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A deep dive into advertising on the rapidly growing platform. 

If you haven’t heard of TikTok, the chances are that you don’t have kids and you’ve been hiding from social networking sites. The video creation, sharing and discovery app has been growing in popularity ever since its launch and <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/TikTok-overtakes-Facebook-as-world-s-most-downloaded-app">recently overtook Facebook to become the world’s most downloaded smartphone application</a>.
Considering that Facebook is a social networking powerhouse <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/">with over 3.5 billion people</a> using at least one of its application as of the start of 2021, this is big news. In fact, it’s so big that it’s shaken the ecommerce community to the core, causing a ton of discussion along the way.
For marketers, the big question is whether TikTok is worth investing in, either from a content creation point of view or as a potential provider of digital advertisements.
<a href="https://www.omnicoreagency.com/tiktok-statistics/">The statistics don’t lie</a>. As of July 2021, the app had nearly 700 million monthly active users and two billion downloads, with users spending an average of 52 minutes per day on the app. It’s currently valued at $50 billion, while its parent company Bytedance is valued at $250 billion, making it the world’s most valuable startup.
But is it worth it to advertise? Let’s take a closer look. 
&nbsp;
<h2>Is Advertising on TikTok Worth it?</h2>
 
This is a simple question that doesn’t have a simple answer. The thing about TikTok is that it’s predominantly popular with younger users, so if your typical customer is in their fifties or sixties then it’s unlikely to be a good fit.
TikTok is also about entertainment first and foremost, and so the actual creative that you use for your advertisements will need to reflect that. In contrast to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Ads, where you can generally focus more on the specifics of your product, on TikTok, you’ll want to create ads that are entertainment-led with a more subtle call-to-action.
This means that advertising on TikTok is generally best suited to ecommrece brands that are a little more playful or that have an abundance of entertainment-led video content.
The other thing to bear in mind is that it can be pretty expensive to advertise on TikTok. Because TikTok advertising is still in its infancy, it’s not quite the same as using the self-service platforms that other social networking sites have to offer.
Instead, you’re looking at spending a minimum of $50,000 and committing to extensive advertising on the platform. That’s because rather than simply signing up and creating an ad with a little bit of budget behind it, you basically need to partner with TikTok itself.
All of this combines to make TikTok advertising a big commitment, but one that’s very much worth making, especially at the moment when it’s still a relatively new option. Because the site isn’t inundated with ads, it’s possible to cut through the noise. The downside is that it’s generally out of reach for smaller ecommerce sites, although that’s likely to change soon as the site continues to grow and roll out new ad options.
&nbsp;
<h2>Getting Started with TikTok Advertising</h2>
If you’re still interested in advertising on TikTok, the first step is for you to sign up for a TikTok for Business account. The process is pretty simple and doesn’t take too long, and TikTok’s site will walk you through each of the steps until your account is up and running.
TikTok offers five different forms of advertisement, and we’ve done our best to summarize them below: 
<ul>
<li>TopView Ads: This ad format puts ads front and centre and uses the app’s most sought-after real estate, playing a full-screen ad of up to a minute in length. As you might imagine, this is also one of the most expensive types of TikTok ads.</li>
<li>Brand Takeovers: This type of advertisement uses three second JPGs or 3-5 second videos and displays in full-screen. It’s pretty similar to when a creator top and tails their video with a title card, except that it allows you to promote your brand.</li>
<li>In-Feed Ads: These ads are much more like what we’re used to from other types of social media ads, displaying in the middle of users’ “For You” feed. It functions like a regular TikTok video and allows people to like, comment and share.</li>
<li>Branded Hashtag Challenges: TikTok is built around hashtags and users love to take part in different challenges, so this can be a great way to generate some engagement. Brands can promote the hashtags for their challenges and the ad pages aggregate all of the videos from people taking part. According to TikTok, this ad type receives an average engagement rate of 8.5%.</li>
<li>Branded Effects: The closest thing to compare this to is probably the way that Snapchat allows brands to create and deploy their own filters. This type of advertisement can work well when combined with a hashtag challenge to encourage TikTok users to create user-generated content around your ecommerce brand.</li>
</ul>
Arguably the best way for you to get started with TikTok advertising is to experiment with a few of the different formats that are on offer and to see what works for you. And Shopify users should read on because there are a few other features on offer to help them to sell their products.
&nbsp;
<h2>TikTok and Shopify</h2>
If you’re using Shopify as your ecommerce provider, you’re in luck. Earlier this year, <a href="https://www.tiktokforbusinesseurope.com/news/tiktok-and-shopify-launch-european-partnership">TikTok and Shopify launched a European partnership</a>, and the network has also launched native shoppable ads. These are all good indicators of the way things are going and clear evidence that TikTok and Shopify will continue to work well together in the months and years to come.
TikTok has also released a detailed guide on how to add their advertising pixel to a Shopify build, which <a href="https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article?aid=9662">you can learn more about here</a>. We’re not going to reproduce the whole thing, but the basic process looks a little something like this:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Search for “TikTok” in the Shopify app store and install it</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Connect the app to your TikTok for Business account</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Connect your Ad account</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Create a new pixel or select an existing pixel to connect to</li>
</ol>
We talked some more about advertising pixels in <a href="https://invisit.io/en/post/how-and-why-to-add-a-facebook-pixel">our recent article on the Facebook pixel</a>, and so you can check that out to learn a little more about why installing a pixel is a good idea in the first place. 
In the meantime, the thing to remember is that if you do plan to carry out advertising on TikTok, installing the pixel is a no-brainer, acting as a great way to share data between your ecommerce store and TikTok’s advertising platform.
&nbsp;
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Now that you know a little bit about TikTok advertising, it’s time for you to decide whether it makes sense for you or whether your advertising budget is better suited to Facebook and Google.
For the most part, the best thing to do is the same thing as always – to try it out, to track the results and then to do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. If the metrics show that TikTok advertising isn’t working for you, you’re better off looking elsewhere. But if the metrics show that you’re delivering an ROI, you might want to ramp up your budget.
And so with all of that said, now it’s over to you. Be sure to let us know in the comments how you’ve got on with TikTok advertising so that we can keep the discussion going, and we’ll see you again soon with another article.

