In the least shocking news of 2020, there is drama in Silicon Valley: Facebook and Apple aren’t getting along.
ICYMI, Facebook posted a blog last week explaining how Apple’s new iOS 14 contains a privacy update that will make it more difficult to collect the user data powering some of their targeted ad business. Today, Apple announced that the new changes will not be implemented until 2021.
Whether you’re a DTC brand wondering if you need to shift your advertising strategy, or just a curious consumer, the team at MuteSix is here to fill you in.
What It All Means
The biggest change will involve Facebook’s Audience Network business, which allows advertisers to extend the reach of their campaigns to other mobile apps and sites. To do this, Facebook uses an Apple tool called “identifier for advertisers,” or IDFA.
As of now, Apple users have the option to “opt-out” of this kind of data tracking, but iOS 14 will explicitly require consumers to “opt-in.”
While investors don’t seem concerned about Facebook’s financial future, we understand that it can be daunting to pinpoint how this might impact your business. As the Facebook ad agency with the highest ROI, we have some reassuring thoughts to share.
Every Little Thing Is Gonna Be Alright
We’re feeling as calm, cool, and collected as Bob Marley when he sings about those Three Little Birds, and you should too.
It’s important to note that ‘web attribution’ and ‘app attribution’ are two separate entities – only the latter will be affected by iOS 14. Data tracking through browser purchases, whether made via desktop or mobile, will continue to operate as usual.
For apps, ad strategy will look different, but history has taught us that sometimes the new way is the better way. MuteSix is a team of veterans when it comes to digital marketing, and we can assure you that there is more behind the success of Facebook advertising than its data tracking capabilities.
The average Facebook and/ or Instagram user scrolls through 300 feet of Newsfeed per day, and what stops them is the quality of content. A thoughtful, creative-first approach is more than enough to significantly move the needle for your brand.
There may be a lot of negative talk out there, but it’s not all bad news. Apple’s postponement announcement means there is plenty of time to prepare.
You’ve Got a Friend in… MuteSix
A high selling point of Facebook’s Audience Network is its stellar reporting tools, but we offer our own human reporting team who can dive into incrementality, have a deep understanding of and connection with Facebook, and are ready to pull out our best strategies to make “opting-in” the more attractive option for users.
We consider ourselves pretty savvy here at MuteSix – we’ve navigated through audience targeting limitations from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, GDPR, and CCPA privacy laws, as well as the economic fallout of a global pandemic.
It’s safe to say that this won’t be the last time Apple throws us a curveball. At the very least, nothing will be as bad as when they spammed us all with that U2 album.
The Bottom Line
Having an agency on your side means not having to worry about what Big Tech will do next. We are among the few high-performance agencies that work directly with partners like Facebook and Google, so you can focus on the day-to-day of your business.
Our strategy is a holistic omnichannel effort using a mix of creative and data analytics across the funnel. We’ve consistently cut through the noise to scale the world’s most innovative e-commerce brands like Allbirds, Ring, and Burst, with proven results.
If the Apple vs. Facebook drama is giving you a headache, drop us a line through our website to learn more about how we can help.
Topics:
Facebook Ads,
Facebook campaigns,
ads,
Digital Ads Agency,
Targeted Ads
This article originally appeared in the MuteSix blog and has been published here with permission.
