Apple IOS 17 Link Tracking Update
TLDR;
UTMs, Facebook click IDs, and Google click IDs are going to be stripped from IOS17 links on iPhone and Mac
Tracking and reporting solutions relying on link identification text are going to be impacted
Approaches on tracking and attribution post IOS 17 are given below
Apple has just unveiled iOS 17 that's got digital marketers like us buzzing with excitement and concern. If you haven't caught wind of this yet, trust us, you're in for a wild ride!
Picture this: Link Tracking Protection in Messages, Mail, and Safari Private Browsing. Sounds cool, right? Well—it's going to strip away UTMs, Facebook click IDs, Google click IDs, and all those variables we've come to rely on for tracking and attribution. But don't worry, we've got your back with some savvy strategies to keep your marketing efforts on track.
Before we dive in, check out Apple's official announcement to get up to speed on this groundbreaking development: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/06/apple-announces-powerful-new-privacy-and-security-features/
Now, here's the lowdown: without UTMs those Google Analytics acquisition reports you've come to love are going to need some serious TLC to remain accurate. The same goes for any tracking site, CRM, Shopify, or marketing attribution solution that heavily relies on UTMs to dish out results. In a nutshell, you'll be missing out on valuable iOS 17 data.
We've got some nifty solutions. Let's break it down:
Segment like a Pro: To keep your marketing attribution visibility unaffected for all non-iOS 17 devices, it's time to embrace the power of segmentation. Target Apple device-specific campaigns on platforms like Facebook, ensuring your UTMs, IDs, and data remain clean and accurate for all non-iOS 17 traffic. Oh, and don't worry about Google Video & Display Campaigns—we've got a nifty solution for those too.
Google Search Campaigns: Unfortunately, there's no magical way to segment these campaigns by device. But fear not! We're on the lookout for a fix that will save the day. Keep reading for more exciting options.
Email & SMS Campaigns: While segmenting by device inside CRMs is still a work in progress, we believe in staying ahead of the curve. Explore the possibilities of leveraging your SMS provider's ability to identify the device recipients and filter your campaigns accordingly. Your email campaigns will thank you!
Other Ad Platforms: If platforms like Facebook and Google allow device segmentation, you're in luck! Follow the same approach mentioned earlier and watch your campaigns soar.
Embrace Organic Social Posts: Redirect links can work wonders here if executed correctly. Leverage the power of organic social posts and maintain your tracking capabilities seamlessly.
Other game-changing strategies to help you navigate the iOS 17 storm:
MER All the Way: Consider using Media Efficiency Ratio (MER) as your primary attribution metric. It offers a high-level overview of attribution by taking into account your media spend divided across your revenue. It's a zoomed-out perspective that can guide your media buying decisions effectively.
First-Party Data: Focus on collecting first-party data like email addresses and phone numbers. Owning your audience and diving deep into performance feedback from SMS and email campaigns will keep you in the driver's seat.
Contextual Targeting: Think beyond traditional tracking methods and explore the power of contextual targeting. Target your ads based on the content users are viewing, rather than relying solely on tracking their behavior across different websites. We recommend exploring vendors like Outbrain, AdRoll, and StackAdapt for outstanding results.
And while we navigate this iOS 17 journey, it's crucial to double down on UTM traffic that still tracks when the return on ad spend (ROAS) is decent. Remember, a majority of advertisers might overlook the importance of segmenting their campaigns based on device. This means they'll be working with incomplete data and making decisions based on partial insights. By staying ahead of the curve, you'll gain a competitive edge and witness higher ROAS through segmented campaigns.
So, why did this happen? Our data reveals that those who convert on Google Ads tend to have a lower average order value (AOV) compared to Meta Ads converters or general website averages. As a result, we recommend breaking Performance Max campaigns into groups based on price ranges and possibly excluding the highest-priced products altogether from PMax.
Ready to take on iOS 17 and unleash the full potential of your marketing efforts? Dive into the exciting strategies we've shared and witness the power of adaptation firsthand.
We're here to guide you every step of the way, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further assistance. Together, let's conquer the challenges and unlock new opportunities in this dynamic digital landscape.