Link tracking protection, which eliminates user-identifiable attributes from URLs while a user is surfing in private mode on Safari or using Apple's Mail or Messages, is the most concerning feature of iOS 17 for marketers.

This implies that from ad campaigns, marketers are unable to monitor users between platforms. Apple does not collect personal user information, but it does provide private click measurement and ad attribution.

How does iOS 17 work?

With iOS 17, a new feature called Link Tracking Protection eliminates user-identifiable tracking parameters from URLs when a user uses Apple Mail or Messages, or browses in private mode on Safari. 

Influence of Tailored Advertising

Although iOS 17 has brought about new prospects for tailored advertising, there are drawbacks as well. The access that advertisers previously had has been entirely altered by the ATT framework that was previously discussed. The level of precision that marketers could previously get with carefully crafted targeted ads based on comprehensive user profiles from cross-app and cross-site tracking has also been affected by this limitation. As a result, tailored advertising has changed and might now be less customized than it was in the past.

For marketers, though, this change isn't entirely bad news. There is a comeback of contextual advertising despite its limitations. This implies that matching advertisements to the content a person is watching will take precedence over targeting them based on historical user activity.

Shifts in User Engagement and Email Marketing

Significant changes to email marketing are brought about by iOS 17, which forces marketers to reconsider their approaches and modify their campaigns to fit a new paradigm of user involvement. Here are a few things to remember:

Email Open Rate Transparency: Among the most significant updates, iOS 17 added a new function that keeps marketers from being able to determine when an email is opened. Open rates are a fundamental key performance indicator (KPI) in email marketing, and this privacy modification has fundamentally altered and upset how email marketers measure things like campaign efficacy.

Establishing Authenticity and Trust: iOS 17's privacy-focused design emphasizes how crucial it is to establish trust with email recipients. Authentic content that connects with the audience and open communication about data usage are more important than ever for email marketing success.

Differential Measures of Engagement: Marketers are investigating additional indicators that could be useful in gauging the success of email campaigns in light of the changes. Metrics such as email click-through rates (CTRs), time spent reading the message, and post-click website interaction, for instance, are becoming more significant as markers of user involvement and campaign efficacy.

User Experience and App Optimization Are Important

The improvements we covered in this post have made a greater impact on app performance and user experience (UX). More specifically, users demand a fast and flawless app experience in an App Store flooded with options, which makes optimized performance an essential component of app development.

The total user experience—which includes usability, design, and functionality—is more crucial than ever in addition to performance. Because iOS 17 places a strong emphasis on the user, apps need to have user-friendly interfaces and compelling content in order to draw in and keep users. The secret to standing out and retaining users in the face of these upgrades taking primacy in marketing efforts is striking a balance between app optimization and providing an outstanding user experience.

Making the Most of Apple's New Privacy Features to Succeed in Digital Marketing

Even if iOS 17 seems to have made all of the changes, there are a lot of opportunities for digital marketers to take advantage of them. Apple's new privacy features aren't only obstacles to overcome; they're also opportunities for creativity and increased audience trust. Understanding and adopting Apple's privacy-first policy will help you rethink your online marketing tactics and make them more interesting and successful.