Advertising on TikTok: Is it Worth it and How to Get Started

A guide into how to boost your website's performance

Running an ecommerce site can be overwhelming. While it’s true that most ecommerce software providers will give you everything you need to get started, there’s always room for further customization. 
&nbsp;
The vast majority of providers allow you to install new plugins and add-ons, and they can open up all sorts of new functionality for your ecommerce site. For example, you could use them to implement automatically-generated landing pages or to deploy advanced analytics.
&nbsp;
At the same time, many of these enhancements come at a cost. If you add too many of them, you risk slowing your site down, which can have a huge impact on performance. <a href="https://www.propellernet.co.uk/the-impact-of-speed-on-ecommerce/">Studies show</a> that 53% of ecommerce visits are likely to be abandoned if pages take longer than three seconds to load.
&nbsp;
That means that for ecommerce site owners, there’s a balance to be found between optimizing for site speed and optimizing for functionality. Every new addition needs to be closely scrutinized. 
&nbsp;
Let’s take a closer look at how page speed affects ecommerce sites.
&nbsp;
<h2>Why Page Speed Matters to Ecommerce Sites</h2>
 
The answer to this is pretty simple, and we’ve already touched on it in the introduction. People expect a seamless experience as they navigate the internet, and any delays in page loads will frustrate them and break their concentration. 
&nbsp;
Let’s imagine that you’re trying to order a pizza, and so you Google “pizza near me” and click on the first listing. You give it a couple of seconds but there’s only a white screen because the page is still loading. You’re hungry, and it doesn’t look as though the site is even working, so you hit the back button and go down to the second listing to try again.
&nbsp;
This scenario is super common, and not just for pizzerias. In ecommerce, it’s arguably even more common, because online shopping is often about instant gratification. There’s even a case to be made that rapid page loading times are more important than rapid product delivery times.
&nbsp;
In case you’re still not convinced, let’s round this section off with a few more statistics:
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">One in four visitors will abandon websites that take more than four seconds to load. (<a href="https://www.websitebuilderexpert.com/building-websites/website-load-time-statistics/">Source</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">64% of shoppers who are dissatisfied with their site visit will shop somewhere else next time. (<a href="https://www.websitebuilderexpert.com/building-websites/website-load-time-statistics/">Source</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">46% of people don&#8217;t revisit websites that performed poorly. (<a href="https://www.websitebuilderexpert.com/building-websites/website-load-time-statistics/">Source</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">A one second delay reduces customer satisfaction by 16%. (<a href="https://www.websitebuilderexpert.com/building-websites/website-load-time-statistics/">Source</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">A 2017 Google study found that as page load time went from one second to three seconds, bounce rate increased by 32%. (<a href="https://4goodhosting.com/blog/stats-indicating-website-load-time-importance/">Source</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Roughly 70% of people say that the speed of a page affects their willingness to buy from an online retailer. (<a href="https://4goodhosting.com/blog/stats-indicating-website-load-time-importance/">Source</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The number one reason why US consumers choose to bounce from a mobile web page is excessive latency. (<a href="https://4goodhosting.com/blog/stats-indicating-website-load-time-importance/">Source</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">For an online store earning $50,000 a day, a one second delay in page load time adds up to more than $1 million in lost sales each year. (<a href="https://www.bigcommerce.com/ecommerce-answers/what-page-load-time-and-why-it-important/">Source</a>)</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2>How to Improve Your Loading Times</h2>
 
