June 6, 2019
We’re nearing the end of the spring season, which means one thing to many in the tech world: another collection of announcements and product unveiling at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). WWDC provides developers and consumers a glimpse into Apple’s future, serving as both a product unveiling and a platform for the tech giant to position itself against its Silicon Valley rivals
This year, we received some big news—including a shiny, new, cheese grater-esque Mac Pro machine, and, more importantly, confirmation that Apple is doubling down on its commitment to consumer privacy with a single sign-on (SSO) option of its own. You’ve no doubt already encountered opportunities to use SSO with your Google or Facebook credentials on popular apps and websites. The draw is simple: one set of credentials to save you the hassle of account sign ups and juggling passwords across the web.
Why Apple’s SSO Option Is Different
Apple’s proposed “Sign In With Apple” works much the same way as its Google and Facebook rivals, with one key difference: it creates a throwaway email addresses for users that redirect brand/marketing communications to their “real” inboxes. This means that when a brand sends an email to a user, the user still receives the email, but the brand doesn’t have the benefit of knowing the user’s true email address.
How Will Apple’s Privacy Push Benefit Publishers
Over the years, you’ve probably heard “content is king” echoed repeatedly at marketing conferences. In many cases, this boils down to digital marketers placing emphasis on email address and data collection rather than built-in audiences.
And there we have it. Publishers have something that many digital marketers neglected to foster all along—loyal audiences, and a treasure trove of relevant, well-written, and unique content that piques their interests.
As consumers clamor for privacy, marketers that have gone all-in on exchanging content for email addresses and tracking data will require a "plan B" as the goalposts change. And you, the publisher, already have the audience they desire. Use this upper hand wisely as negotiate your future ad sales and sponsorships, and you’ll have the opportunity to grow while many digital marketers will be forced to rethink their business strategies.
Why Would Brands and App Developers Use Apple’s Sign-In Feature?
Simply put, Apple is forcing adoption of its “Sign In With Apple” feature via its App Store. Apps within the App Store that use Google or Facebook SSO will be required to carry Apple’s version, too. This method of forced adoption guarantees that Apple SSO will be prevalent across many apps and high-profile websites sooner rather than later.
Publishers, It’s Your Move
Advertising and content have been growing and changing together since long before the advent of the internet, and that won’t stop anytime soon. But the announcement of Apple’s SSO is one event that promises to accelerate change within a short time span.
One thing is certain in this moment: publishers will see a unique opportunity to leverage their content to grow their businesses, and by way of sponsored partnerships and strategic ad sales, to also help other businesses and digital marketers with their built-in audiences, talent, and influence.
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