Apple has launched a new feature in the current, updated versions of IOS across all platforms that significantly affects the reporting of email and newsletter open rates, and possibly click through rates (CTR). Understanding the changes and impact will help you manage historical benchmarking and future expectations from this portion of your audience traffic segment.
Back in September 2021, Apple launched a software feature, Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), as an update for the Apple Mail App on iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey devices. This new feature stops email senders from using invisible tracking pixels to collect information about the user, and helps users prevent email senders from knowing when they open an email.
So the question remains, how is this affecting email campaigns?
The mail privacy feature actually “fakes” the open, thus prompting an increase in the open rate. What this means, is that if a user turns on this feature senders can no longer accurately report an “open” from someone who is using the Apple Mail App to view emails — and this affects anyone that sends an email (advertisers, manufacturers, product and service providers, B2B publications, etc.).
So how can a company combat the affect on perceived marketing ROI?
Partner with an established brand with a database that goes beyond just an email address. As more email apps copy Apple’s initiative, it is vital that campaigns rely less on opens and more on engagement. BUT, that isn’t news for AC Business Media. We’ve spent so much time and money developing our audience and our first-party data to go beyond just an email. So, while we will still use email metrics like sent, delivered and opened – they are just the tip of the iceberg.
And, that is okay. We get great engagement on our emails, and we have an audience that wants our content.
To learn more about MPP and its effect on perceived marketing ROI, here is a downloadable asset:
**A huge thank you to James Capo, Chief Operating Officer, at Omeda for supplying this insight for this downloadable asset. Omeda is the leading audience growth, engagement, and monetization platform built exclusively for professional content producers. Omeda provides a real-time, comprehensive view of your first-party data along with a full suite of audience tools bolstered by a best-in-class customer success team. Offering everything from subscription management and fulfillment, email and marketing automation, customer data platform and web modals, Omeda delivers deep business insights and analytics while also providing new, data-driven revenue opportunities.