Improving your page loading times predominantly comes down to optimization. You want to make sure that you’re delivering a sleek and streamlined experience and that your site has a solid technical infrastructure behind it. Think about the following:
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Monitor the apps on your site: With all of the different software and tools you install on your ecommerce store, its important to keep an eye on which are slowing things down. </li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Optimize images and video: Perhaps the most obvious way for you to improve your page loading times is to optimize any images and videos that you’re using. If you’re displaying an image at 200 pixels wide, there’s no point loading an image that’s 1,000 pixels wide. Render out all of your images and videos at the specific size that they’ll display at and be sure to save them for web if you’re using Photoshop.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Use caching: Caching works by essentially creating snapshots of your website and serving them as static files. For example, if you know that your product pages are unlikely to be updated from one visit to the next, you can serve up cached versions rather than reloading them from scratch every single time. This is an oversimplification, but it’s a pretty good working explanation to cover the basics.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Make sure you’re using a fast web host: Your website’s loading times will be limited by how quickly your hosting server responds to requests. Some hosts are faster than others and some even specialise in speed, so if your page load times are a concern then it can be worth switching to a faster web host.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Combine files: Every time someone interacts with your site, their browser requests a file. The more files that they have to request, the longer your page will load. You can often improve speeds simply by combining multiple files into a single file to reduce the number of requests that their browser has to make. </li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Use content delivery networks: Content delivery networks basically allow you to duplicate your site across a number of different servers. The idea is that when someone visits your website, the content delivery network will determine the closest server to their geographic location and use that to deliver your website, speeding up loading times by reducing the physical distance that the data needs to travel.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Remove unnecessary files: This one’s a no-brainer. Basically, if your site is hosting files that it isn’t using, that can slow down the server, and if you’re forcing visitors to download files that they’re not actively using, you’re essentially slowing down your loading times and getting nothing in return.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Streamline your code: This one is particularly useful when optimizing mobile websites and mobile apps, because they typically have slower download speeds. In fact, there’s an entire industry that’s built around streamlining code to make it as efficient as possible. Bloated code is harder to deal with than bloated images and can often require extensive rewrites, but it’s a good option to consider if you’ve tried everything else and you’re still struggling.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
As for what you should aim for, it really depends. <a href="https://www.bluecorona.com/blog/how-fast-should-website-be/">Google suggests</a> that ecommerce stores should try to aim for times of less than two seconds, and they themselves aim for under half a second. It’s basically one of those “how long is a piece of string” questions where the answer is that the faster your site loads, the better.
&nbsp;
If you’re running Shopify as your ecommerce platform, you might also be interested to know that Shopify has a dedicated discussion forum that’s all about helping people to speed up their sites. You can <a href="https://community.shopify.com/c/Online-Store-Speed/bd-p/en-oss">spend some time browsing through the different discussion threads</a> and taking a look at what’s worked well for other people, and you can also start a thread of your own if you have specific questions 
<h2>How to Check Your Loading Times</h2>
&nbsp;
There are a few different ways to check your website’s loading times, as well as plenty of tools on the market to help you out. Before we get into that, though, a quick word of warning. Page load times are affected by a bunch of different factors, and all of the optimization in the world won’t help you if someone’s trying to access your site through a router from 1992.
&nbsp;
Because of these myriad factors, it can be difficult to check and measure your loading times because of how much they can change. If you use the same tool to test your site’s load times on your home network, your work network and your smartphone’s 4G connection, you’ll experience different results every time.
&nbsp;
You’ll also need to bear in mind that different areas of your site will load at different speeds. Pages that include a lot of larger files such as images and videos will typically take longer to load than those that use only text.
&nbsp;
As for checking loading times, there are a bunch of different tools that you can try, and we’ve listed just a few of them below. Give them a try and figure out which ones work best for you!
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://gtmetrix.com/">GTmetrix</a>: This tool offers quite a lot of functionality for free and is easy to use for beginners, but it&#8217;s perhaps most notable because it ranks all of the issues that it identifies in order of importance, providing a handy little checklist for you to work through.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://webspeedtest.cloudinary.com/">Website Speed Test</a>: Powered by Cloudinary, this tool is interesting because it has an Image Analysis Tool which focuses on images. Given that images tend to be the largest files on any given web page, it&#8217;s a great way of ensuring that large image files aren&#8217;t slowing you down. </li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://tools.pingdom.com/">Pingdom</a>: Free to use and user-friendly, Pingdom is a pretty popular tool that also allows you to test your page load speeds from different locations. It&#8217;ll give you a letter grade that will help you to understand how well (or how badly) your site is performing.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/">Google PageSpeed Insights</a>: Despite being built by Google, this tool doesn&#8217;t actually offer as many insights as the other tools on this list. With that said, it can give you a lot of direction and it’s always important to make sure that you’re doing what you can to please the world’s largest search engine.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.uptrends.com/tools/website-speed-test">Uptrends</a>: This is another tool that allows you to test speeds from different locations, and it&#8217;s also one of the better looking tools that we&#8217;ve come across. It doesn&#8217;t necessarily offer anything that you won&#8217;t find elsewhere, but it does provide all of that information in a way that&#8217;s easy for you to understand and act upon.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
 
This post is just an introduction to page speed and ecommerce, and there’s plenty more to learn and to talk about. Still, the idea is that we’ve shared enough here to give you a brief introduction and to help you to understand why optimizing for page speed is so important.
&nbsp;
If you haven’t already, you can take this as a sign that it’s time for you to check out the loading times of your ecommerce store and to identify bottlenecks so that you can try to speed things up. It’s not enough just to check your homepage. Spend some time on your product pages and also work on speeding up the checkout process, as this is where you have the most to lose if things are taking too long.
&nbsp;
We’ll be talking some more about optimizing and improving ecommerce stores in future articles, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more insights. In the meantime, let us know in the comments how you get on with your page speed optimization and we’ll see you again soon!

Why Page Speed Matters and How to Improve It

Explaining the correct way to set up your website for Facebook Ads

<h2>How and why to add a Facebook pixel to your e-commerce site</h2>
Facebook is the world’s largest social networking site, with <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/">just under three billion monthly active users as of 2021 and over 3.5 billion using one of Facebook’s services</a> (including WhatsApp and Instagram) at some time in the previous month.
&nbsp;
It’s also an e-commerce site owner’s wet dream because of the huge amount of data that it stores on its users and the impressive capabilities that it has on offer to advertisers. By crafting super personalised advertisements, e-commerce owners can enjoy <a href="https://transaction.agency/ecommerce-statistics/the-average-conversion-rate-of-a-facebook-ad-is-9-21/">an impressive average conversion rate of 9.21% on Facebook ads</a>. 
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At the same time, there have been privacy concerns around the site and its usage of data, as well as various controversies throughout the years such as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/cambridge-analytica-facebook-influence-us-election">the Cambridge Analytica data scandal</a> during the US Presidential Election and the time that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/30/facebook-emotion-study-breached-ethical-guidelines-researchers-say">they carried out experiments on 700,000 users without their consent</a> to see whether manipulating their feeds could affect their emotions.
&nbsp;
All of this has led e-commerce owners to ask themselves whether it’s worth it to advertise on Facebook. The answer to that is a resounding yes, if only because the companies that don’t run the risk of falling behind to their competition.
&nbsp;
And so with that out of the way, we’re faced with the question of how to best make the use of limited budget while running ads, and that’s where the Facebook pixel comes in. 
&nbsp;
In this article, we’ll be covering the basics of the Facebook pixel, including what it is and why you might want to use it. We’ll also take a look at how to add the Facebook pixel to your e-commerce store, with a special section for Shopify users as the process there can look a little different.
Let’s dive in and get started!
&nbsp;
<h2>What is the Facebook pixel?</h2>
 
