On the web, classic ad attribution is usually done using cookies that carry device or user IDs. This also includes cross-site tracking. Websites shouldn’t attribute ad click data and single-user conversion in their large-scale tracking. Yet, online advertising should be supported in a way that helps the industry grow, while maintaining the security of the users. Hence, the private click measurement or PCM for short is a way to send attributions with only limited data using the private dedicated browsing mode that has no cookies, and the reports are delayed between 24 to 48 hours for disassociating events and to handle data on the device. Want to know more about private click measurement? What is it and how does it work? You’re at the right place. Allow us to explain!
A click is an action performed by a simple mouse click on any website visited by an internet user. Click measurement is defined as the process of grouping different click types together like download, browser, action, and exit. There needs to be a difference defined between a visit and a click. A click is usually single, whereas a visit may contain other clicks as well during visits.
Private click measurement is a new plan developed by Apple to measure the effectiveness of your ad clicks in apps that navigate to the web, all the while maintaining your data privacy. Developed by WebKit, Private click measurement is defined as a way of performing click attribution that stops user cross-site tracking while offering a means to measure the effectiveness of online ads. This tool is built in the browser and will run on-device meaning that the vendor of the browser will not get to see the ads that are clicked or the purchases made.
PCM means private click measurement that is available for iOS 14.5 and iPad 14.5. It was designed as an alternative to the cookie-based measurement that had been blocked by Intelligent tracking prevention. This tool actively works with the Apple Safari browser and from iOS 14.5, and in iPadOS, and iOS apps. It had been proposed that private click measurement should be set as the standard and be brought to other browsers as well.
Several features are offered by private click measurement.
Overall the data PCM is a plus for advertising that offers several benefits that are described below.
Private bits for clicks measure offers the benefit of allowing advertising networks to keep a track of the effectiveness of ad clicks across different websites from iOS ( or even iPadOS) apps to the websites.
While allowing advertising networks to measure the effectiveness of ad clicks, it also ensures the privacy of users by maintaining their anonymity. It maintains user privacy because it does not allow cross-site tracking and prevents the collection of any personal data.
With the PCM link measurement, advertising networks can easily measure the effectiveness of their advertisement clicks across different websites using the iOS apps to other websites. Because it keeps the advertisement industry growing, it makes sure it doesn’t end. PCM gives the advertising industry the freedom to do what they need without having to make any compromise on the security of the people who open those ads.
Without enabling the private click measurement, disabling cross-site tracking, or using content blockers, the advertisers will be able to know what ad you had tapped on from a website or your iOS device to go to the website of the ad on Safari. Yet, there is no reason why advertisers should know this. By using the PCM, you can maintain your anonymity and periodically delete this data. Hence, you can maintain your anonymity and keep things to yourself.
Regardless of the benefits, some restrictions are necessary to maintain data privacy. These limitations are enlisted below.
So, 1 click measurement PCM is a tool that is designed to enable private-friendly tracking, preventing the collection of one’s private data while enabling conversion tracking for the clicked ad. PCM hence is a very useful tool that allows advertising networks to track the effectiveness of ad clicks across different websites from iOS apps to other websites while ensuring the anonymity and security of the users. The best part is that it won’t kill the advertisement industry, rather it gives an alternative way to do what’s needed without any compromise on one’s security.