Advertising ID Best Practices for a Cookieless Future

As we navigate the cookieless future, it's essential to understand how to effectively use advertising IDs. A key concept is that advertising IDs are not the same as personal identifiers, and they don't require explicit consent.

In fact, many countries have implemented laws that exempt advertising IDs from consent requirements. For example, the US has the CCPA, while the EU has the GDPR.

To ensure compliance, it's crucial to use advertising IDs in a way that respects users' privacy. This includes providing clear and transparent information about how advertising IDs are used.

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Advertising IDs are assigned to individual users by platform, device, or app to support targeted advertising.

In 2002, 4A's and ANA created a system to systemize the labeling of linear TV spots, marking the beginning of advertising identifiers.

Unique identifiers are assigned to individual users, which are connected to user accounts or devices.

Advertising identifiers recognize behavior and preferences without relying on cross-site tracking, making them a valuable alternative to third-party cookies.

Third-party cookies track users across websites, whereas Ad IDs are more device-centric.

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The Google Play Developer Program Policy requires that all updates and new apps use the advertising ID in place of other device identifiers for advertising purposes.

You're responsible for ensuring your apps comply with policies regarding the advertising ID's usage, as well as all Play policies.

Apps that use a persistent ID other than the advertising ID may receive a policy violation warning via the publisher site or email address used to register the account.

If you receive a warning, you should ensure any published APKs comply with the advertising ID related guidance in the Developer Program Policy.

If you're using a third-party ad SDK, contact the SDK maker to obtain a new version that complies with this new policy.

Persistent identifiers are still available for various supported use cases unrelated to advertising.

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The OneTrust SDK can help applications measure the opt in / out rates of the Google Advertising ID permissions, providing publishers with analytics and insights on user ad-based preferences over time.

This process happens automatically during the OneTrust SDK's startSDK() flow, which uses the isLimitAdTrackingEnabled() public method on the AdvertisingIdClient.Info class to compute the opt in / out metric.

If permission has changed, the SDK will log this Opt In / Opt Out to the OneTrust server, while skipping this step if permission is unchanged.

Here's a breakdown of the information logged to OneTrust when the Google Advertising ID permission changes:

Timestamp: The moment the OneTrust SDK became aware of the change based on the app calling startSDK().

The OneTrust SDK can help applications measure the opt in / out rates of the Google Advertising ID permissions, giving publishers valuable insights into how users manage their ad-based preferences.

To measure sign-ups and sign-offs, you need to initialize the OneTrust SDK to become aware of consent changes for the Google Advertising ID permission. This happens automatically during the OneTrust SDK's startSDK() flow.

If permission has changed, the SDK will log this Opt In / Opt Out to the OneTrust server, providing a clear record of user consent changes. If permission is unchanged, the SDK will skip this step and continue with other tasks.

The OneTrust SDK uses the isLimitAdTrackingEnabled() public method on the AdvertisingIdClient.Info class to compute the opt in / out metric, making it easy to track user consent changes.

Here are some key facts to keep in mind:

By measuring sign-ups and sign-offs, you can gain a deeper understanding of how users interact with your app and make informed decisions about your marketing strategy.

The GAID, or Android advertising ID, was introduced to replace cookies in mobile advertising on Android devices, just like the IDFA did on iOS devices.

Marketers use it to connect app installs or purchases to specific anonymous individuals.

This ID is semi-permanent, meaning it doesn't change unless users take a specific action in their device settings, which only about 5% of consumers in the US actually do.

As a result, Android advertising IDs can provide a stable foundation for building a persistent and anonymized consumer profile based on ad interaction data.

Get the most out of your measurement and tracking efforts by setting clear goals.

Understanding what you're measuring is crucial, and it's essential to define your metrics carefully, as seen in the "Choose Your Metrics" section, where it's mentioned that metrics should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

A well-defined goal can help you focus on what matters, and it's also important to track your progress regularly. Regular tracking can help you identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions, as explained in the "Track Your Progress" section, where it's stated that tracking should be done at regular intervals, such as daily, weekly, or monthly.

Having the right tools in place can make a big difference, and some tools are more effective than others. The "Select Your Tools" section highlights the importance of choosing tools that fit your needs and goals.

