Future of Snap’s App campaigns after iOS 14.5

Measuring the impact of Snap after 3rd Party Cookies

App Advertising: A Decade of Evolution

In-app advertising has been a game-changer in the world of Digital Marketing. A staggering industry worth USD 314.50 billion, expected to grow by 10% annually. 

Things took a turn in April 2021 when Apple's iOS 14.5 update shook the foundation of this industry by mandating user consent for tracking, affecting the way marketeers historically optimised their App campaigns.

The impact has been substantial, with at least 75% of users choosing to opt out of tracking, leading to a substantial drop in App campaign performance. But how does iOS 14.5 tie into your App campaigns?

The Device ID Dilemma

Before iOS 14.5, advertisers relied on SDKs or MMPs to send back conversion data, primarily using Device IDs. With iOS 14.5, Apple's privacy-centric stance led to users' rejection of tracking, resulting in conversion events sent back without any Device IDs. This missing link caused a decline in ROAS, hindered remarketing efforts, and hampered performance.

So, how do we recover App performance while respecting compliance and consent?

Going Beyond MMPs & the Transition to Privacy-First Tracking

In the wake of iOS 14.5, advertisers found themselves at a crossroads, searching for reliable methods to adapt to Apple's privacy-first approach. This is where Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) stepped in, aiming to bridge the gap. MMPs utilise Apple's SKAdNetwork, a secure measurement framework, to provide attribution insights directly from iOS devices without compromising user-level data.

However, the reliance on MMPs presented its own set of challenges. MMPs primarily rely on aggregated insights, which can sometimes be speculative in terms of Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS). This 'black box' approach can leave ad-platforms like Snap with limited visibility into campaign performance.

To address these limitations and navigate the shifting landscape of user privacy, Snap has introduced App Conversion API (App CAPI) as a complementary solution to MMPs.

Snap's App Conversion API Unleashed

Snap's 'App Conversion API' or 'Advanced Conversions' establishes a secure S2S connection, allowing advertisers to transmit App events using hashed first-party data identifiers such as email, mobile, and name. This approach promises increased ROAS, improved targeting, and enhanced optimization, all while maintaining compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and Apple's ATT Framework.

In short, App CAPI is in-sync with Apple’s ATT Framework ensures you are honouring privacy measures and continuing to safeguard performance returns.

Impressive ROAS Gains

Success Stories

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    Enable First-Party Data in 15-Minutes!

    Gaurav Chhaparwal, Founder & CEO, Datahash, says: “First-Party Data is the only solution for marketers to use data-driven optimization in a privacy-first, cookie-less world. At Datahash, we help you achieve your first-party goals all in a few steps. We’ve built a robust first-party data platform, and continue to work closely with Snapchat to help advertisers safeguard their ROAS.”

    As a marketer, you have two options to get started with enabling first-party data. Either with a Direct or a Partner integration. If you choose to set up your infrastructure on your own – creating the required infrastructure for the collection and handling of this data can be an arduous task. This, in addition to the technical challenges that present itself, you might have to ensure you’re keeping privacy norms and requirements.  

    However, if you were to opt for a Partner Integration – there are provisions to simplify this process. Datahash allows you to set-up your first-party data activation with CAPI within minutes.