blog Series to stay up-to-date on the latest announcements from Google, Facebook, and beyond, or contact us today to discuss how our experts can help you navigate these changes.
Once Apple’s ATT changes are implemented, it is expected that most users will choose to opt-out of sharing their IDFA with advertisers. As we covered in our recent post – What is an IDFA (and How Will Apple’s iOS 14 Update Impact Advertisers)? – the number of iOS users sharing that information with app publishers is expected to “drop to 10% to 15%” – a significant decline from the roughly 70% of iOS users who share that information today.
