Apple and Facebook are two of the biggest companies that exist today. With the new year beginning, major changes are coming to both companies. One of these changes is Apple’s IOS 14 update and what this could potentially mean for Facebook and small businesses. It could pave the way for a slew of privacy changes. As a result, will shake-up the way Facebook ads are handled and how audiences are targeted. Just in case these changes happen, it’s always best to be prepared. With that in mind, today’s blog will inform you about this update and how to prepare for it.
What Does This Mean?
Beginning in 2021, Apple will be showing Facebook and Instagram App users a popup message. The message will allow users to opt out of data tracking from the platform.
This means that Identifier for Advertiser (IDFA) in iOS 14, will make it harder for companies to track user activity within apps. Users will be prompted to approve or reject all forms of data tracking. As a result, making analytics and targeting difficult for small businesses. In turn, the personalization of ads and who receives them will change as well. The worry here is that this will compromise the effectiveness of Facebook advertising. Forcing companies to take measures that are more drastic. Facebook is saying this will come as more of a subscription-based monetization which Apple stands to gain from. This is due to Apple polices allowing them to take a cut from ad based transactions.
Facebook has framed this as anti-competitive and a blatant attack. This will affect small businesses and Apple will see all the benefits.
What It Really Means
At the time of this writing, it is uncertain just how many users will opt-out of data tracking. However, you can be assured the effects will be significant. Especially because the rhetoric that Facebook is using to message users is quite alarming. Is your business in jeopardy? The situation seems to be more about Facebook and big businesses. They are the ones who have the best capacity to make the best use of their data tracking. This is due to the vast array of resources at their disposal. While small businesses can take advantage of Facebook’s ad targeting systems, Facebook is using hyperboles to reach more sympathy with SMBS.
This is really about Facebook versus Apple. These two titans of industry are trying to stop each other from taking bigger market share. Realistically, small businesses will still feel an impact. It will be a rather tiny impact as opposed to corporate giants. However, it never hurts to be prepared. Here’s what you can do to make sure your business is ready for these changes.
Be Prepared
The first thing you’ll want to do to prepare for these changes is to get your domain verified if you haven’t yet. Facebook is suggesting that this will be important in the months to come. It will be vital moving forward that you get this taken care of.
The next thing to take care of is understanding your customers’ purchasing habits. From there you’ll want to find out how many leads, events, emails, etc. come from IOS devices. Understanding this will allow you to see how your analytics, targeting, and ad optimization might be impacted.
Finally, you’ll want to focus your ad efforts on getting email addresses so that you can rely less on Facebook’s pixel for retargeting. You can use Lead Generation or Conversion Ads. However, Lead Generation ads will have an advantage in the future with the Apple update.
Another thing you can do if you run an e-commerce business is to start setting up post-purchase surveys. This is an excellent way to find out how customers discovered your business. If you manage to be consistent with your surveys, you can find out if Facebook is a huge form of customer traffic for you. Therefore, tailoring your ad strategy according to these new changes. With the future uncertain with updates, the more prepared you are, the better equipped your business will be in order to navigate through this new advertising landscape.
Conclusion
The main thing to remember right now is not to panic. There are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to the new update. And, many of the specifics still need to be discussed and finalized before its release. Everyone should start preparing for these changes so they can feel confident and ready once the update rolls around. While it may seem overwhelming and difficult to know how to start, we’re here for you. When it comes to Facebook advertising, we got your back. Feel free to visit us at https://anytimedigitalmarketing.com/ or call us at (866) 701-1668. We’ll help you prepare for these changes and make sure your advertising is ready for the new year.
