Our Thoughts On The New Android Update

Android have a new update! We have seen this before with a similar IOS update in 2021, users were able to opt out of being tracked by apps such as Facebook. This came with some complications, such as targeting limitations and results tracked decreasing, which no one wants. 

 

So, this article will outline what this change means, how results and targeting were affected with IOS, and predictions of what is likely to happen with the Android update.

 

//Privacy concerns

 

Privacy is a big concern, and these concerns from users have led to companies having to look for ways to protect users online. Apple introduced Apple's App Tracking Transparency in 2020 which addressed this, giving users more control over what apps can track on their phones and the ability to opt out. Unless you give permission to track you, it can’t use your data for targeted ads or share any of your information with third parties. Great for the user concerned about their capacity, however not as good for the advertiser.

 

// After the IOS update

 

Research published by Flurry Analytics in May 2021 showed that up to 88% of iOS Facebook users worldwide had opted out of app tracking. In the United States, the rate rose to a startling 96%.

With the previous IOS update, the tracking technology IDFA, is the only means for advertisers to target and track users within apps on IOS devices precisely. However, if the users choose “Ask Not to Track”, the app cannot access IDFA.

 

 

//In terms of results

 

With the IOS update, results did tend to decrease, with Facebook introducing conversions API to try and overcome some of these issues. The conversion API essentially allows you to send event from your server to Facebook, allowing for another level of tracking.

To find out more about the results of the IOS update, go to our blog discussing Facebook results.

 

// So, what should we expect to see with the new Android update?

 

We don't expect to see results drop off overnight as this wasn’t the trend with the iOS update. We didn't see a full effect for about 3 months, and therefore is something to be mindful of over the next quarter.

 

The % of users who opt out is yet to be determined however, after iOS saw a huge percentage opt-out, it won't be surprising to see high numbers on Android as well.

 

It is important to ensure all best practices are implemented to ensure as much tracking is in place as possible, including the conversion API, allowing you to attribute your results to the correct channels and campaigns.

 

If you want to chat to us further regarding conversion API, contact us today.