Explained: How iOS 14 Privacy Changes Will Impact Facebook Ads and How You Can Still Optimise Paid Ad Performance

Facebook and Apple are in a bitter dispute over upcoming changes to iOS 14. These changes will impact how Facebook receives and processes conversion events.

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The core change:

• Apple will prohibit apps from tracking user data by default.
• Users must explicitly "opt-in" to authorize data sharing.
• Facebook claims the prompt will discourage users from opting in.
• This will limit ad personalisation and performance reporting for both web and app conversions.

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Privacy is a top priority for the public, but it makes Facebook marketing increasingly difficult. The news feed is cluttered, and the algorithm prioritises friends and family over businesses. Mastering ads is now crucial to avoid losing reach.

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While some brands like Bottega Veneta have left the platform, Facebook remains powerful. Compared to other channels, it offers:

• The largest global audience.
• Cost-effective ad spend.
• Higher average conversion rates.

Expert tips to optimise Facebook Ad performance in the iOS 14 world

Our experts at CINNOX have identified three key strategies to maintain high ROI despite these restrictions.

Tip 1 – Connect your ad to Messenger for conversational marketing and recapture your data

Conversational marketing converts traffic into customers through real-time dialogue. Connecting ads to Messenger allows you to "recapture" your data.

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How it works:

• Engage users with skilled sales staff or chatbots.
• Guide customers along the purchase journey directly.
• Collect valuable insights that Facebook normally wouldn't share.
• Ownership: Add this data to your CRM so you have more info than Facebook.
• Direct Follow-up: Ask for phone numbers to send SMS or WhatsApp messages.
• Personalisation: Use the data for anniversary or hobby-based campaigns without relying on an intermediary.

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Bonus tip: You can also connect Facebook Ads directly to WhatsApp using a WhatsApp Business profile.

Tip 2 – Leverage the lookalike audience feature

iOS 14 mostly affects features managed via the Facebook Pixel. Since the Pixel is weakened, focus on the "lookalike audience" feature.

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Key strategies:

• Target people who "like" or "follow" groups similar to your audience.
• Use Facebook’s algorithm to find public data characteristics that match your successful campaigns.
• Monitoring: Lookalike groups are larger than your source group and require regular testing.
• Training: Help the algorithm learn so it can grow your business more effectively.

Tip 3 – Optimise Facebook ads with CINNOX

CINNOX unifies Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat, Live Chat, SMS, and Virtual Numbers into one platform. This helps you in four specific ways:

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1. Get more omnichannel customer data

‍• Centralise every interaction into a single "chatroom" for each individual customer.

• Bridge histories across Facebook, mobile calls, and website live chats.

• Access "visitor intelligence" to see data like location, device, and language.

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2. Use CINNOX web links to increase engagement

‍• Include CINNOX web links in your ad text as an extra engagement avenue.

• Enable instant web calls, video calls, or screen sharing.

• Create a more seamless and rich communication flow for the user.

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3. Build more efficient and satisfying experiences

‍• Smart Routing: Connect enquiries to staff based on language, location, or skill set.

• Sticky Routing: Ensure returning customers talk to the same agent who helped them before.

• Staff Collaboration: Use internal video conferencing and chat transfers within one dashboard instead of swapping between apps.

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4. Follow up on preferred channels

‍• Ask customers for their preferred communication method during chats.

• Use the CINNOX SMS campaign manager to send personalised or mass messages.

• Transition customers from Facebook to more direct, owned channels.