What Businesses Need To Know About iOS 14.5
Apple’s newest software update is changing paid advertising on the internet. Is this update “the end of Facebook ads as we know it” or “The Facebook Ad-Apocalypse,” as some influencers are calling it? We break down what iOS 14.5 means for businesses below.
What’s updated in iOS 14.5?
As with all Apple software updates, iOS 14.5 updated the general performance of mobile Apple devices, including new Siri voices and emojis—but we digress. What’s getting the attention of internet advertisers is the introduction of App Tracking Transparency (ATT). ATT allows Apple users to opt-out of website tracking data via a pop-up window that will appear before a consumer opens an app.
Now, getting permission to track users is front and center, and people are thinking twice about sharing data with businesses across the internet.
How will the iOS 14.5 update affect my business?
Businesses who utilize paid advertising on the internet will be affected. Even if you don’t have an iPhone, 47% of people with smart devices in the US use the Apple operating system, so you can’t ignore this group when developing ads.
Before the iOS 14.5 update, about one-third of Apple users had tracking turned off on their phones. After the update was released on April 26th, 96% of Apple users opted out of tracking.
When consumers opt out, businesses can’t target ads on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, impacting ad effectiveness and resulting in less personalized ads.
How can I prepare my business for this update?
Is this the end of paid advertising on the internet? Not likely. However, there are few things you’ll need to do to ensure your business is ready to keep advertising on social media.
Verify your domain in Facebook Business Manager
This is the first thing you should do to ensure you’re ready for iOS 14.5. Verifying your domain with Facebook can take 24-48 hours, so get this done ASAP! Here’s a video tutorial on how to do this.
Set up Facebook pixel events
If you have the Facebook pixel installed on your website, you’ll need to make some updates. The pixel tracks actions customers take, such as adding items to a cart or making a purchase. You could have an unlimited number of events in the past, but this was slashed to eight. Most business owners will find this sufficient to target customers effectively. However, you’ll want to analyze and prioritize your most important events.
Create great content
The best way to get the most out of your advertising budget is to create ads that entice people to click, learn more, and make a purchase! Analyze past campaigns and note why ones performed better than others.
Get your business ready for iOS 14.5
Ensure your ads are running and ready to convert! Our iOS 14 support service at Stephanie Mead Creative will make sure your domain is verified, set up your Facebook pixel events, and shape up your ad account. This service is available for a limited time. Contact us to get started!