Apple automatically removes click IDs in Safari on iOS 18 – What does this mean for your tracking?
Apple is taking a major step in iOS 18 by removing automatic click IDs such as gclid, fbclid and others used to track user behaviour through Safari browsers. This means that data normally used to track how users interact with your ads is now being lost, causing a range of problems.
The key consequences include:
- Gap in tracking and reporting: Without click IDs, you lose important information about how users interact with your ads. This creates a gap in your data, making it difficult to measure ad performance accurately.
- Poor campaign optimisation: When you cannot assign click IDs correctly, your campaigns will not be optimised effectively. This means your ad spend is not being used optimally.
- Risk of higher ad costs: If tracking is inaccurate, it can lead to higher costs because platforms do not receive the necessary data to optimise your ads correctly.
The solution: Stape sGTM
Stape sGTM (Server-Side Google Tag Manager) is the ideal solution for ensuring stable tracking and correct attribution at a time when browser restrictions are becoming increasingly strict. With server-side tracking via Stape, you gain several advantages that can future-proof your data quality and reduce the risk of higher ad costs.
How Stape sGTM solves the problem:
- Restoring click IDs and ensuring correct attribution: By running tracking via server-side Google Tag Manager through Stape, you can restore the lost click IDs and ensure that attribution to your campaigns is correct. This means you can continue to track your ads accurately.
- Run tracking via your own domain: With server-side tracking, you run tracking via your own domain, reducing the risk of your tags being blocked by browsers or third-party cookies.
- Better data quality for Google Ads and Meta: With Stape sGTM, you get improved data quality that can be used to optimise your Google Ads and Meta campaigns. This ensures your campaigns are more effective and deliver better results.
- Future-proof tracking against upcoming browser restrictions: As more and more browsers implement restrictions on cookies and tracking, server-side tracking is a future-proof solution that protects your tracking in the long term.
Summary
- Problem: Apple removes data = more expensive ads.
- Consequence: Customers lose oversight and performance due to lost data.
- Solution: Stape sGTM ensures stable tracking, better results and lower risk of tag blocking. With server-side tracking, you can maintain accurate data, ensure correct attribution and optimise your campaigns more effectively.
Server-side tracking via Stape sGTM gives you the stability you need at a time of increasing restrictions on tracking data. By implementing this solution, you can ensure your campaigns continue to deliver the desired value and avoid unnecessary costs. If you would like to learn more about how Stape sGTM can help improve your tracking results, please do not hesitate to contact us.
