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 cellular 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 by way of the ATT framework.
And never solely that. With out ATT consent, Apple would prohibit all different types of “monitoring” (that 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 perfect ways for reaching a excessive ATT opt-in charge. 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 thus far, focus on whether or not ATT consent continues to be beneficial, and discover what occurs when an app removes the ATT immediate.
Spoiler alert: There is no such thing as a magic compromise that permits device-level advert attribution with out displaying the ATT immediate. However we predict pursuing ATT opt-ins continues to be value it for many apps as a result of this supplies a beneficial “reality set” (or baseline estimate) of granular knowledge. This knowledge can then be used to extrapolate insights from the whole 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 enable an app to trace them throughout different firms’ 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 increased 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 resolution.
To assist advertisers take care of the chasm brought on by ATT, Apple launched SKAdNetwork. It’s an aggregate-level advert attribution system that gives knowledge from each opted-in and opted-out customers.
Taken collectively, these adjustments launched a brand new world of aggregated knowledge for advert attribution. Nonetheless, this knowledge is much extra restricted than the granular attribution data advertisers have been accustomed to.
How “pre-prompts” can improve the possibility of person opt-in
A “pre-prompt” is normally proven to app customers instantly earlier than an OS-level permissions immediate. This display screen is used to offer additional context on the implications of the requested permission. It’s additionally used to clarify to customers why they need to decide in.
Within the case of ATT, pre-prompts are one common software to enhance opt-in charges. They supply a possibility for apps to construct belief, educate customers, and add a novel model voice. For extra finest practices round ATT pre-prompts, take a look at this weblog put up.
Apple has numerous 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 straight open the system alert. That is to stop builders from constructing workarounds that would consequence within the person being requested for consent a number of occasions.
- Apps can not 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% for those who use pre-prompts accurately.
So what are apps making of this new actuality?
There are a number of definitions of “ATT opt-in charge” within the ecosystem, however all of them present the identical normal development. In Could 2021, ATT opt-in charges began off low and progressively grew as iOS 14.6 adoption rolled out extra broadly:
Nonetheless, opt-in charges have remained surprisingly secure ever since iOS 14.6 reached full adoption. This means person conduct just isn’t altering a lot over time. And it’s necessary to take into account that these opt-in charges don’t inform the entire story, as a result of ATT is a dual-sided consent mechanism. Which means that, with a view to truly use that IDFA for attribution, each the writer and advertiser apps should achieve 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 truly 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 quick reply: Apps don’t lose opted-in customers’ IDFAs instantly if the ATT consent immediate is eliminated.
The lengthy reply: As traditional, 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 that, a minimum of at first, the app should embrace the ATT modal to get monitoring consent. Nonetheless, 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 may enable for user-level advert attribution with out the necessity for the ATT modal?
Sadly, there may be not.
It’s because, together with the ATT immediate, Apple additionally launched the idea of Privateness Vitamin Labels. These function a policy-driven approach to police apps post-iOS 14.
Apple’s Privateness Vitamin Labels inform customers precisely what knowledge an app is accessing and what it’s used for. This data is collected by way of a questionnaire that builders are required to fill out, and Apple’s App Evaluation crew usually 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 — a minimum of for a short while — it’ll not assist with device-level attribution for any new installs. It’s because as soon as the app signifies by way of its label that knowledge is used to “observe” for advert attribution (even when that knowledge just isn’t IDFAs), Apple will detect this mismatch and sure reject the app. The one Apple-sanctioned approach to attribute ad-driven installs on iOS with out ATT consent is by way of SKAdNetwork.
Is the ATT immediate nonetheless value it?
We predict so, for many apps. Despite the fact that common opt-in charges are low, there may be nonetheless lots to be gleaned from even a small dataset. With applicable use of modeling and projections, even a restricted quantity of opted-in knowledge offers advertisers the chance to color a wealthy and deep portrait of their buyer’s journey and conduct. It additionally offers advertisers the flexibility to weave an informative narrative on the shopper’s potential lifetime worth (LTV).
Construct belief in your model with Department
With Department, you possibly can relaxation simple understanding 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 Adverts hyperlinks created to measure advert campaigns, which disables user-level advert attribution (together with by way of probabilistic methods) on iOS till customers give consent by way of the ATT immediate.
Getting customers to offer ATT consent ensures cellular measurement companions (MMP) like Department can assist your measurement and optimization wants on iOS campaigns whereas sustaining full compliance with ATT coverage. With iOS 16 coming later this yr, we suggest utilizing this time to replace, iterate, and optimize your ATT technique to instill person belief and improve your opt-in charges. When you haven’t carried out the ATT immediate but and are exploring choices on your app, evaluate our docs for implementation particulars. When you’re able to rise up and operating with our advert attribution answer, Common Adverts, attain out to your Department Buyer Success Supervisor, or contact gross sales right now.