The Facebook pixel is basically a tracking mechanism that can be embedded into a webpage or an email to allow you to better track behaviour from users. It’s similar to using cookies on your site, except that its purpose is specifically to more closely integrate your e-commerce site with Facebook.
Using Javascript, the Facebook pixel allows you to better measure the impact of your Facebook campaigns, as well as to further optimise your e-commerce site and even to create bespoke audiences for your ad campaigns. 
Let’s say that you run an e-commerce site that’s dedicated to sportswear. Using the Facebook pixel, you could create different audiences based on which areas of your site people have visited, and then you could run matching advertisements to them through Facebook. You could use different messaging and calls-to-action using a combination of Facebook’s demographic data and your own data on which parts of the site they’ve visited.
Actually embedding the pixel to your site is pretty easy, and we’ll look at that in more detail later on. First, though, let’s take a look at some more use cases and what the Facebook pixel allows you to do.
&nbsp;
<h2>Why you should add the Facebook pixel</h2>
 
Adding the Facebook pixel to your site unlocks a whole host of advantages, including:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The ability to measure cross-device conversions. You can see how customers are interacting on your site on their desktops, mobiles and tablet computers and track them as they switch from one device to another.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The ability to optimise delivery so that you show ads to the people who are most likely to take action. This can help you to make the most of your advertising budget and ensure that you’re reaching people who’ve already expressed some interest.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The ability to build retargeting lists, where you can either run ads at people who’ve previously purchased from you or encourage people who started a checkout but never completed it to come back.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The ability to better understand how Facebook users are using your website and how website users are funnelling back through to Facebook.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Ultimately, what it amounts to is taking data from disparate siloes and making sure that you can analyse it all together in a single place. Instead of having Facebook data and website data, you’ll just have an overall pool of customer data that delivers the best of both worlds.
&nbsp;
<h2>How to add the Facebook pixel (On a non-Shopify Store)</h2>
 
Adding the Facebook pixel is super easy. You can get started by logging into Facebook and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events_manager2">going to Events Manager</a>. You’ll need to click on the green plus icon and then “Connect Data Sources”, before selecting “Web”:
<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-924" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205426/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.54.14-PM-300x165.png" alt="" width="300" height="165" srcset="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205426/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.54.14-PM-300x165.png 300w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205426/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.54.14-PM.png 758w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
&nbsp;
You’ll be prompted to select a connection method, so choose “Facebook Pixel”:
<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-925" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205454/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.54.48-PM-300x146.png" alt="" width="300" height="146" srcset="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205454/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.54.48-PM-300x146.png 300w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205454/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.54.48-PM-768x374.png 768w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205454/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.54.48-PM-1024x499.png 1024w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205454/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.54.48-PM.png 1412w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
&nbsp;
This is where you’ll be prompted to name your pixel and to optionally check your website for easy setup options. Feel free to skip this second step. You’ll then be prompted to install the pixel code, either through partner integrations or by manually adding the pixel’s code to your website:
<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-926" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205552/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.55.44-PM-300x190.png" alt="" width="300" height="190" srcset="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205552/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.55.44-PM-300x190.png 300w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205552/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.55.44-PM-768x486.png 768w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205552/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.55.44-PM-1024x648.png 1024w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205552/Screen-Shot-2021-08-19-at-4.55.44-PM.png 1318w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Assuming that you set up the pixel manually, you’ll be provided with some code to copy and paste into your e-commerce site. You can ask a developer for help with this if required, but it’s not too tricky. Simply copy and paste it into your header page, just above the &lt;/head&gt; tag.
And that’s about it! If in doubt, you can also leave the code live for a couple of days before heading back to Ads Manager and double checking that the code works and is tracking correctly. There’s also <a href="https://developers.facebook.com/docs/ads-for-websites/pixel-troubleshooting">a useful tool called Facebook Pixel Helper</a> that can help you to verify that it’s all working.
&nbsp;
<h2>How to add the Facebook pixel (On a Shopify Store)</h2>
&nbsp;
If you’ve built your e-commerce store on Shopify then setting up a Facebook pixel is even easier. Here’s what you need to do.
To start, simply search for “Facebook” in the Shopify App Store, then select the “Facebook channel” app by Shopify. This is a specialist Shopify/Facebook integration app that’s specifically designed to allow a seamless setup on your website:
<img class="alignnone wp-image-918" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205003/Screen-Shot-2021-08-11-at-11.25.35-AM-300x168.png" alt="" width="326" height="194" />
&nbsp;
Once you’ve added the app to your Shopify store, you’ll be taken to the Facebook screen shown above. Select “start setup” under the first panel (the Facebook Shop section) and follow the instructions:
<img class="alignnone wp-image-919" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205052/Screen-Shot-2021-08-11-at-11.38.33-AM-300x105.png" alt="" width="339" height="144" />
&nbsp;
Next up is the setup page, where you can integrate your Facebook information. All you have to do is select “connect account” to log in before selecting the business manager account for your Shopify store: 
<img class="alignnone wp-image-920" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205154/Screen-Shot-2021-08-11-at-11.26.44-AM-300x168.png" alt="" width="377" height="213" />
&nbsp;
You’ll need to decide how much data you want to share with Facebook. Shopify and Facebook both recommend using the “maximize” setting, which helps with reporting and performance tracking. If you choose this setting, we suggest including an <a href="https://apps.shopify.com/ccpa-limited-data-use-tools">opt-out link on your Shopify store</a> to meet all <a href="https://www.facebook.com/business/news/helping-businesses-comply-with-the-california-consumer-privacy-act-ccpa">legal requirements:</a>
<img class="alignnone wp-image-921" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205222/Screen-Shot-2021-08-11-at-11.27.44-AM-300x265.png" alt="" width="339" height="288" />
&nbsp;
The Facebook/Shopify integration allows Facebook users to make a purchase from your store from within their Facebook and Instagram feeds. If you’d like this feature turned on, select “Facebook and Instagram” under checkout method. While this can help conversion rates, we believe that building a strong relationship with customers is key to a brand’s success. That’s why we usually recommend choosing “Shopify store”, which will send people who click on your advertisements to your website:
<img class="alignnone wp-image-922" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205247/Screen-Shot-2021-08-11-at-11.28.20-AM-300x186.png" alt="" width="353" height="243" />
&nbsp;
Once you hit save, your Facebook pixel is all set up! You’re free to navigate away from this page, but if you ever need to return then you can simply click “Facebook” under “Sales Channel” in your left navigation bar:
<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-923" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205314/Screen-Shot-2021-08-11-at-11.30.09-AM-174x300.png" alt="" width="174" height="300" srcset="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205314/Screen-Shot-2021-08-11-at-11.30.09-AM-174x300.png 174w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/19205314/Screen-Shot-2021-08-11-at-11.30.09-AM.png 380w" sizes="(max-width: 174px) 100vw, 174px" />
&nbsp;
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
 
