Apple Is Changing Mail Privacy Protection And Email Marketers Must Prepare

Earlier in June this year, Apple revealed that it is introducing new privacy protections in its iOS 15 update, stating that the update will include Mail Privacy Protection. With the introduction of this new update, Apple mail users will be able to hide their IP addresses, locations and additional data from senders. Apple noted that “Mail Privacy Protection stops senders from using invisible pixels to collect information about the user”.

This new development will mean an adjustment on the part of brands and email marketers. This is why:

After a marketing email has been sent to a particular user, brands and email marketers use what happens after the “send” button has been clicked to determine how to structure future emails; metrics and data gathered make this possible. This data gathered, is important because it can influence ad messaging and social media posts. Also, it serves as a guide for the content and product marketing team of the organization product. The result of this hawk-like monitoring will mean good ROI for email programs, raise marketing channels effectiveness, and improve workflow efficiency. By applying information from insights, capital spent on marketing and advertisement will be optimized, and business goals can be met accordingly.

Business success may sometimes depend on the success of an email marketing campaign, and this new policy to be introduced by Apple will be open to the large chunk of apple (device) email users, meaning that brands must find a way to adjust. As  Litmus Email Client Market Share reports in 2020, more than half of email opens were accounted for by Apple iPhone, Apple mail and Apple iPad. Can brands do away with this huge market percentage? Most likely not, as lacking these email insights will present marketing roadblocks.

In a survey conducted in 2021, more than half of the respondents were quite concerned about digital privacy. This Mail Privacy Protection policy is sure Apple’s way of responding to consumer concerns. Just like companies fear digital information breach, and are aware of the possible losses namely: reputation damage and revenue loss, so are consumers concerned.

In the end, email marketers and brands must find a way to make sure that the disappearance of this stage must not cost them their audience.