In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, understanding and leveraging the latest technology can be the defining factor for a brand’s success. One such technological advancement that has quickly risen to prominence is Apple’s SKAdNetwork API. But what exactly is SKAdNetwork, and why is it becoming so crucial for brands worldwide? This blog aims to demystify this groundbreaking tool and highlight its potential significance for your brand.
What is SKAdNetwork used for?
SKAdNetwork, unveiled by Apple in 2018, is an API designed to provide a privacy-centric advertising measurement solution. Amidst increasing privacy concerns and stricter regulations, Apple has designed SKAdNetwork to help advertisers measure the success of their ad campaigns on iOS devices without compromising user privacy.
The SKAdNetwork operates on a unique principle. It allows app developers and advertisers to track and measure the success of a particular ad campaign, without gaining access to user-level data. Instead of providing granular insights, it only offers aggregated and anonymized data, thus maintaining user privacy.
In a nutshell, SKAdNetwork provides an overview of ad campaign performance* without exposing user-specific information, helping you strike a balance between effective ad measurement and user privacy.
*This only applies to brands in the iOS network that has an app. If you are on the web doing e-commerce you will need to see the article on Private Click Management (PCM), which is basically the same for the whole web.
The Importance of SKAdNetwork for Your Brand
Now that we’ve deciphered what SKAdNetwork is let’s delve into why it’s becoming increasingly important for your brand.
- User Privacy Preservation: With the growing awareness of digital privacy, customers have become more conscious of their online data. Apple’s introduction of App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature has further augmented this trend. SKAdNetwork allows brands to respect this shift towards privacy while still gleaning valuable insights about ad campaign performance.
- Future-Proofing Advertising Strategies: With tech giants like Apple taking significant steps towards privacy-centric models, it’s clear that this is the direction digital advertising is heading. Brands that adopt and understand these changes early will be at a significant advantage, effectively future-proofing their advertising strategies.
- Improved Transparency and Trust: By using SKAdNetwork and other privacy-respecting tools, brands demonstrate to their customers that they respect and prioritize privacy. This commitment builds trust, an invaluable asset in a world where consumer trust can directly influence brand loyalty and long-term success.
- Ensuring Compliance: Apple’s policy now requires apps to ask users for permission to track their data across apps and websites owned by other companies. Non-compliance could lead to removal from the App Store. Leveraging SKAdNetwork helps ensure compliance with these new policies, thus safeguarding your brand’s presence in the App Store.
Embracing the Change
The introduction of SKAdNetwork marks a significant shift in the digital advertising landscape. While it may initially seem like a hurdle to advertisers used to relying on user-level data, this change underscores a larger shift toward privacy in the tech industry. Brands that can adapt to these changes are likely to find themselves at an advantage, maintaining their advertising effectiveness while building trust with their customers.
FAQs
What is Private Click Measurement (PCM) and is it the same as SKAdNetwork?
No, SKAdNetwork and Private Click Measurement (PCM) are not the same. SKAdNetwork is a privacy-preserving framework for attribution and ad measurement on iOS devices. PCM is a privacy-preserving framework for attribution and ad measurement on web browsers. For more on PCM read this article.
Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between SKAdNetwork and PCM:
| Feature | SKAdNetwork | PCM |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | iOS | Web |
| Data privacy | Uses aggregated, non-personalized data | Uses encrypted, ephemeral data |
| Attribution | Tracks app installs and post-install conversions | Tracks click-through rates and conversions |
| Availability | Available on all iOS devices running iOS 14.5 or later | Available on Chrome and Safari |
Overall, SKAdNetwork and PCM are both privacy-preserving frameworks for attribution and ad measurement. However, they are designed for different platforms and have different capabilities.
Is the SKAdNetwork helpful for brands that don’t have an app?
SKAdNetwork is not directly helpful for brands that don’t have an app. However, there are a few ways that brands without an app can use SKAdNetwork indirectly.
- Brands can partner with other businesses that have apps and use SKAdNetwork. For example, a brand could partner with a retailer that has an app and use SKAdNetwork to track the effectiveness of its marketing campaigns on the retailer’s app.
- Brands can use SKAdNetwork data to create lookalike audiences. Lookalike audiences are groups of people who are similar to your existing customers. You can use SKAdNetwork data to create lookalike audiences for your app, even if you don’t have an app of your own.
- Brands can use SKAdNetwork data to improve their website analytics. SKAdNetwork data can be used to track the effectiveness of your website marketing campaigns. This data can be used to improve your website content, optimize your website for search engines, and track the effectiveness of your paid advertising campaigns.
Overall, SKAdNetwork is not a direct solution for brands without an app, but it can be used indirectly to improve marketing campaigns and website analytics.
How can I use the SKAdNetwork with Facebook Ads?
Facebook, as one of the major advertising networks, has been quick to adapt to the changes ushered in by Apple’s SKAdNetwork. The social media giant has made it possible for advertisers to keep running effective ad campaigns in a privacy-centric manner. Here’s how you can implement SKAdNetwork for your Facebook ads:
- Set up your SKAdNetwork conversion value schema. This schema tells Facebook/Meta how to interpret the data that SKAdNetwork sends. You can set up your schema through Facebook/Meta Events Manager, a Google-approved App Attribution Partner, or the Facebook/Meta Attribution API.
- Integrate your schema with Facebook/Meta Ads. Once you have set up your schema, you will need to integrate it with Facebook/Meta Ads. This will allow Facebook/Meta Ads to use the data from SKAdNetwork to optimize your campaigns.
- Configure your app for SKAdNetwork. Your app must be configured for SKAdNetwork in order to send data to Facebook/Meta Ads. You can find instructions on how to do this on the Apple Developer website.
- Track your conversions. Once your app is configured for SKAdNetwork, you can start tracking your conversions. You can do this by adding a conversion event to your app.
Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:
- Facebook/Meta Ads SKAdNetwork documentation
- Apple Developer SKAdNetwork documentation
- Singular SKAdNetwork integration guide for Facebook/Meta Ads
- Adjust SKAdNetwork integration guide for Facebook/Meta Ads
Facebook continues to provide updates and improvements to its SKAdNetwork integration, so it’s important to keep up-to-date with their documentation and adjust your strategies as needed. By effectively implementing SKAdNetwork in your Facebook ads, you can ensure that your campaigns remain effective while respecting user privacy.
How can I use the SKAdNetwork with Google Ads?
- Set up your SKAdNetwork conversion value schema. This schema tells Google Ads how to interpret the data that SKAdNetwork sends. You can set up your schema through Google Analytics 4, a Google-approved App Attribution Partner, or the Google Ads API.
- Integrate your schema with Google Ads. Once you have set up your schema, you will need to integrate it with Google Ads. This will allow Google Ads to use the data from SKAdNetwork to optimize your campaigns.
- Configure your app for SKAdNetwork. Your app must be configured for SKAdNetwork in order to send data to Google Ads. You can find instructions on how to do this on the Apple Developer website.
- Track your conversions. Once your app is configured for SKAdNetwork, you can start tracking your conversions. You can do this by adding a conversion event to your app.
Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:
- Google Ads SKAdNetwork documentation
- Apple Developer SKAdNetwork documentation
- Singular SKAdNetwork integration guide
- Adjust SKAdNetwork integration guide
In conclusion, SKAdNetwork, with its privacy-centric approach, is not just a tool; it is a harbinger of the future of digital advertising. By adopting SKAdNetwork, brands can demonstrate their commitment to privacy, build customer trust, and ultimately drive their growth in the new era of digital marketing. Embracing this tool today will help your brand navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape more effectively and sustainably.
