iOS 26 attribution model: what’s happening + what you can do
Apple just released its newest update, iOS 26. it comes with new visual features like liquid glass + a more streamlined approach to how the photos app is organized (thank goodness), but there’s some sneakier stuff happening bts. they’re changing their attribution model in the name of better protecting their users’ privacy. this sounds like a win for the consumer, but is it a loss for digital marketing?
it’s already difficult (not impossible) to follow your lead from origin to form fill; what happens now that Apple has added these privacy features?
tracking now
we already mentioned it’s hard enough as is to track the user journey. let’s break down the complicated process with an example.
for one of our senior living clients, we track user activity through analytics + their virtual sales assistant. then we import that data into their CMS + typically see a huge drop off from legitimate lead sources to a change based on what platform they’ve used to interact with us. for example, someone who comes to the website through SEO (a google/bing/etc. search) + fills out a chat form will end up in their CMS as a ‘chat’ lead, not an ‘SEO’ lead.
yeah, pretty unhelpful.
the basics of the update
Apple’s updated attribution model strips platform specific click IDs from any link clicked in Apple mail, messages + private browsing on safari, with opt in for normal safari. this link tracking protection helps protect user privacy, but it makes it harder for marketers to tell where traffic is coming from + which campaigns are driving conversions. in your metrics, you’ll see more unattributed traffic with no info about how they got to your site.
changes are coming to your text messages, too. once you update, there will be a new section in your inbox just for messages from unknown numbers + Apple will automatically block links from suspected spam. what does this mean for marketers who send texts to customers? you better make sure they’ve opted into messaging + you’re in their contact list.
they’re also implementing intelligent tracking prevention. many marketers rely on fingerprint ID across devices to better track the user journey. not anymore. say goodbye to unique device identifiers + traditional behavioral targeting. not gonna work anymore.
impact
so what does this mean for digital marketing? is it over? dead? should we return to physical mailpieces? we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out. one thing is for sure, though, with less information about the user, there’ll be less targeted ads. maybe you think that’s great because it creeps you out. we totally get that (and kind of agree?), but you’re not going to see less ads because of these changes – you’ll just see less ads that are relevant to you.
what can ya do
prioritize first-party, server-side tracking. focus on the things that are still in your control, like website speed, to make sure you’re not losing on-site traffic because users are leaving fast due to performance issues. keep an eye out for new updates. something is always changing.
