Apple iOS15’s Mail Privacy Protection feature to change email marketing strategies in 2021
Apple’s launch of iOS15 to bring a pivotal moment for email marketing as users have increased control over their data. The new feature – Mail Privacy Protection in the Mail app – is set to release in the coming year. Apple has committed to consumer privacy and is shown in this iOS update through the “Mail Privacy Protection” feature.
For many years, emails have been a driving metric for marketers in determining their most engaged contacts by tracking email open rates. According to Apple, “Mail Privacy Protection stops senders from using invisible pixels to collect information about the user”. Here is how Apple has given their users more control over their data:
Opt In/Out: Mail app users will be asked to accept or decline the Mail Privacy Protection.
Hidden IP Address: This feature will assign the user’s IP address to a general region rather than the user’s specific location.
Email Open Rates: Apple will download the contents of the email, at the time the email is sent. Therefore, the open rate will be set for the delivery time.
What does this mean for marketers and what is the impact on email marketing?
Marketers can no longer rely on open rates as an email marketing metric and will have to focus on clicks and conversions. This new feature will also change automated nurture cadences, email send time optimization and deliverability. Finally, marketers will have to adapt their marketing strategies as it will be more difficult to distinguish between engaged and unengaged contacts.
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Apple’s iOS15 update introduces Mail Privacy Protection, giving users more control over their data. This feature will hide IP addresses and pre-load email content, making email open rates unreliable for marketers.
As a result, marketers will need to shift focus from open rates to clicks and conversions, adapt their automated nurture strategies, and find new ways to determine user engagement. These changes mark a significant shift in email marketing practices, requiring marketers to adjust their strategies and metrics.