Picture this: You’re running a bustling store, and you rely on feedback from every customer who walks through the door to know what products are popular and where improvements are needed. Suddenly, the lights go dim, and half your customers put on sunglasses and masks. You can still hear footsteps and see some movement, but identifying who is buying what has become a whole lot harder. That’s what Apple’s iOS 15 privacy changes have done to performance marketing. They've obscured the clear insights marketers used to enjoy, leaving many of us scrambling to adapt.
But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom. While the changes have made tracking and attribution trickier, there are ways to adjust your strategies and still see strong results from your ads. In this blog, we’ll break down how iOS 15 has impacted performance marketing, and more importantly, what you can do to stay ahead of the curve.
What’s the Deal with iOS 15 Privacy Changes?
To understand the impact, let’s first look at the core updates introduced with Apple’s iOS 15:
Mail Privacy Protection: Apple introduced a feature that prevents email senders from knowing when emails are opened. It masks IP addresses, which means you can no longer reliably track email open rates or the location of the person reading the email.
App Tracking Transparency (ATT): This is an extension of the iOS 14.5 update, but iOS 15 reinforced it. ATT requires apps to get explicit permission from users to track their activity across apps and websites. Users can now easily say “no” to being tracked, which results in a significant loss of data for advertisers.
Private Relay: Think of Private Relay as Apple’s own VPN-like service. It hides users' IP addresses when they browse Safari, which affects targeting and attribution for online ads.
These privacy-first changes sound great for the consumer, and they are. People feel safer knowing their data isn’t being shared willy-nilly across the web. But for marketers, especially those running performance-driven campaigns, it’s a whole new ball game.
The Direct Impact on Performance Marketing
So, what’s changed for marketers? Let’s dive into the specific areas where the iOS 15 updates have shifted the landscape:
1. Loss of Data Transparency
In the good old days (pre-iOS 15), if someone clicked on your ad, visited your website, and made a purchase, you could follow their entire journey from start to finish. Now, thanks to features like Private Relay, much of that data is hidden behind a privacy wall.
For example, you might see a spike in traffic but have no idea where it’s coming from. Is it from your Google Ads campaign? Facebook Ads? An organic post? That key piece of the puzzle is missing, making it harder to attribute conversions properly.
2. Inaccurate Email Performance Metrics
If email marketing is a key part of your strategy, iOS 15’s Mail Privacy Protection has likely thrown a wrench in the works. Since open rates are no longer reliable, gauging engagement has become more difficult. While you can still track clicks, the loss of open rate data removes a valuable signal for optimizing campaigns.
3. Decline in Audience Size for Retargeting
Because ATT gives users the option to opt out of tracking, retargeting pools have shrunk. Before the update, you could retarget users across apps and websites based on their behavior, but now many users have become invisible to such campaigns. In practice, this means fewer people in your custom audiences, making retargeting campaigns less effective.
4. Challenges with Attribution
Remember how important attribution is in performance marketing? Well, iOS 15 has muddied the waters further. Without clear visibility into user actions and sources, attributing conversions to specific touchpoints has become a guessing game. Facebook Ads, in particular, have taken a hit, as their pixel tracking is heavily reliant on user permissions.
What Can You Do to Navigate These Changes?
Now that we’ve laid out the challenges, let’s move on to the solutions. The iOS 15 updates may have made things more complicated, but they also present an opportunity for savvy marketers to adapt and thrive.
Implement Server-Side Tracking (Conversion API)
One of the best responses to the loss of third-party data tracking is to adopt server-side tracking, also known as Facebook’s Conversion API (CAPI). Instead of relying on browser-based tracking (which is affected by things like Private Relay and ATT), server-side tracking collects data directly from your servers.
This method allows you to capture conversion data and pass it back to platforms like Facebook Ads without relying on client-side cookies. It’s a much more robust way to ensure you’re still capturing vital metrics like purchases, lead form completions, and other conversion events.
2. Optimize for First-Party Data
Since third-party data is becoming harder to come by, now’s the time to invest in first-party data collection. Think of first-party data as gold dust—it’s data that you collect directly from your users through interactions they have with your website, emails, or social media. You have full control over it, and it’s not subject to privacy changes like those in iOS 15.
Here are a few ways to ramp up first-party data collection:
Incentivize email signups with lead magnets like eBooks, exclusive discounts, or access to webinars.
Collect user preferences through interactive quizzes or surveys, allowing users to self-identify their interests and needs.
Build out customer loyalty programs that encourage repeat visits, all while capturing valuable data on behavior and preferences.
3. Leverage Aggregated Event Measurement (AEM)
If you’re running Facebook Ads, you’re likely familiar with Aggregated Event Measurement (AEM). This feature allows Facebook to track events, even for users who’ve opted out of tracking in ATT, but in a more limited way.
Here’s how to make the most of it:
Prioritize your conversion events: Facebook allows you to track up to 8 events per domain, so make sure you’re prioritizing the most important ones, like purchases or lead form completions.
Verify your domain: Verifying your domain with Facebook helps ensure your website remains connected with Facebook's tools, improving the reliability of data transmission.
4. Create Stronger Email Engagement Metrics
With iOS 15 obscuring open rates, how can you measure email success? Shift your focus to more tangible engagement metrics:
Clicks: While you may no longer see who opened your email, you can still track who clicked on links. Start paying more attention to click-through rates (CTR) and which links are performing best.
Conversions: Ultimately, conversions are what matter. Keep a close eye on how your email campaigns are driving purchases, sign-ups, or other key actions.
5. Refine Your Creative Strategies
As tracking becomes less reliable, the importance of ad creatives grows. You’ll want to focus on high-quality, attention-grabbing visuals and messaging that resonate with your audience from the very first impression.
Instead of relying solely on retargeting campaigns, which have become less effective, put more effort into creating compelling top-of-funnel content that catches users’ attention immediately. Think about incorporating more video content, carousel ads, and testimonials to make a lasting impression.
6. Diversify Your Channels
With some of the traditional methods of tracking and attribution being limited, it might be time to diversify your marketing channels. Explore platforms like Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, or even influencer partnerships to spread your reach and reduce dependence on any one platform.
Read more: Top 10 App Analytics Software You Should Try
Why You Might Need Expert Help
Navigating the post-iOS 15 landscape isn’t easy. It requires deep knowledge of how to set up tracking (server-side, first-party), adapt to privacy changes, and fine-tune your campaigns in real time. If this sounds overwhelming, you’re not alone.
At Concept Allies, we specialize in performance marketing and have already helped clients navigate these changes successfully. Whether it’s implementing Conversion API, rethinking your ad creatives, or optimizing for first-party data, we can ensure that your ad campaigns continue to thrive, even in this privacy-conscious world.
Final Thoughts
The iOS 15 updates are a seismic shift in the world of performance marketing, but they’re not insurmountable. Yes, tracking has become harder and attribution less clear, but with the right strategies, you can still capture valuable data and drive results.
By implementing server-side tracking, optimizing for first-party data, leveraging Facebook’s Aggregated Event Measurement, and refining your creatives, you can keep your performance marketing engine running smoothly.
If you’re looking for expert guidance on how to adapt your campaigns and ensure you’re getting the best results, contact Concept Allies today. Let us take the complexity off your plate, so you can focus on what you do best—growing your business.