What is The iOS 15 Update, and How Will Affect Business?
I’m not sure about you, but I honestly can’t recall a time when my phone updated and I noticed much else besides a new addition of emojis. Not that the bigger things don’t matter, they absolutely do, it’s just that all of the technical language and software jargon can be hard to notice, much less understand. Apple’s most recent update has us all noticing this time though. We’ve broken down all that hard to understand tech talk into easy to digest information about what this new update (iOS 15) means for apple users and advertisers.
When Did The iOS 15 Update Take Effect
How Does Apple’s Update Affect Privacy
What Does Apple’s Update Mean for Small Businesses and Marketers
When Did The iOS 15 Update Take Effect?
This past June, Apple announced the details of their newest software update, known as the iOS 15 update, which was launched into effect this September. So far the update applies to all cellular devices and tablets using the iOS 15. This new update not only brings a fresh variety of our beloved emojis to the screen, but it also brings a variety of technical changes behind the screen. For example, many of the operating system centers got a facelift, to encourage users to focus on tasks more efficiently. Additionally, apps were allowed the opportunity for updates and fixes to optimize user ability. However, the big deal with the iOS 15 update that has everybody talking is the new and improved privacy feature. Now it’s certainly ‘new’, but whether or not it’s ‘improved’, we’ll let you decide for yourself. Nevertheless, no matter how you feel about the update, it does pose some undeniable challenges for marketers and small business owners.
How Does Apple’s Update Affect Privacy
According to Apple, iOS 15 gives you, “increased visibility in how apps access your data, protects you from unwanted data collection, and gives you more control over what you choose to share.” Essentially, the privacy settings on our devices were originally set to volunteer our data information as a default. The websites we visited, the nature of those sites, the items we entertained, or maybe clicked on, all of that type of information was tracked by default. That data was accessible to third parties by the ‘digital trail’ left, so to speak unless settings were manually changed. In short, data collecting was something you had to opt-out of. The iOS15 update has altered the default, making data collection something you now have to opt into instead.
Which all of that sounds pretty good, right? Well maybe to a certain extent, but there is another aspect to consider. To some, the idea of complete third-party privacy feels like shaking a stalker. However, to others, the algorithms and tracking provide helpful suggestions, more or less like a friend who knows you well. To each their own, although there is a third group of people affected by this that all pretty much feel the same, and that’s the third parties themselves.
What Does Apple’s Update Mean for Small Businesses and Marketers
Marketers and small businesses all had a little bit of a heart attack when the update was first announced. Not only would certain data metrics possibly skew, but ultimately the biggest attention-getter was email open rates. Typically, when an email marketing campaign is sent out, the sender can monitor consumer interaction by seeing how many of the emails sent were actually opened. By seeing who and how many people opened an email, marketers could track which emails had a higher/lower open rate, who was typically more likely to open certain types of emails, etc.
Immediately after the iOS update was launched, all emails sent to apple devices now forever automatically mark as open. Bringing open rate insights to a screeching halt in September of this year. Although we can appreciate Apple’s gesture to empower privacy among their users, research tells us that many users don’t feel like sharing their data imposes their privacy, but rather provides a more personalized experience.
- 83% of consumers are willing to share their data to create a more personalized experience. (Accenture)
- 76% of buyers expect more personalized attention from marketers to develop an intimate relationship with your brand. (Demand Gen Report 2020 Buyer Behavior Study)
- 80% of customers are more likely to make a purchase from a brand that provides personalized experiences. (Epsilon)
- 6 in 10 marketers report that boosting personalization in email is a priority. (Litmus 2020 State of Email, Fall Edition
Despite the fact that many people are willing to share their data with an informed sense of reassurance, the new default still throws marketers quite the curveball.
How to Navigate Email Marketing After the iOS 15 Update
Good marketers can be successful with all the right tools, but the best marketers can be successful without. Yeah, maybe things are a little more challenging in email marketing right now, but the best businesses will rise above them all. Challenges in marketing are always changing and evolving, getting bigger and more complex every day. This is where we as marketers and small businesses need to essentially do the same thing. These obstacles are really just opportunities to discover new and more brilliant tactics while getting bigger and better ourselves. Here are three ways we have outsmarted the email challenge of the iOS 15 update.
1. ENGAGEMENT
Engagement is the golden ticket to email marketing in the first place. It really doesn’t matter who opens your email, if they never click-through or pick up the phone. Spend more time mastering your call to action in order to provoke engagement through your email. Include a link for people to view details, a button to reveal the answer to a question, or a quick interactive survey.
2. CUSTOMIZATION
Take the time to inform your consumer base about your desire to only show them things they are interested in. Continually give them the opportunity to customize their exposure by giving you helpful feedback. Not only will this give you the ability to see who is willing to engage with you, but it will also help you provide them with a more valuable experience with your brand.
3. INCENTIVE
With reassurance, give your customers a reason to want to continue getting emails and ads from you. Periodically include an incentive by means of discount or exclusivity in some way. If there is an inherent sense of value in what you are sending, people will interact with that value to claim it. This will give you insight into who is actively interacting with your effort, and what motivates them.
Small businesses can’t do it all. This is why the easy access we had before to some of these metrics was such valuable help. The trackable data we lost helped to streamline the outreach process for busy owners, who have better things to do than troubleshoot software updates and email formats. As discussed above, it’s not impossible, but definitely challenging.
Trust your Brand with Spotted Fox Digital Marketing
Trust your Brand with Spotted Fox Digital Marketing
If you are a business looking to rise to the challenge of the ever-changing world of marketing but don’t have the time, we would love to help you. It is our passion to make sure that small businesses are always positioned with a cutting-edge ability to stay competitive and ahead of the challenge. We would love to hear about some of the challenges you’ve been facing in marketing and offer a solution to help. Call or email someone on our team today to schedule a free consultation.