There’s plenty more to be learned about the Facebook pixel, but that would take a whole book for us to cover it and we know how busy most e-commerce owners are. There’s also the fact that the best way to learn about it is to get some hands-on experience, and so if we’ve piqued your interest then we’d recommend just setting it up on your site and having a play with it.
Of course, the Facebook pixel isn’t for everyone, and so it really falls to you to decide whether the pros outweigh the cons. What we will say is that because it’s such a small piece of code, it’s not going to slow your site down, and so it’s not as though there’s a lot to lose. Good luck!
Still need help with Facebook pixels? Be sure to reach out to us and we’ll be more than happy to help!

How and Why to Add a Facebook Pixel to Your E-commerce Site

Privacy policies are on nearly every website. But what do they really do?

If you’re building your own e-commerce brand—or any business, really—there are a million and one things that you’ve got to tackle during the setup stage. One of the most important (and, consequently, arguably the most boring!) is taking care of the legal side of things.
While getting documents like Terms of Use, Terms and Conditions, and a Cookie and Privacy Policy drawn up is hardly a riveting task, it’s got to be done. Of all these, it’s Privacy Policies that tend to be the most problematic for businesses as many new privacy laws begin to emerge and users become more aware of their privacy rights. 
&nbsp;
<h2>What is a privacy policy?</h2>
Most countries have data protection legislation that requires businesses to have a privacy policy. They are designed to act as a safeguard for both your business and your customers. A privacy policy is in essence a legal document that tells your customers:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Who you are </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What data you’re collecting (i.e., names, email addresses)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">How you’re collecting it (i.e., through a sign-up form, through cookies)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Why you’re collecting it (i.e., to remember customer preferences)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What you plan to do with it (i.e., store it, sell it, use it for product development)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Whether any third parties have access (and why, how, etcetera)</li>
</ul>
Most websites that collect data will also process and store it. This means that their privacy policies will outline information like how and why it’s being stored, where it’s being stored, who can access it, and how long it’ll be stored for.
Privacy policies now also tend to include information about how customers can access their own data, and have it deleted if they wish. 
&nbsp;
<h2>The legal situation</h2>
The difficulty with operating a website such as an e-commerce store is that the privacy laws of multiple jurisdictions can apply regardless of where you’re based. 
In the U.S., for example, there are no federal privacy laws. Instead, it’s a state-level matter (see the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for example) and this can complicate things for businesses that trade nationally. 
For those that trade internationally, foreign privacy legislation with a global scope such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield will also apply. The former is a prime example of recent aggressive privacy legislation that is being heavily enforced, something which has prompted many websites to <a href="https://www.bclplaw.com/en-GB/insights/what-percentage-of-united-states-retailers-have-decided-to-block-european-visitors-from-reaching-their-websites.html">block EU visitors</a>. 
It doesn’t need to be like this, though. <a href="https://seqlegal.com/free-legal-documents/privacy-policy">Creating a privacy policy</a> is a relatively straightforward process. 
While no one policy is the same, there are many websites such as the Better Business Bureau that offer use case-based template policies to get you started. From here it’s a case of filling in the blanks and getting it checked over by a lawyer until it’s watertight. 
&nbsp;
<h2>Do I really need a privacy policy? </h2>
The short answer is yes.
With so many new data privacy regulations that have an increasingly wider scope (and carry increasingly harsher penalties for noncompliance) being introduced in response to digitization, not having a privacy policy in place could have a detrimental impact on your e-commerce website. 
Not only that, many third-party services and apps (e.g., Google Analytics and Ad Sense) require a comprehensive and up-to-date privacy policy in order to use them. 
<h2>Keeping pace with regulatory changes</h2>
It’s easy for your e-commerce website to get caught out by changes to privacy regulations, especially if you’re a small team that’s already being stretched close to its limit! 
One way you can ensure that you stay compliant is to put Invisit to work at monitoring your website. Try it for free today and see for yourself how easy it can be to stay up-to-date with the latest legal developments.

Why Does Your Website Need a Privacy Policy?

If you’re planning to start running advertisements on this platform, it's important to make sure you’re setting up your integration correctly. 

