Facebook guidance for iOS14

Sophie Beard posted on 27 April 2021

With the Apple i0S14 changes starting, Facebook has released guidance to help with the transition

As developers and advertisers make their final preparations for the iOS14 update, Facebook has provided support to minimise disruption and to learn more about the changes. 

Apple is implementing the update to give their users more control over data collected by third parties. Users will now be asked by each app to give permission for tracking to continue across the apps they use. While it’s positive news for Apple users, since the initial announcement it was clear Facebook advertising was going to take a hit. One of the biggest changes will be to attribution windows, reducing from 28 days to just 7. For the full list of changes please read the full statement. 

Facebook addresses these changes in their statement: “Apps in the App Store [need] to obtain permission to “track” users across apps and websites owned by third parties for advertising and measurement purposes through its App Tracking Transparency framework. Apple’s prompt requirement will prohibit certain data collection and sharing by businesses unless people opt in. This will create limitations for businesses that use Facebook advertising for mobile apps on iOS devices, as well as those that drive business results through their website.

As part of these changes, following the release of iOS 14.5, Facebook will implement new advertiser experiences and measurement protocols, including Apple’s SKAdNetwork API and Facebook’s Aggregated Event Measurement.”

Facebook includes in the statement key points to minimise disruption to advertising campaigns:

Main Actions for App Advertisers

• Update to the Facebook SDK version 8.0 or above. If you use a Mobile Measurement Partner, confirm you’re using the version of their SDK that supports Apple’s SKAdNetwork API.
• Set up your conversion schema in Events Manager to optimize for App Events, Value and Mobile App Installs with Automated App Ads.
• Plan to create iOS 14 app install campaigns with one ad account per app, nine campaigns per app and five ad sets per campaign of the same optimization type.

Main Actions for Advertisers using Web Events

• If required, verify your domain in Facebook Business Manager.
• Set up and prioritize up to eight web events per domain in Events Manager.
• Review ads and ad sets that will be paused via the Resource Center tab in Facebook Ads Manager and update or replace them.

On Apple’s decision to implement these updates, Facebook adds: “While we have expressed concerns about Apple’s approach, we support giving people more control over how their data is used to improve advertising relevance. Toward this end, we are investing in new approaches to privacy-enhancing technology and building a personalized advertising ecosystem that relies on less data, while helping to ensure a level playing field for both large and small businesses.”
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