There’s been a lot of chatter about Apple’s privacy updates for their recently released iOS 17, mainly on how, if at all, it will impact advertisers. To help your brand prepare for this launch, MikMak is here to break down what’s included in the recent iOS 17 release and take a look at how MikMak is preparing for these changes.
What exactly is iOS 17?
Safari, Apple’s default internet browser, is the second most popular browser in the world. So understanding changes in its operating system and privacy features will always be important. At MikMak we pride ourselves on not only developing eCommerce enablement and analytics software solutions to accelerate your business, but partnering with brands as eCommerce industry experts that can help navigate an always rapidly evolving industry.
So let’s break down what’s new in iOS 17:
1. Link Tracking Protection (LTP) is the feature creating the most buzz and questions. This new feature (currently in Beta, so subject to change) strips some (but not all) URL parameters in Safari when opening a link.- This feature occurs automatically if a user is in a private browsing session.
- Users can manually turn on this feature in default browsing in their settings
2. The URL parameters stripped belong to a select set of ClickIDs for companies like Google, HubSpot, and Facebook.
- UTM parameters, nor custom user ID parameters are expected to be affected by these updates.
Here's what MikMak thinks of iOS 17
To prepare for these updates MikMak has taken a broad approach to understanding the changes including conducting industry research, gaining feedback from technology partners, and testing MikMak in an iOS17 BETA environment. In short, our findings show that MikMak will be unaffected by these changes and our brand partners will be able to continue leveraging MikMak’s industry-leading eCommerce enablement and analytics software solutions as they do today.
Specifically, while nearly 50% of shoppers interacting with MikMak today did so through a Safari or WebKit environment, the ClickIDs being stripped won’t impact MikMak’s ability to provide insights on the shopper journey. We also anticipate continued international expansion to lessen the share of shoppers interacting with MikMak through Safari (which is less popular outside the US). Multiple tests in iOS 17 Beta environments, across multiple channels and platforms, confirmed our ability to continue providing the granular, comprehensive insights you’re accustomed to through MikMak.
iOS 17 and Digital Marketers
This is not the first time updates to Apple’s operating system have come with a specific focus on consumer privacy, and it won’t be the last. Apple even touts its commitment to privacy in its advertisements. Brands that remain flexible and embrace change can look at these changes as opportunities, as outlined in MikMak’s Consumer Driven Commerce: What Brands Need to Know about the Deprecation of Cookies guide.
MikMak is always looking forward and adapting to best practices to stay ahead of the curve. We will continue to collaborate with technology partners, conduct testing in beta environments and on new devices prior to key technology releases/updates, and share that insight with our clients so we’re confident and prepared for changes.
Preparation and testing for iOS 17 isn’t being done by anyone else in our industry (I looked, mums the word). If you want frictionless shopping experiences for your consumers, industry-best insights to improve marketing effectiveness, and hands-on industry experts to guide and accelerate your business, reach out to MikMak today.