Are you looking to diversify away from your reliance on Facebook advertising? You’re not alone. With increasing restrictions and tracking challenges (read: iOS 14), e-commerce companies are increasingly exploring new channels for their marketing. 
One of the most popular alternative channels is SnapChat. With strong reach, a creative format similar to Instagram, and a youthful demographic, SnapChat is a natural fit for many e-commerce companies. 
But like any new marketing channel, there’s bound to be mistakes made during implementation that could impact your revenue. SnapChat is no exception and if you’re planning to start running advertisements on this platform, it&#8217;s important to make sure you’re setting up your integration correctly. 
SnapChat has <a href="https://businesshelp.snapchat.com/s/article/pixel-website-install?language=en_US">a straightforward guide</a> on how to set up your pixel for your website (which is made even easier through the <a href="https://businesshelp.snapchat.com/s/article/pixel-shopify">Shopify App</a>), so we won’t spend much time walking you through setup. But it is critically important that you avoid one of the most common mistakes made when getting SnapChat live.
&nbsp;
The most common mistake made when setting up SnapChat: Not passing back enough data for tracking.
SnapChat relies on something called ‘user parameters’ to properly track campaign performance, which are basically small pieces of additional code in the SnapChat pixel. These parameters are used to properly report how many people saw your advertisement and then ultimately bought something on your website. 
But don’t worry: setting up the right user parameters is a simple step. 
1. Find your SnapChat pixel. If you have an existing SnapChat account, you can find it by clicking the dropdown menu on the top left of your screen and selecting “Events Manager” under “Assets”
 <img class="alignnone wp-image-907" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184038/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.40.31-PM-300x175.png" alt="" width="330" height="193" srcset="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184038/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.40.31-PM-300x175.png 300w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184038/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.40.31-PM-768x448.png 768w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184038/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.40.31-PM-1024x597.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px" />
2. Once in Events Manager, click ‘Setup Snap Pixel’ and then select ‘Pixel Code’ on the popup widget.
<img class="alignnone wp-image-908" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184119/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.41.13-PM-300x234.png" alt="" width="322" height="251" srcset="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184119/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.41.13-PM-300x234.png 300w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184119/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.41.13-PM-768x599.png 768w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184119/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.41.13-PM.png 880w" sizes="(max-width: 322px) 100vw, 322px" />
3. This will bring you to your Snap pixel, which should look something like this by default:
<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-909" src="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184415/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.44.09-PM-261x300.png" alt="" width="261" height="300" srcset="https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184415/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.44.09-PM-261x300.png 261w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184415/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.44.09-PM-768x884.png 768w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184415/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.44.09-PM-890x1024.png 890w, https://invisit-landing-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12184415/Screen-Shot-2021-08-12-at-2.44.09-PM.png 1116w" sizes="(max-width: 261px) 100vw, 261px" />
4. If this is your first time setting up your Snap pixel, then follow the instructions to copy your Pixel ID into the ‘head’ of your website. (Note: if you have difficulty with this step, reach out to a developer or contact Invisit and we’ll help you through this).
5. Now, its time to fix that one nagging issue so many companies make. SnapChat’s default pixel only sends SnapChat something called user_email. This basically means that if a user is logged into your website, SnapChat can track them by email. This is helpful because if a user sees your advertisement on SnapChat and then goes to your website the next day, SnapChat can still send you reporting. 
However, how many logged in users are on your site? Probably not a ton. So to get the most out of your SnapChat tracking, its important to add user_phone_number. This also lets SnapChat track users when they recognize someone’s phone that comes to your website. And since SnapChat is a mobile app, they recognize a lot of phone numbers. 
To let SnapChat report using email address and phone numbers, simply copy the following:
user_phone_number:user.phone_number,
&#8216;user_email&#8217;:user.email
Now, one step that involves changing your pixel. Don’t worry, its easy (and if you need help, just contact us and we can help you out!
Replace this one line with what you copied above:
&#8216;user_email&#8217;: &#8216;__INSERT_USER_EMAIL__&#8217;
Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a developer or even really understand code to make this happen. Just make sure the pixel looks something like this when you’re finished:
<blockquote>&lt;!&#8211; Snap Pixel Code &#8211;&gt;
&lt;script type=&#8217;text/javascript&#8217;&gt;
(function(e,t,n){if(e.snaptr)return;var a=e.snaptr=function()
{a.handleRequest?a.handleRequest.apply(a,arguments):a.queue.push(arguments)};
a.queue=[];var s=&#8217;script&#8217;;r=t.createElement(s);r.async=!0;
r.src=n;var u=t.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
u.parentNode.insertBefore(r,u);})(window,document,
&#8216;https://sc-static.net/scevent.min.js&#8217;);
&nbsp;
snaptr(&#8216;init&#8217;, &#8216;xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx&#8217;, {
user_phone_number:user.phone_number,
&#8216;user_email&#8217;:user.email
});
&nbsp;
snaptr(&#8216;track&#8217;, &#8216;PAGE_VIEW&#8217;);
&nbsp;
&lt;/script&gt;
&lt;!&#8211; End Snap Pixel Code &#8211;&gt;</blockquote>
After that, you’ll be tracking much more data and letting SnapChat work its optimization magic to get you the best bang for your advertising buck.