By following these steps, you can get the most out of your measurement and tracking efforts and achieve your goals.

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To configure and integrate the Advertising ID, you'll need to start by enabling the Google Advertising ID measurement setting on the Geolocation Rule for your Android app on the OneTrust tenant. This involves following the step-by-step guide in the OneTrust documentation, known as the myOT guide.

To use the OneTrust SDK, you'll also need to initialize it to measure consent changes for the Google Advertising ID permission. This happens automatically during the startSDK() flow, which logs any changes to the OneTrust server for measurement and reporting.

The OneTrust SDK uses the isLimitAdTrackingEnabled() method to compute the opt-in or opt-out metric. You can also use this method to check the status of the permission at any time.

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To configure OneTrust settings, you'll need to enable the Google Advertising ID measurement setting on the Geolocation Rule for your Android app on the OneTrust tenant.

The first step is to follow the step-by-step guide in the myOT guide to set up and publish the OneTrust SDK.

This will ensure that the OneTrust SDK adheres to the required behavior.

To add the Google Mobile Ads SDK to your project, you'll need to include the ads-identifier dependency. If your app is already using this dependency, you can skip this step.

The version of this dependency is subject to change, so be sure to include the latest version that suits your application. As of the time of writing, the latest version is 18.0.1.

If you're already using the Google Mobile Ads SDK dependency, you're good to go.

To initialize the OneTrust SDK for consent tracking, you need to enable the Google Advertising ID measurement setting on the Geolocation Rule for your Android app on the OneTrust tenant. This is a crucial step that allows the SDK to measure consent changes for the Google Advertising ID permission.

The OneTrust SDK will automatically log consent changes to the OneTrust server during its startSDK() flow. If permission has changed, the SDK will log this Opt In / Opt Out to the OneTrust server, while skipping this step if permission is unchanged.

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The SDK uses the isLimitAdTrackingEnabled() public method on the AdvertisingIdClient.Info class to compute the opt in / out metric. This method can also be used by app developers to check the status of the permission at any time.

Here's a summary of the key steps involved in initializing the OneTrust SDK for consent tracking:

Advertising IDs can be a powerful tool for marketers, but they also come with some challenges and considerations. Marketers need to handle user data carefully, ensure compliance, and protect personal identifying information like location, email addresses, and phone numbers.

The alternative to third-party cookies, Ad IDs, still need to be standardized, leaving some limitations on partnerships and data consolidation. This can make it harder for advertisers to get a clear picture of their ad performance.

However, Ad IDs are more overtly dependent on user consent than third-party cookies. Consumers can disable IDs and opt out of ads, which is easier now than in the past. This means advertisers need to be transparent with users about how their data is being used.

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Here are some key considerations for Ad IDs:

With the benefits of Ad IDs in mind, it's essential to consider the challenges and limitations that come with using them.

Marketers need to handle user data carefully, ensure compliance, and protect the personal identifying information that Ad IDs collect, such as location, email addresses, and phone numbers.

One of the significant challenges is the lack of standardization in alternative IDs, which can limit partnerships and data consolidation. This means that marketers need to adapt to different ID systems and processes, which can be time-consuming and inefficient.

Consumers can disable IDs and opt out of ads, making it easier for them to control their data and experience. While this is a positive development, it also means that marketers need to find alternative ways to target and engage with their audience.

To overcome these challenges, the industry needs to work together to establish agreed-upon processes and standards for Ad ID usage. This will require communication, collaboration, and a willingness to adapt to changing regulations and consumer behaviors.

Here are some key considerations for marketers when using Ad IDs:

The OneTrust SDK can automatically log consent changes to the OneTrust server for measurement and reporting. This happens during the OneTrust SDK's startSDK() flow.

If permission has changed, the SDK will log this Opt In / Opt Out to the OneTrust server. If permission is un-changed, the SDK will skip this step and continue other steps.

The OneTrust SDK uses the isLimitAdTrackingEnabled() public method on the AdvertisingIdClient.Info class to compute the opt in / out metric. This method can also be used by app developers to check the status of the permission at any time.

The OneTrust SDK will log a consent to OneTrust tenant that includes: