AppsFlyer: 37% of mobile marketers do not understand what will change after the new IDFA rules

The introduction of Apple‘s new IDFA policy is just around the corner. In this regard, AppsFlyer interviewed marketers from 171 companies about what they think about the upcoming changes. It turned out that 37% of specialists do not understand how this situation will affect the industry.

Background

Back in June, Apple announced that with the release of iOS 14, the data transfer policy will significantly change. Applications will be required to request access from users to a unique identifier — IDFA. In other words, ask people if they are ready to share personal information with advertising companies. This information helps marketers and developers track the effectiveness of advertising.

Instead, Apple offered companies to use the SKAdNetwork framework. But this tool will replace only part of the IDFA functions.

Later, the corporation postponed the start of the innovation from this fall to the beginning of 2021. Apple explained its decision by wanting to give developers some time to prepare for the new rules.

What the analysts found out

• Only 63% of mobile marketers are interested in the IDFA topic. But most of them just “heard something somewhere.”

Important: After this question, AppsFlyer briefly told all the study participants about the essence of the changes concerning IDFA. This allowed even those who previously knew little about the innovation to make their predictions.

• 56% of all respondents believe that the consequences of Apple’s actions will be negative. But of those who even before the survey figured out the situation with IDFA, 73% say that the changes will be extremely negative.
• The overwhelming majority of respondents (74%) doesn’t even count on advertising revenue.
• 54% of marketers assume that they will lose information about half of users at once because of Apple’s policy.
• Mobile marketers are most worried about the future of targeting and retargeting. 74% of respondents believe that these areas will suffer significantly.

• Only one third of the study participants confirm that they are already thinking of switching to the SKAdNetwork framework.
• While 46% of marketers are not sure yet whether they will install SKAdNetwork.
• However, 71% of specialists believe that they will be able to predict consumer behavior without additional programs, but only on their own.
• 33% of advertisers plan to reduce mobile advertising costs.
• At the same time, 19% of advertisers, on the contrary, are going to pay more attention to mobile advertising.

• 21% of respondents say they will come up with another way to access user data. But there is a nuance — while the survey was being conducted, Apple forbade offering people a reward in exchange for their privacy.
• Marketers admit that although the industry will change a lot now, changes were inevitable. Society is increasingly protecting personal data, and politicians are increasingly adopting privacy laws.
• According to 80% of respondents, Google may also introduce similar rules in the near future.

Also on the topic:

• Apple has postponed the introduction of a new IDFA policyFacebook: “We will not collect IDFA from our apps on iOS 14”
• “Stricter than expected”: Digiday on new rules regarding IDFA
• Is there any news?