The Truth About the iOS14.3 Update 

I feel compelled to write this because I have built my business, Wicked Reports, and frankly, my life, about the truth.

On a webinar I did in the AdLeaks Platinum media buyer’s group in December, I predicted that as soon as the IOS 14 updates hit Facebook there would be a rush of charlatans and scammers offering a silver bullet solution to the issues currently facing Facebook media buyers.

You should know these five simple facts about the tracking changes:

1. There is NO way to show Facebook conversions inside of Facebook ad manager if a person opts out of IOS 14 tracking (this includes the Conversion API).
2. Facebook measurement of results, without IOS 14 users that opt out of tracking, will show reduced ROI. Again, Facebook Conversion API DOES NOT FIX THIS.
3. Facebook measurement of results, with an attribution window that shrinks from 28 days to 7 days, will show reduced ROI.
4. Facebook’s decision to “prioritize the highest value event” will cause top of funnel Facebook ads to struggle to optimize.
5. (this one has always been a huge issue) – Facebook measurement does not have a basic understanding of customer lifetime value.

Let’s talk about the 1st silver bullet people are going to offer – the Conversion API.

Wicked Reports is a Facebook conversion partner.

We have been out at Menlo Park where Facebook gave us access to the Conversion API, back when it was called Server to Server. I have had long video discussion with the engineer leading the Shopify Conversion API integration to Facebook.

Let me make this as clear as possible, based on numerous conversations directly with Facebook: The Conversions API does NOT provide a workaround to the IOS14 Tracking opt out.

Wicked Reports has a lead-based conversion API coming out in 2 weeks, so I wish the answer was different! But it’s not.

If you are running Shopify, you can turn on the sales-based conversion API with a few clicks. But then a puzzling thing will happen. When you compare your Shopify sales conversions, they will not match the Facebook conversions.

Why is that?

Shopify and Facebook have incredible software engineers, how could they not figure this out? Some random guy on the internet can code better than them?

No, it’s not that Shopify & Facebook couldn’t figure it out.

It’s that the Apple rules are not allowing Facebook to show the conversions.

Even though the conversions were sent directly from Shopify, there is NO WAY to show these conversions if the conversion happened on IOS 14 and the user opted out!

Anyone that tells you differently does not understand or is not telling the truth.

As for Wicked Reports, we can continue to have 28-day attribution click windows, and customer lifetime value, all completely legal and above board.

We are delivering a lead Conversion API for Facebook to help your Facebook ad accounts, in a way that correctly de-dupes the conversions (ask anyone wiring up this API, you gotta de-dupe to remove duplicate data!).

But it won’t solve the iOS issues – and as a company that is dedicated to being a source of truth, I felt you needed to know this before you waste your time & money on someone that claims to have a silver bullet.

So what to do?

Here is what I recommend:

1. Top of the funnel ads need to capture leads – you can’t count on the pixel to re-target as well as before.
2. You need a measurement solution that is honest in their data and their business dealings.
3. Optimizing ads based on top of the funnel conversions and customer lifetime value is a huge edge now – because most advertisers will be lost from the IOS14 changes and freaking out. If you have a way to do this, massive edge on the rest.
4. Get serious on Google ads, their discovery ads and Google audience targeting allows you to take your best performing social ads and use Google at top of the funnel more effectively.
5. Use Google’s Offline Conversion tracking GCLID capture to optimize and scale that channel.
6. Pinterest (& sometimes Snap) is driving some solid ecom top of funnel ROI for some brands.
7. Don’t buy silver bullets. They only kill vampires and werewolves, not Apple IOS updates.

If you are worried about the IOS14 update, you can book a free Wicked Reports consultation here and get honest answers about what to expect and how to maintain your ROI.

Take it easy,

Scott Desgrosseilliers

Wicked Reports