Over the last few decade business owners have been benefiting from Facebooks unique ability to track and influence who sees your Facebooks ads based on website interests. So if someone landed on the B&Q website, they would get classed as having an interest in DIY which would then allow you to create an advert and target them, intently to get them interested in your product or service.

Diverting someone else audience is common place through carefully crafted advertising techniques. Using this method business owners are also able to retarget those that had visited their website with follow up ads giving more information or that final push to buy.

This is what’s changing. 

In early 2021 Apple will introduce a new data opt in/out option as part of iOS 14 which all apps must comply with. All apps must automatically opt out of tracking data so to not share it with Facebook, apps such as Google, Safari, Sky News, and even Candy Crush. They will be allowed to give an option to turn tracking back on but with consumers kicking back about how their data gets used I don’t feel many will opt back in.

So will this remove ads from your feed?

One thing that needs to be clear is that this will not reduce the number of ads you see. I feel some will think it will and be confused when Facebook continues to show an ad every third post. What this does mean is that the ads you’ll see as a Facebook consumer will be less targeted. So instead of seeing holiday adverts after visiting Tui.com, you might continue to see adverts on Ugg Boots. The ads you see will be even more random compared to your interest.

What does this mean as business wanting to advertise?

As a business owner it means that running a successful Facebook ad just got more difficult. Trying to figure out where your audience hangs out online isn’t going to be as clear as it used to be and because of that I feel most small business owners will turn away from Facebook advertising.

This though is great for you as a decorator trying to market within your local area. Typically, less competition usually means cheaper Facebook ads, and even though it will be harder to target the right audience it’s about finding the right way to adapt. Over the next 12 months we’ll be sharing that information into our two groups, The Marketing Mindset for Decorators, and The Decorators Growth Club. Helping you maximise the most from Facebook ads, adapt to changes and stay ahead of your competitors.

What can you we do now?

One thing that will not change is the rise of social media, and the amount of people using Facebook’s own platforms, which includes Facebook, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp, so don’t go and disappear just yet.

Image Source: Statista

Even though Apple is making a stance against data sharing either to benefit its consumers or to stifle competition, Facebook will still be able to track and target its own 2.6 billion active monthly users. So build your Facebook business page following as quick as you can. Use groups, posting and commenting to those you feel are your target marketing; and run Facebook ads over the next 3 months before Apple takes a huge slice out of Facebooks cake. Go get those likes.

Additionally join the groups I’ve already mentioned and take advantage of the advice and guidance I’ll be giving to get around the changes being enforced by Apple.