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 often known as the ID For Advertisers (IDFA) could be zeroed out by default except 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 standard 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 very best techniques for reaching 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, 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 isn’t 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 gives a beneficial “reality set” (or baseline estimate) of granular information. This information can then be used to extrapolate insights from your complete universe of consumer exercise, together with from customers who do not choose in.
A quick historical past of the ATT immediate
The ATT permissions immediate is just like different consumer 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 might result in increased consent charges. As well as, this immediate can solely be triggered as soon as, so if the consumer opts out, it’s extraordinarily troublesome to reverse this choice.
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 much extra restricted than the granular attribution info advertisers have been accustomed to.
How “pre-prompts” can improve the prospect of consumer 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 offer additional context on the implications of the requested permission. It’s additionally used to elucidate to customers why they need to choose in.
Within the case of ATT, pre-prompts are one in style device to enhance opt-in charges. They supply a chance for apps to construct belief, educate customers, and add a singular model voice. For extra finest practices round ATT pre-prompts, take a look at this weblog publish.
Apple has various 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 forestall builders from constructing workarounds that might end result within the consumer being requested for consent a number of instances.
- Apps can’t provide 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 price” within the ecosystem, however all of them present the identical basic development. In Could 2021, ATT opt-in charges began off low and step by step 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 consumer 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. Because of this, in an effort to really use that IDFA for attribution, each the writer and advertiser apps should achieve consent individually.
Contemplating the tradeoffs at hand — and the considerably jarring consumer 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 normal, it’s much more sophisticated.
Technically talking, a consumer’s monitoring desire and entry to their IDFA stay for so long as the app is put in (assuming the consumer 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.
Because of this, at the least to start with, the app should embrace 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 consumer’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 permit for user-level advert attribution with out the necessity for the ATT modal?
Sadly, there may be not.
It is because, together with the ATT immediate, Apple additionally launched the idea of Privateness Diet Labels. These function a policy-driven method to police apps post-iOS 14.
Apple’s Privateness Diet Labels inform customers precisely what information an app is accessing and what it’s used for. This info is collected through a questionnaire that builders are required to fill out, and Apple’s App Overview staff recurrently checks to make sure that what builders report for his or her Privateness Diet 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 present customers’ IDFAs even when the ATT modal is eliminated — at the least for a short time — it is going to 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 “observe” for advert attribution (even when that information just isn’t IDFAs), Apple will detect this mismatch and certain reject the app. The one Apple-sanctioned method 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. Regardless that common opt-in charges are low, there may be nonetheless so much to be gleaned from even a small dataset. With acceptable 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 flexibility to weave an informative narrative on the shopper’s potential lifetime worth (LTV).
Construct belief in your model with Department
With Department, you’ll be able to 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 robotically permits SafeTrack™ for all Common Adverts hyperlinks created to measure advert campaigns, which disables user-level advert attribution (together with through probabilistic strategies) on iOS till customers give consent through the ATT immediate.
Getting customers to provide 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 advocate utilizing this time to replace, iterate, and optimize your ATT technique to instill consumer belief and improve your opt-in charges. If you happen to haven’t applied the ATT immediate but and are exploring choices in your app, assessment our docs for implementation particulars. If you happen to’re able to stand up and working with our advert attribution answer, Common Adverts, attain out to your Department Buyer Success Supervisor, or contact gross sales right now.
