Google describes consequences of Apple’s privacy policy and IDFA changes

Apple has prioritized user privacy over targeted advertising, and Google is today explaining what that means for itself as well as game and app developers.

Apple advocates its Application Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy, which will require developers to seek permission when using personal data from other companies’ apps and websites for advertising purposes, even if they already have user consent. It will ask users to register if they allow advertisers to use their data through Identifier for Advertisers or IDFA. Lots of tests show that many users don’t allow it, which means they won’t be tracked as easily for advertising purposes.

This change could have a huge impact on the mobile advertising ecosystem as it could make it more difficult to effectively target users with advertising. Eric Seufert, a user acquisition expert, said on Monday that he believed Facebook could experience a 7% drop in revenue – a loss of tens of billions of dollars over time – due to the IDFA changes, and it’s no secret that facebook is i’m not happy with the impact on itself and on small businesses. At our Driving Game Growth event on Tuesday, Facebook executives pointed out that the IDFA changes create uncertainty for mobile games in 2021.

Google, which could also be affected by the policy change, has stayed out of the fray – until today.

“Today we are sharing how Google is helping our community prepare, because we know that developers and advertisers in the iOS ecosystem are always figuring out how to adapt,” said Christophe Combette, Chief product profile from the Google Ads group in a blog post.

Preparing applications for iOS 14

Apple’s ATT changes are built into iOS 14, which has very good traction with users who have updated their iOS devices to the new version of the operating system.

But Apple has postponed the application of the rule changes until “early 2021”. Seufert thinks it means March.

Combette said the changes “will reduce the visibility of key metrics that show how ads drive conversions (like app installs and sales) and affect how advertisers rate and bid on ad impressions.”

As such, he said app publishers could see a significant impact on their Google ad revenue on iOS after Apple’s ATT policies take effect. To help improve iOS monetization rates, Combette said developers should upgrade to version 7.64 of the Google Mobile Ads SDK for new features such as SKAdNetwork, which is Apple’s substitute for targeted IDFA ads.

Measure ad performance on iOS 14

Combette said Google is working with the industry to give Apple feedback on how to further improve SKAdNetwork so that advertisers can measure the results of their campaigns with some precision on iOS 14.

“In the meantime, we encourage app advertisers to upgrade to the latest version of Google Analytics for Firebase for new features such as support for SKAdNetwork,” he wrote. “We also encourage advertisers to closely monitor the performance and delivery of all campaigns for iOS apps and, if necessary, adjust budgets and bids to meet their goals. Learn more about how app advertisers can prepare and tune in to our Learning with Google educational series for ongoing advice. “

Advertisers who run display, video, and other campaigns that promote web conversion goals may see performance fluctuations as Apple’s ATT policies take effect, he said.

How Google Complies with ATT

When Apple’s policy takes effect, Combette said Google will no longer use information (such as IDFA) that falls under ATT for the handful of Google iOS apps that currently use it for advertising purposes.

“As such, we will not show the ATT prompt on these apps, per Apple’s advice,” he wrote. “We work hard to understand and follow Apple’s guidelines for all of our apps in the App Store. As our iOS apps are updated with new features or bug fixes, you will see updates to our apps page listings that include privacy details for the new app. “

Combette said Google puts users and their privacy first.

“Transparency, choice and control are the basis of our commitment to users, and advertising is no different,” he said. “We remain committed to preserving a vibrant and open app ecosystem where users can access a wide range of ad-supported content with the confidence that their privacy and choices are respected. That’s why we’ll continue to invest in privacy-preserving technologies – including aggregate and on-device solutions – like what we’re developing for the web, with ecosystem partners, in the sandbox. confidentiality. “

Google has yet to say if or how it will track IDFA-like changes for Android.