Prior to the release of iOS 14, Apple had release the SKAdNetwork 2.0 framework as its attribution solution which was no way close to being accurate. They’ve come a long way since that and it is becoming a more reliable framework for measurement, especially conversion.
Most major publishers have already integrated with the SKAdNetwork (SKAN) to provide their customers with the metrics they need. What we’re seeing now is a definitely decline in revenue and conversion rates. It can be confusing to know whether a user didn’t engage with the ad because they didn’t consent to the advertiser’s app or just inaction, but SKAN gives you the data to attribute whether a user has converted from the ad or not.
The one major impact that we are seeing is retargeting. It does look like retargeting is not possible with in the post iOS 14.5 period.
A portion of the market has started spending more into the Android user base while reducing spend on iOS users which keeps the general revenue intact. At the same time, it would be wise to strategise on creating awareness with your users on why they should provide consent to your app. By building that trust, it would be possible to increase the opt-in rates. User Acquisition strategies, by and large, shouldn’t have any change.
Looking at the data from SKAN, even though it is limited, would provide ideas on understanding which cohort is more willing to provide consent and which ones aren’t. At this point, hypothesizing and experimenting is the best way forward.
Move fast, fail quickly and recover!