The Most Common Mistake Companies Make on SnapChat Ads

Apple's latest features aims to combat abuse, but privacy advocates worry about unintended consequences

Apple has frequently marketed itself as the privacy-centric technology company, but it now finds itself facing controversy over a feature in its planned iOS 15 release. The new feature will scan user’s iPhone photos for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and immediately alert authorities. There will also be additional safeguards <a href="https://gizmodo.com/critics-say-apple-built-a-backdoor-into-your-iphone-wit-1847438624">introduced into iMessage</a>. If a child under the age of 13 is about to send or receive an image containing sexual imagery, an alert can be generated notifying their parents.
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How can there be controversy in fighting something as horrific as CSAM? Some privacy advocates are arguing against the tactics in which Apple is releasing its latest feature, which scans photos <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/2021/8/10/22617196/apple-ios15-photo-messages-scanned">on user’s physical devices.</a>Other companies like Facebook and Google have similar scanning features in place, but take place on each company’s own servers. This marks the first time that a technology is checking the legality of the content on a consumer’ owned device. 
&nbsp;
Apple’s intended use for this new feature is without question a beneficial use case. But privacy advocates worry that this could quickly be used as a back-door for authorities &#8211; <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-pegasus-a-cybersecurity-expert-explains-how-the-spyware-invades-phones-and-what-it-does-when-it-gets-in-165382">or other agencies</a> &#8211; to gain access into every iPhone user’s device. 
&nbsp;
The underlying fear is that the way Apple has implemented this feature will eliminate progress being made on encryption, a fundamental piece of technology for the future of privacy. Apple has traditionally been seen as an advocate of encryption, but the <a href="https://cdt.org/press/cdt-apples-changes-to-messaging-and-photo-services-threaten-users-security-and-privacy/">Center for Democracy and Technology</a> specifically called out the iMessage feature as an attack on the goal for this technology.
&nbsp;
Like many advances in recent legal technologies, there is a thin line between developments for the good of society and intrusions on civil liberties. Its hard to argue Apple’s intentions for this feature, but a future where this can be manipulated for mass surveillance is not hard to imagine. As with any updates in surveillance technologies, its critical to understand how and what is being monitored on your devices &#8211; and most importantly, by whom. We’ll continue to provide updates on this story as Apple releases more specifications on how this feature will work.

Breaking Down Apple’s Privacy Controversy

The new law follows California's framework and gives residents new rights over their data

Ohio has officially joined the slew of states passing consumer data privacy laws with their introduction of the <a href="https://www.natlawreview.com/article/breaking-ohio-s-legislature-considering-passing-ohio-personal-privacy-act-support">Ohio Personal Privacy Act</a> (OPPA).
The law follows the general framework set by the <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/what-is-the-california-consumer-privacy-act-4780212">California Consumer Privacy Act</a>, which other states have also adopted as the basis for their privacy legislation. This allows consumers from Ohio to access certain<a href="https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/07/13/ohio-data-privacy-bill-would-let-consumers-delete-data-companies-keep/7949689002/"> rights over their data collected by businesses</a>, including:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ask to see what data a company has collected. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Request a correction to any inaccurate information in that data. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Delete their data at any time for any reason. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tell a company to stop selling their data. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Go directly to the Ohio attorney general&#8217;s office with complaints, but no private right of action would exist under this legislation. </li>
</ul>
Much like the CCPA, there are certain thresholds that a business must meet before it qualifies under OPPA. These thresholds are largely <a href="https://www.natlawreview.com/article/ohio-introduces-data-privacy-legislation">based on the size of the business</a> and include:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Has annual gross revenues generated in Ohio that exceed $25 million;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">During a calendar year, the business controls or processes personal data of 100,000 or more Ohio consumers;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">During a calendar year, the business derives over 50 percent of its gross revenue from the sale of personal data and processes or controls personal data of 25,000 or more Ohio consumers.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
The number of Ohio consumers is the starkest difference between the OPPA and CCPA. California’s legislation puts the threshold of California consumers at 100,000. And in the most populous state in the nation, this is quite easy to hit. Conversely, the OPPA requires a business to collect data on approximately 1% of its entire population. 
This signals that Ohio’s privacy legislation is clearly aimed at large corporations with large swaths of data being collected on its citizens. Small and midsize businesses have often had the most difficulties complying with privacy legislation due to the limited resources, so Ohio has set a trend that should greatly benefit companies of this size. While Invisit adamantly supports all consumers having control over their data, it is critical to provide resources and assistance for small businesses to properly adhere to these consumer rights. Ohio has set a trend that should take a strong step in allowing this.

Ohio Passes Data Privacy Legislation

Google has delayed removing third party cookies from Chrome

After a long war of words within the advertising technology industry, Google has officially announced that the removal of third party cookies from its Chrome browser will be delayed <a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/google-delays-chromes-cookie-blocking-privacy-plan-by-nearly-2-years/">until 2023.</a> 
&nbsp;
Google announced in 2020, shortly before the pandemic, that it would take steps to remove third party cookies to help protect consumer privacy. Third party cookies are a key piece of technology that digital advertising relies on to track users across multiple domains in an effort to build strong targeting. <a href="https://digiday.com/marketing/what-is-itp2-2/">Apple’s Safari</a> and <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/en/products/firefox/todays-firefox-blocks-third-party-tracking-cookies-and-cryptomining-by-default/">Mozilla’s Firefox</a> banned third party cookies several years ago, but with Google’s Chrome <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/272697/market-share-desktop-internet-browser-usa/#:~:text=The%20most%20popular%20current%20browsers,Mozilla%20Firefox%20and%20Apple's%20Safari.">holding a dominant market position</a> in the United States, the adtech industry could largely continue its targeting practices. 
&nbsp;
This all changed when Google’s announcement rocked the advertising industry. However, since then there <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/03/googles-floc-terrible-idea">has been significant criticism</a> that Google has failed to introduce a viable alternative. Without the ability to target advertising, publishers and media companies would face even greater financial difficulties than the plagued industry has already been forced to navigate. 
&nbsp;
This move seems to acknowledge the tough position that Google has placed publishers and advertisers.But while this delay would theoretically give the industry more time to prepare for a cookieless future, <a href="https://www.adexchanger.com/ad-exchange-news/the-online-advertising-industry-reacts-to-chromes-cookie-deprecation-delay/">some executives are furious</a> with Google’s inconsistencies and want to see decisiveness from the Internet giant.
&nbsp;
Will this additional time allow the advertising industry to develop stronger solutions that respect consumer privacy, or will this just allow companies to kick the can down the road even further? Time will only tell.

