When Apple launched the App Monitoring Transparency (ATT) coverage at their Worldwide Builders Convention (WWDC) in June 2020, it turned the iOS ecosystem on its head and triggered what many main cell influencers got here to explain because the “IDFA Apocalypse.” That’s as a result of the iOS device-level identifier generally known as the ID For Advertisers (IDFA) can be zeroed out by default until customers gave consent through the ATT framework.
And never solely that. With out ATT consent, Apple would prohibit all different types of “monitoring” (which means device-level advert attribution), even when the IDFA weren’t used.
Apple ended up delaying the implementation of ATT till early 2021. However as soon as the brand new framework went into impact, the ATT immediate — now a typical sight for iOS customers — arrived with a bang. And it’s right here to remain. This implies app builders and entrepreneurs now have over 12 months of knowledge to find out the most effective techniques for attaining a excessive ATT opt-in price. Some are even starting to ask if they need to simply take away the ATT immediate altogether.
On this weblog we’ll recap the ATT story to date, talk about whether or not ATT consent remains to be beneficial, and discover what occurs when an app removes the ATT immediate.
Spoiler alert: There isn’t a magic compromise that enables device-level advert attribution with out exhibiting the ATT immediate. However we predict pursuing ATT opt-ins remains to be value it for many apps as a result of this gives a beneficial “fact set” (or baseline estimate) of granular information. This information can then be used to extrapolate insights from all the universe of person exercise, together with from customers who do not decide in.
A short historical past of the ATT immediate
The ATT permissions immediate is just like different person permissions on iOS, such because the immediate to permit push notifications. The ATT immediate asks customers in the event that they need to permit an app to trace them throughout different corporations’ apps and web sites. The difficulty is, inside a given app, solely a part of the message is configurable by the app’s developer. This limits the chance for optimization that would result in larger consent charges. As well as, this immediate can solely be triggered as soon as, so if the person opts out, it’s extraordinarily tough to reverse this determination.
To assist advertisers cope with the chasm brought on by ATT, Apple launched SKAdNetwork. It’s an aggregate-level advert attribution system that gives information from each opted-in and opted-out customers.
Taken collectively, these adjustments launched a brand new world of aggregated information for advert attribution. Nevertheless, this information is way extra restricted than the granular attribution data advertisers have been accustomed to.
How “pre-prompts” can enhance the possibility of person opt-in
A “pre-prompt” is often proven to app customers instantly earlier than an OS-level permissions immediate. This display screen is used to supply additional context on the implications of the requested permission. It’s additionally used to elucidate to customers why they need to decide in.
Within the case of ATT, pre-prompts are one in style instrument to enhance opt-in charges. They supply a chance for apps to construct belief, educate customers, and add a novel model voice. For extra greatest practices round ATT pre-prompts, try this weblog submit.
Apple has quite a few necessities and nuances round pre-prompts, together with:
- Pre-prompts should include just one clear CTA like “Learn Extra,” “I perceive,” or “Proceed.”
- The CTA should instantly open the system alert. That is to stop builders from constructing workarounds that would outcome within the person being requested for consent a number of occasions.
- Apps can’t supply any incentives or compensation in return for ATT consent.
The excellent news is that ATT opt-in charges can enhance as a lot as 24% if you happen to use pre-prompts accurately.
So what are apps making of this new actuality?
There are a number of definitions of “ATT opt-in price” within the ecosystem, however all of them present the identical normal development. In Could 2021, ATT opt-in charges began off low and regularly grew as iOS 14.6 adoption rolled out extra broadly:
Nevertheless, opt-in charges have remained surprisingly steady ever since iOS 14.6 reached full adoption. This means person conduct is just not altering a lot over time. And it’s essential to remember that these opt-in charges don’t inform the entire story, as a result of ATT is a dual-sided consent mechanism. Which means, in an effort to really use that IDFA for attribution, each the writer and advertiser apps should acquire consent individually.
Contemplating the tradeoffs at hand — and the considerably jarring person expertise that comes with the ATT consent display screen — some apps have begun questioning whether or not it’s really value getting the permission to trace in any respect. A logical subsequent query then turns into: Would an app nonetheless have entry to the IDFAs of customers who had opted-in earlier than the ATT modal was eliminated?
What occurs to IDFAs of opted-in-users when the ATT modal is eliminated?
The brief reply: Apps don’t lose opted-in customers’ IDFAs instantly if the ATT consent immediate is eliminated.
The lengthy reply: As ordinary, it’s much more sophisticated.
Technically talking, a person’s monitoring desire and entry to their IDFA stay for so long as the app is put in (assuming the person doesn’t dive into the iOS Settings app to manually revoke permission). That is true even when the code for the ATT consent modal is not within the app.
Which means, not less than at first, the app should embody the ATT modal to get monitoring consent. Nevertheless, as a result of the monitoring desire and IDFA entry stay even when the ATT modal is later eliminated, this additionally means the person’s consent standing is technically separated from the consent modal implementation. This then begs the query: Is there some technicality builders can use that might permit for user-level advert attribution with out the necessity for the ATT modal?
Sadly, there’s not.
It is because, together with the ATT immediate, Apple additionally launched the idea of Privateness Vitamin Labels. These function a policy-driven option to police apps post-iOS 14.
Apple’s Privateness Vitamin Labels inform customers precisely what information an app is accessing and what it’s used for. This data is collected through a questionnaire that builders are required to fill out, and Apple’s App Evaluation crew often checks to make sure that what builders report for his or her Privateness Vitamin Labels matches their ATT consent dialog implementation. If it doesn’t match, the app is rejected from the App Retailer.
In different phrases, sure, whereas an app will nonetheless technically have monitoring permission and entry to some current customers’ IDFAs even when the ATT modal is eliminated — not less than for a short while — it would not assist with device-level attribution for any new installs. It is because as soon as the app signifies through its label that information is used to “monitor” for advert attribution (even when that information is just not IDFAs), Apple will detect this mismatch and sure reject the app. The one Apple-sanctioned option to attribute ad-driven installs on iOS with out ATT consent is through SKAdNetwork.
Is the ATT immediate nonetheless value it?
We predict so, for many apps. Though common opt-in charges are low, there’s nonetheless so much to be gleaned from even a small dataset. With applicable use of modeling and projections, even a restricted quantity of opted-in information provides advertisers the chance to color a wealthy and deep portrait of their buyer’s journey and conduct. It additionally provides advertisers the power to weave an informative narrative on the client’s potential lifetime worth (LTV).
Construct belief in your model with Department
With Department, you possibly can relaxation straightforward figuring out that your advert operations adjust to platform privateness insurance policies out-of-the-box. That’s as a result of Department routinely allows SafeTrack™ for all Common Advertisements hyperlinks created to measure advert campaigns, which disables user-level advert attribution (together with through probabilistic methods) on iOS till customers give consent through the ATT immediate.
Getting customers to provide ATT consent ensures cell measurement companions (MMP) like Department can help your measurement and optimization wants on iOS campaigns whereas sustaining full compliance with ATT coverage. With iOS 16 coming later this 12 months, we suggest utilizing this time to replace, iterate, and optimize your ATT technique to instill person belief and enhance your opt-in charges. For those who haven’t carried out the ATT immediate but and are exploring choices on your app, evaluate our docs for implementation particulars. For those who’re able to rise up and working with our advert attribution answer, Common Advertisements, attain out to your Department Buyer Success Supervisor, or contact gross sales right now.
