Here’s What You Need to Know about Remarketing!

The new privacy rules that affected remarketing efforts were primarily changed by Apple with the release of iOS 14 and its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework. These changes require apps to get explicit user consent before tracking their activity across other apps and websites. This was done to give users more control over their privacy and how their data is used.

As a result, many users opted out of tracking, limiting data collection for platforms like Facebook and Google Ads, which rely on this data for remarketing and ad targeting. This shift reduced the effectiveness of remarketing efforts, particularly for iOS users, as it became harder for advertisers to track user behavior and deliver personalized ads.

Google and Facebook Remarketing still works, but it has been significantly impacted by Apple’s iOS 14+ privacy updates. These updates introduced App Tracking Transparency (ATT), which requires apps to get user consent before tracking their activity across other apps and websites.

Here’s how the iOS changes have affected Facebook retargeting and what you can do to mitigate the impact:

Impact of iOS Privacy Changes on Facebook Retargeting:

1. Limited Data Collection:
   • With iOS 14+, many users have opted out of tracking, which limits the amount of data Facebook can collect. This affects the Facebook Pixel and Custom Audiences for retargeting, especially for iOS users.
   • The Facebook Pixel no longer tracks as effectively for users who have opted out of tracking on iOS devices, meaning some events (like page views, purchases, or form submissions) may not be recorded.
2. Smaller Retargeting Audiences:
   • Due to fewer iOS users being tracked, the size of your retargeting audiences may be smaller. This means fewer people will be added to your retargeting lists for ads.
3. Delayed or Aggregated Data:
   • Facebook now uses Aggregated Event Measurement to comply with Apple’s privacy rules, which means data is aggregated and delayed. Advertisers may not receive real-time data, which can make it harder to fine-tune campaigns.

Strategies to Mitigate the Impact:

1. Verify Your Domain:
   • Domain verification is crucial for running retargeting campaigns and prioritizing events for tracking. This ensures that Facebook recognizes you as the owner of the website, and you can still track user actions.
   • You can do this in Business Manager under Brand Safety > Domains.
2. Use Facebook’s Conversion API:
   • Implementing Facebook’s Conversion API (CAPI) allows you to send web events from your server directly to Facebook. This bypasses restrictions on browser-based tracking, such as those introduced by iOS 14+.
   • CAPI helps recover some of the lost data from the Facebook Pixel by sending information directly from your server (e.g., purchases, sign-ups).
3. Optimize for Highest-Priority Events:
   • Facebook limits the number of events you can track per domain (up to 8). Prioritize the most important conversion events, such as purchases or leads, for tracking.
   • You can configure event priority in Events Manager.
4. Broaden Your Targeting Strategy:
   • Since retargeting audiences are smaller, consider expanding your targeting. Use lookalike audiences, interest-based targeting, and contextual targeting to reach new potential customers.
   • Use Facebook’s Engagement Custom Audiences to target users who interact with your content on the platform (e.g., video views, page engagements).
5. Use First-Party Data:
   • Leverage your own first-party data, such as customer email lists or phone numbers, to create Custom Audiences in Facebook. This data is not affected by iOS 14+ changes since it’s directly collected from users who have opted in to your communications.
   • This also allows for retargeting across devices, including iOS users.
6. Diversify Your Marketing Channels:
   • Given the uncertainty around data privacy and its impact on retargeting, it’s a good idea to diversify your marketing efforts beyond Facebook and leverage other platforms (e.g., Google Ads, email marketing, and content marketing).

Summary:

• Facebook retargeting still works, but iOS 14+ has reduced its effectiveness by limiting data collection.
• To combat this, implement Facebook’s Conversion API, prioritize event tracking, and leverage first-party data.
• Use a combination of retargeting strategies and broader targeting approaches to maintain ad performance.

By adjusting your strategy, you can still effectively use retargeting on Facebook despite the iOS privacy changes.