Apple has prioritized user privacy over targeted advertising, and Google is explaining today what it means for itself, as well as game and application developers.
Apple is defending its Application Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy, which will require developers to ask for permission when using personal data from third-party applications and websites for advertising purposes, even if they already have user consent. It will ask users to accept if they allow advertisers to use their data through the Advertiser Identifier or IDFA. Many tests show that many users do not allow this, and that means that they will not be tracked so easily for advertising purposes.
This change can have a major impact on the mobile advertising ecosystem as it can make it more difficult to target users efficiently with advertising. Eric Seufert, a user acquisition expert, said on Monday that he believes Facebook could suffer a 7% impact on revenue – a loss of tens of billions of dollars over time – as a result of changes in the IDFA, and it is no secret that Facebook is not happy with the impact on itself, as well as on small businesses. At our Driving Game Growth event on Tuesday, Facebook leaders pointed to the changes in IDFA as generating uncertainty for mobile games in 2021.
Google, which may also be affected by the policy change, has stayed out of the fray – to this day.
“Today we are sharing how Google is helping our community prepare, as we know that developers and advertisers in the iOS ecosystem are still figuring out how to adapt,” said Christophe Combette, product manager for the Google Ads group in a blog post.
Preparing iOS 14 apps
The changes in Apple’s ATT are integrated with iOS 14, which has a good traction with users who updated their iOS devices with the new version of the operating system.
But Apple postponed the application of the rule changes until “early 2021”. Seufert thinks that means March.
Combette said the changes “will reduce the visibility of key metrics that show how ads drive conversions (like app installs and sales) and will affect how advertisers value and bid on ad impressions.”
As such, he said that app publishers can see a significant impact on their Google ad revenue on iOS after Apple’s ATT policies take effect. To help improve iOS monetization rates, Combette said that developers should upgrade to version 7.64 of the Google Mobile Ads SDK for new features like SKAdNetwork, which is Apple’s replacement for targeted IDFA ads.
Measuring Ad Performance on iOS 14
Above: iOS 14
Image credit: Apple
Combette said Google is working with the industry to provide feedback to Apple on how to further improve SKAdNetwork so that advertisers can measure the results of their campaigns with some accuracy on iOS 14.
“In the meantime, we encourage app advertisers to upgrade to the latest version of Google Analytics for Firebase for new features like SKAdNetwork support,” he wrote. “We also encourage advertisers to closely monitor the performance and delivery of all iOS app campaigns and, if necessary, make adjustments to budgets and bids to achieve their goals. Learn more about how app advertisers can prepare and tune in to our Learn with Google education series for ongoing guidance. “
Advertisers running display, video and other campaigns that promote web-based conversion goals may see fluctuations in performance as Apple’s ATT policies take effect, he said.
How Google is complying with ATT
When Apple’s policy goes into effect, Combette said that Google will no longer use information (such as IDFA) that falls under ATT for the handful of Google iOS apps that currently use it for advertising purposes.
“As such, we will not display the ATT prompt on these applications, as per Apple guidance,” he wrote. “We’re working hard to understand and comply with Apple’s guidelines for all of our apps on the App Store. As our iOS apps are updated with new features or bug fixes, you’ll see updates on our app page lists that include the new privacy details for the app. “
Combette said that Google is putting users and their privacy first.
“Transparency, choice and control form the basis of our commitment to users, and advertising is no different,” he said. “We remain committed to preserving a vibrant and open application ecosystem, where people can access a wide variety of ad-supported content, with the confidence that their privacy and choices are respected. That is why we will continue to invest in privacy preservation technology – including aggregate and device solutions – like the one we are developing for the web, along with ecosystem partners, in the area of privacy security. “
Google has yet to say whether or how it will track changes from the IDFA type to Android.
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