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9R_Blog_iOS 17 Challenges

Apple’s iOS 17 Challenges Marketers With URL Tracking Changes

9Rooftops – Digital Experience Team
9Rooftops - Digital Experience Team
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OVERVIEW

Launching in September, the iOS 17 update allows users to select Apple’s new Link Tracking Protection feature. This setting automatically detects and removes user-identifiable tracking parameters from URLs, making it increasingly more difficult for marketers to track the user’s online journey across a multi-touch experience.

These parameters are automatically placed into links by Google, Facebook, and some alternate platforms, such as ESPs, to track users’ activity across their shopping journey. Without these parameters, it is more difficult for these companies to track users’ online behavior and identify which URLs are leading to conversions or which channels are contributing to sales.

This update will be enabled by default for users in Apple Mail, Apple iMessages, and Safari Private Browsing mode.

MARKETING ANALYTICS IMPACT 

  • Scope
    • Link Tracking Protection will affect those who use Apple Mail, Apple iMessages and Safari–specifically in Private Browsing mode.
      • Apple Mail holds a 58% market share of email clients (Litmus)
      • iMessage holds a 17% market share of messaging platforms (Statista)
      • Safari holds a 24% share of the browser market (BrowserStack), and Private Browsing mode is a smaller subset of that share.
      • While these are not insignificant figures, it also is important to remember there is a wider email, SMS, and browser market that is not affected by this update.
  • Impact on Attribution
    • Click IDs Removed: Email marketers and advertisers will lose the ability to rely on certain tracking methods, like Google Click Identifiers (GCLID) and Facebook Click Identifiers (FBCLID), which traditionally have provided valuable data for understanding user behavior and optimizing campaigns.
  • UTMs Unaffected: UTMs such as source, medium, and campaign that marketers append to URLs will not be affected by this update and thus will be crucial to have in place in order to understand campaign performance and user behavior.
    • UTMs are not unique personal identifiers but instead aggregate directional information about where the user was before landing on a website.
  • Private Click Measurement (PCM): Apple will enable Private Click Measurement, an alternative attribution feature that allows for privacy-friendly tracking of conversion events.

Marketers will need to adapt their strategies to navigate the limitations imposed by iOS 17 and utilize alternative methods to measure campaign success and gather insights.

ACTIONS TO EVOLVE YOUR MARKETING MEASUREMENT

  1. Focus on First-Party Data: With the removal of certain tracking parameters, marketers should prioritize collecting and utilizing first-party data directly from their audience. This includes obtaining explicit consent for data collection and personalization, which will become increasingly important for accurate targeting and campaign optimization.
  2. Review Tracking Strategies: Assess your current tracking methods that rely on ad tracking parameters. Understand which specific tracking parameters will be removed and their implications.
  3. Embrace UTM Parameters: iOS 17 will leave UTMs untouched, making them a valuable tool for understanding user actions. Embed UTMs in landing pages and links to retain insights into user interactions.
  4. Utilize Private Click Measurement (PCM): While it may not provide as detailed insights as previous tracking methods, it offers a way to measure ad performance in a privacy-focused manner. Marketers should explore PCM and integrate it into their tracking and attribution processes.
  5. Test and Learn: Given the dynamic landscape of privacy changes, approach these shifts with a flexible and agile mindset. Implement a test-and-learn approach to adapt to the evolving tracking and attribution methods and refine strategies over time.
  6. Prepare for Privacy-Focused Future: Recognize that privacy-focused changes are an ongoing trend. Stay informed about updates in the digital marketing and privacy landscape to anticipate further shifts and adjust strategies accordingly.
  7. Invest in Personalization and Consent: As tracking becomes more challenging, focus on delivering personalized experiences to users based on the data you can gather with their consent. Building trust and providing value will be essential to maintaining customer engagement.

iOS 17 introduces new challenges and opportunities to the world of marketing measurement, and marketers will need to learn to adapt & innovate.

Meet The Team

9Rooftops – Team
9Rooftops - Team
9Rooftops – Experience Marketing Team
9Rooftops - Experience Marketing Team
Ashley Ransey
Ashley Ransey - Account Director

Ashley is a Client Partner and Account Director known for her creative critical thinking. She excels at driving results through strategic acumen and personable charm. From inception to execution, she orchestrates seamless strategies that not only meet but exceed expectations. Whether it’s devising innovative solutions or troubleshooting unforeseen challenges, Ashley is a go-to expert for turning roadblocks into opportunities.

9Rooftops – Research & Strategy Team
9Rooftops - Research & Strategy Team
Elena Freed
Elena Freed - VP + Group Strategy Director

Elena is responsible for leading a talented group of strategists to bring consumer insights to the forefront of her clients’ marketing solutions. An experienced collaborator across disciplines, Elena works seamlessly with all agency departments to design overarching strategies by distilling complex information into simple inspired insights that fuel creative solutions.

9Rooftops – Strategy
9Rooftops - Strategy
9Rooftops – Social
9Rooftops - Social
9Rooftops – Analytics
9Rooftops - Analytics
Elliott Allen
Elliott Allen - Creative Director
Hannah Rosin
Hannah Rosin - Senior Copywriter
Kate Bradbury
Kate Bradbury - Managing Director - NYC

Kate leads our NYC Experience Marketing team, specializing in CPG with a focus on wine and spirits. She excels in creating innovative brand experiences and fostering strong partnerships for impactful audience engagement.

Todd Fabian
Todd Fabian - Vp, Director Of Market Research
Dina Germadnig
Dina Germadnig - Account Director
Nicole D’alessio
Nicole D'alessio - Associate Director, Research
Alex Conger
Alex Conger - Senior Social Media Manager
Diana Santana
Diana Santana - Project Manager
Patrick Mccoy
Patrick Mccoy - Associate Director, Social Media Production + Social Media
Gen Fuller
Gen Fuller - Senior Copywriter
Jenna Bender
Jenna Bender - CRM Manager

Jenna drives customer engagement and ROI through strategic campaign management and personalized experiences, from ideation to implementation.

Connect with Jenna Bender Linkedin
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