Guide · Advertising
iOS 14 Ad Tracking Changes: What Advertisers Should Do Now
iOS 14 ad tracking changes will cut how much advertisers can see about iPhone users. Apple will ask people to allow tracking, and many will say no. This guide explains the rule, the effect on reports and four steps to take now.
What Apple is changing
Apple will soon require apps to ask people for permission to track them. The rule is part of a framework called App Tracking Transparency. Apple says the requirement starts with the beta versions of iOS 14.5, iPadOS 14.5 and tvOS 14.5.
Tracking has a specific meaning here. It means linking data from one app with data from other companies' apps, websites or offline sources for targeted ads or ad measurement. It also covers sharing that data with data brokers.
Each app must show a system prompt with a purpose string that explains why it wants to track the user. The person can allow or refuse.
Why your ad reports may change
Without permission, the device's advertising identifier, known as the IDFA, comes back as all zeros. That is the identifier many ad platforms use to match an ad view or click to a later action.
Apple also rules out common workarounds. An app may not swap in a hashed email address or hashed phone number to track someone who said no. It may not fingerprint a device using signals such as browser settings or network details. Apps that use SDKs doing this can be rejected from the App Store.
For advertisers, the plain result is that fewer iPhone users will be matched across apps and sites. Expect smaller and later numbers for some conversions, especially for app installs and for ads that reach people on iPhones. Expect more guesswork in the gap, too.
How Facebook is responding
Facebook has published guidance for advertisers on these changes. Its help page was last updated on 10 February 2021. It describes a protocol called Aggregated Event Measurement. It measures web events from iOS 14 users, and Facebook says it is analogous to Apple's own Private Click Measurement.
The key limit is this: a domain can have only 8 conversion events that are used for campaign optimization. You set them up in Events Manager. You can pick standard events and custom conversions that Facebook received from that domain in the last 28 days.
Facebook also says events sent through its Conversions API are processed under the same limits. And the limits do not apply until Apple starts to enforce its iOS 14 changes. Until then, setting up your events will not affect optimization or reporting.
Sources: Facebook Business Help Center, About Aggregated Event Measurement
Four steps to take before it spreads
You do not need to wait for Apple to start enforcing. These steps are small, and each one helps whatever the final rules turn out to be.
- List your events. Write down every conversion your ads report today. Rank them by money value, not by how easy they are to count.
- Pick your top 8. If you run Facebook ads, choose the events that matter most for each domain. Set them up in Events Manager now, while the limit is not yet active.
- Check your data paths. Find out which SDKs and tags sit in your apps and pages. Ask each vendor how they will meet Apple's rules. You are responsible for the code you include.
- Set a baseline. Save a few weeks of current results. Once the prompt arrives, you can compare what changed instead of guessing.
Sources: Apple Developer, User Privacy and Data Use; Facebook Business Help Center, About Aggregated Event Measurement
What to tell clients
Agencies should talk to clients early. Reported numbers for iPhone traffic may drop, even if real sales do not. That gap is a measurement problem, not always a performance problem.
Agree on a second source of truth, such as sales in the shop system or a unique offer code. Tie budget decisions to totals over a longer period, not to a single day's dashboard. Be clear about what is known and what is a guess.
Apple has not said how many people will say no. Plan for a range, not one number.
Sources: Apple Developer, User Privacy and Data Use; Facebook Business Help Center, About Aggregated Event Measurement
What is still unknown
Several things are open as of early March 2021. Apple has not given a public release date for iOS 14.5. Facebook has said its limits start only when Apple enforces the rules. Other ad platforms may publish their own steps.
For now, the safe path is to prepare, keep your first-party data clean, and follow the official pages below for updates.
Sources: Apple Developer, User Privacy and Data Use; Facebook Business Help Center, About Aggregated Event Measurement
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