Apple's email privacy update, expected around September-November this year, will make it challenging for marketers to track open rates.
The iPhone maker recently said that the new mail update would mask users' IP addresses so that they are not linked to their other online activities or locations. As a result, email performance tracking, email testing, email lists cleaning, segmented or automated campaigns based on open rates and real-time personalisation will be affected.
A recent 2021 Pathwire study found that only 13.3% of respondents use the Mail app to open and read their personal emails. Other apps like Gmail, which the majority uses, would not be affected by Mail Privacy Protection.
Marketers, however, should look beyond open rates and find more creative yet privacy-focused solutions. They should monitor their reputation and leverage email validation tools to ensure the quality of email lists.
[8 minute read]
