Apple recently announced new privacy and security measures that impact digital marketing. “Link Tracking Protection in Messages, Mail, and Safari Private Browsing” may be previewed soon, but the full release of iOS 17 could happen in September to coincide with the launch of the iPhone 15.
Apple describes link tracking protection on its website:
Some websites add additional information to URLs to track users across other websites. Going forward, this information will be removed from links that users share in messages and emails, but the links will continue to work as expected. This information is also removed from Safari Private Browsing links.
Let's take a closer look at this.
tracking parameters Unique alphanumeric characters at the end of the URL. Analytics software reads these parameters and can learn more about the user who clicked on that link, where they clicked (source), the campaign they responded to, their behavior, and more.
Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) is a standard tracking parameter. Google Analytics supports these by default. Common UTM parameters are:
- sauce (utm_source) Identify the source of the traffic.
- Moderate (utm_medium) identifies the type of traffic, such as email, search, or advertising.
- Exercise (utm_campaign) identifies a specific marketing campaign.
- Content (utm_content) is useful for A/B testing.
Below is a URL with UTM parameters before link tracking protection.
https://practicalecommerce.com/more_info?utm_source=cvemail&utm_medium=cvemail_prospect&utm_campaign=cv_campaign1
And this is what it looks like after link tracking protection.
https://practicalecommerce.com/more_info
The link will still work, but Apple will remove the tracking parameters.
Impact on consumers
Protection from link tracking. When users share a link in email or Messages, or use Safari's private browsing mode, Apple automatically removes tracking information from the URL. Apple explains it in this video.
Improved privacy. With the latest Safari 17, Apple added privacy features to Private Browsing mode. These include:
- Block known trackers and fingerprinting techniques,
- Mitigates trackers that map subdomains to third-party IP addresses.
- Block known tracking query parameters in links.
- Introducing “noise” to the API “fingerprint”,
- Provides console log messages when blocking requests.
Implications for marketers
Marketers are understandably concerned about the impact of link privacy protection on email campaigns and digital tracking.
Several colleagues in the industry tested the impact on email service providers' internal tracking methods, which may depend on parameters.
For example, LPP breaks Marketo's “View Web Page” feature. mkt_tok Parameter. Similarly, Eloqua applies tracking scripts to property destinations. LPP will defeat that too.
Apparently Apple has QUERY_PARAM.wplist A file containing a list of URL parameters to remove. PrivacyTests.org provided the files to some industry stakeholders.
Steve Atkins is the co-founder of email consultancy Words to the Wise. His tests have confirmed that many parameters have been removed.
Privacy and performance
Apple's new privacy and security measures, including link tracking protection, impact digital marketing. While this change is laudable from a user privacy perspective, marketers will need to adjust. Start by understanding how your email service provider tracks clicks. Indeed, some ESPs are parameter independent. Either way, balancing user privacy and marketing performance is, and will continue to be, paramount.
