Worried about Apple’s iOS 14 update and its impact on real estate ads?
Don’t be! We’ve put together all the facts. After reading this article, you’ll have everything you need to know about the update, so you can continue to run effective real estate Facebook ads.
What Is Apple’s iOS 14 Update?
First, let’s talk about what this update is. What’s causing such a stir in the world of digital advertising?
Apple’s iOS 14 update includes a pop up that asks users if they’d like to opt out of tracking for advertising purposes. Why? While Apple insists that the update is about respecting consumer’s data privacy, many experts believe the tech giant has other motives. The truth is, no one knows for sure.
How Will iOS 14 Updates Affect Real Estate Ads?
For Facebook and Instagram users who’ve opted out of tracking through the iOS 14 update, they will still see ads, though they will be less relevant and helpful.
Business owners like agents and brokers who rely on Facebook ads for real estate buyers and sellers could potentially see an increase in cost when using paid social media advertising, though this depends on a number of factors.
No one will know the true impact of the iOS 14 update until it has been live for some time, and the size of the impact will depend on the number of people who opt out of tracking.
Currently, 40-50% of website traffic comes from Apple devices. From what we understand, Facebook reps are anticipating a 10-20% opt out rate, though many experts are fearing it will be much higher.
It’s important to understand that this is not the end of Facebook advertising, and Facebook real estate ads will still be a lucrative real estate marketing strategy in 2021, and here’s why:
- Apple users who opt out of tracking will still be trackable to a certain degree, though it will be limited compared to what was allowed.
- Not all Apple users will opt out of tracking.
- Android users most likely still account for at least half of your audience.
- Digital advertising (iOS 14 update available now or not) is still driven by AI. Therefore, it provides a much higher return on investment than traditional advertising practices.
Ultimately, your real estates ads on Facebook should still work just fine, especially if you understand the changes Facebook has made in response to the iOS 14 update.
When Is the iOS 14 Update Release Date?
The iOS 14 update has already been released, though there seems to be inconsistencies as to when Apple users are receiving the pop up. It will likely be some time before we understand how many users are really opting out.
However, Facebook has released its own updates, which have been live since January. It is wise to make changes to your real estate ads to accommodate these changes sooner than later.
Facebook’s Response to the iOS 14 Updates
Attribution Window Decreased
One of the biggest changes to your real estate Facebook ads is going to be underreporting. This means, and maybe you’ve noticed it already, that you won’t be seeing as many leads as usual in your Facebook ads manager.
Previously, Facebook used a 28-day view, and 7-day click attribution window by default. Now, the only option is a 7-day view and 1-day click.
What does this mean? For example, if someone becomes a lead because of an ad they saw 10 days ago, it’ll no longer be attributed to that ad. This is because the ad view falls outside of the attribution window, which is only 7 days.
So, you might not really be getting less leads because of Facebook real estate ads, but Facebook is no longer showing the full picture. The fix? While there isn’t much you can do to combat this, it’s important to stay focused on your overall business performance and lead generation, not just what Facebook shows.
Delays in Ad Campaign Performance Reporting
The next thing you may be noticing with your real estate ads is that Facebook is no longer reporting ad campaign data in real time. Since Facebook’s updates, there can be delays in reporting by up to 72 hours.
Don’t worry: the data will show up eventually. But it’s critical for anyone running real estate ads to understand that changes to ads cannot be made as frequently. In order to see the full impact of a change, it is best to wait 72 hours for Facebook to collect data. Now, with delays in reporting, advertisers must wait an additional 72 hours for that data to actually be displayed. Essentially, you should wait roughly 6 days in between making changes to ads.
Domain Verification Required for Conversion Campaigns
The entire point of running real estate ads is typically to send traffic off of Facebook to your website to get users to take a specific action, which is usually to contact you. This is known as a conversion campaign. Facebook’s update is requiring any advertiser who wants to use conversion campaigns to verify their domain first.
This is a short process that can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to complete. The quickest way to do it is by dropping a bit of code (a meta tag) into the header of your website. You can also alter your DNS records or the code in your website’s files.
Custom Events and Audiences Being Now Limited
The biggest adjustment to real estate Facebook ads will be in conversion campaigns. Specifically, custom events and custom audiences.
As we mentioned, a conversion campaign means that you’re sending users off of Facebook to take a specific action on your website, such as contacting you. You can track your website visitors actions and have Facebook record them as custom events. An example of this is calling everyone who clicks a particular button a “lead.” You can then create a custom audience based on website visitors who take this action and choose to send them retargeting ads.
In the past, advertisers could create and track as many custom events as they wanted to. Now, due to the iOS 14 update, you will only be allowed to set up 8 custom events. In addition, you’ll have to rank these events in order of importance. Apple users who allow tracking will be tracked for all 8 events. However, Apple users who opt out of tracking will only be tracked for your #1 ranked event.
This means that Facebook will be underreporting certain conversions. It also means that custom audiences will not populate as quickly if they’re based on custom events that aren’t your #1 event.
It’s important to keep in mind that this limitation on tracking only applies to actions taken on your website. Actions taken within the Facebook app are still being reported.
See also: Facebook Marketing for Real Estate Agents: 6 Tips
What Can You Do to Create Effective Real Estate Facebook Ads?
Here are some things you can do to make the most out of your Facebook ads for real estate in 2021:
- Amp up your own tracking methods! Use UTM codes and third-party analytics (such as Google Analytics) to understand your website traffic.
- Use Facebook ads to support other real estate marketing efforts, such as email marketing. By offering a free guide or webinar in exchange for an email address, you can grow your email list quickly.
- Use your email list to create a custom “look-a-like” audience in Facebook to send ads to. This is the best custom audience you can create, and it is unaffected by the iOS 14 update.
Are Facebook Real Estate Ads Still Good For Lead Generation?
Yes! The future of Facebook real estate advertising is still bright. Using Facebook real estate ads is still one of the most effective ways to generate leads for your real estate business on autopilot.
Real estate professionals who can benefit from this strategy include (but are not limited to):
- Real estate investors
- Real estate agents
- Property managers
The biggest challenge moving forward with Facebook advertising lies in being more creative in your advertising strategy due to the new restrictions. It’s also likely to be more difficult to understand the data you’re collecting. For this reason, it could be advisable for real estate professionals who rely on consistent lead generation to work with an agency to ensure the best results.
Related: 7 Real Estate Marketing Trends to Expect in 2021
Facebook real estate ads are only one tool in your kit. Click here to learn how to use Mashvisor’s tools to earn money in real estate.