Google Delays the Death of the Cookie

Facebook is unveiling their new and improved data portability service and calling out congress at the same time.

On Monday, Facebook renewed their calls for Congress to develop rules for how online platforms can make users&#8217; data accessible for migration to other platforms. The migration and the process of it is referred to as data portability and Facebook has had their legal issues with it in the past threatening to <a href="https://invisit.io/en/post/facebook-to-stop-eu-us-data-transfers">remove all EU servers</a> for not being able to send EU and US citizens’ data back and forth. According to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/19/facebook-expands-the-types-of-data-users-can-transfer-to-other-services.html?utm_term=Autofeed&amp;utm_medium=Social&amp;utm_content=Main&amp;utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1618833794">CNBC</a>, Facebook has announced they are expanding a tool used for data portability which helps users transfer their data to other services. 
Users will now be able to copy their Facebook posts and messages to Blogger, Google Docs, and WordPress. They also have already established multiple services that allow users to transfer photos and videos to other platforms. They are using their expansion of this data portability tool to call attention to their cry for more structure. Data portability laws are meant to help smaller companies break into the tech industry, so why does Facebook want more legislation?
Facebook has had serious legal issues with various states and countries, most notably being their years long battle with the Irish Data Protection Commission over EU citizen data transfer back to the US. <a href="https://invisit.io/en/post/the-data-duopoly">Facebook along with Google</a> hold a very expansive and tight grip on the data collection industry and legislators agree that making it easier for users to remove their data from Facebook&#8217;s services will encourage them to do so. This increased data portability will then pave the way for new social media innovators to emerge in the market. Facebook themselves are asking for stricter legislation which will allow greater and more secure flow of data through all different services and platforms.
The absence of a federal data privacy law is what makes the industry of data portability so open right now. The lack of clarity of data ownership is what has led to Facebook threatening to pull out of the EU and why the Cambridge-Analytica scandal happened. A federal data privacy law or legislation surrounding data portability would help users confidently claim ownership of their data and help companies understand what data can be sold and collected. While there are conflicts especially with privacy when it comes to data transfers, there are a lot of solutions as well. Congress needs to provide guidelines on the kinds of data that should be made available for collecting and selling by providers. They should also set up some sort of failsafe to prevent the transfer of certain types of information so that ultimately it is not only up to companies to make sure they are acting legally and compliant.
Right now companies are looking for clarity. Even Facebook, who could potentially stand to lose the most from tough data portability legislation are desperate for any sort of clarity in order to keep the flow of data going. Customers would have a greater understanding of their rights around the country as a result of a federal privacy law, and companies would be better able to recognize their particular obligations in order to comply.

Facebook Calls on Congress For Data Portability Laws

Watchdogs, regulators and companies are calling out the Irish Data Protection Commission for not handling a majority of the EU's data privacy issues responsibly.

A majority of the big tech names have established their European Headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. Twitter, Facebook, and Google all have their headquarters based there and now TikTok has joined the group. This means it is up to the Irish Data Protection Commission(DPC) to make sure all of these companies are GDPR compliant and following the regulations as they fall under their specific jurisdiction.The Irish DPC has their work cut out for them given these are a majority of the major players when it comes to data privacy and collection. Other watchdogs and regulators have voiced their concerns about this because since the GDPR came into effect in 2018, there has been a lack of strict enforcement and little to no results to show these companies are abiding by the legislation. A lot are worried about how the DPC will handle this heavy workload and whether or not they have been appropriately using funds and resources to ensure GDPR compliance. 
The GDPR has the potential to dish out huge fines and penalties for these companies. The first fine to come out of GDPR legislation was in 2018 when Twitter was fined 450,000 euros. Since then though there have not been many legal cases that would be considered wins for the Irish DPC. Their most high profile case which has received a lot of media attention is their <a href="https://invisit.io/en/post/facebook-to-stop-eu-us-data-transfers">battle with Facebook</a> that has been going on for about seven years. For a while Facebook was threatening to shutdown all EU servers because data transfers to the US were found to be breaking GDPR regulation. According to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/29/apple-google-data-watchdog-in-europe-facing-accusations.html">CNBC</a> and the DPC&#8217;s annual report for 2020, the DPC handled 10,151 cases in all, up 9% from the previous year. 
Even though they have reported an increase in cases handled and there are some bigger fines attached to certain cases, Romain Robert a senior lawyer at Noyb told <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/29/apple-google-data-watchdog-in-europe-facing-accusations.html">CNBC</a>, “The expectations towards the DPC are really disappointing. We don’t see that many decisions.” The GDPR was initially praised for the one-stop shop approach which meant that one DPC could handle all of the responsibilities instead of each country the company works having to file their own lawsuits and what not, but it has led to more bureaucracy delaying the impact of the GDPR.
Graham Doyle, the deputy commissioner at the DPC told CNBC that they have a &#8220;solid backlog&#8221; of big decisions that will be released in 2021, as the GDPR&#8217;s third birthday approaches in May. One of them is a probe into <a href="https://invisit.io/en/post/should-you-delete-whatsapp">WhatsApp</a>, which is owned by Facebook, into how data is exchanged between the chat app and its user. The investigation is likely to result in a fine of between 30 and 50 million euros, marking the DPC&#8217;s first large fine in the GDPR era. Doyle also brings up an interesting counterpoint to watchdogs and regulators who have said they haven’t done enough in the amount of time that they’ve had since the GDPR came into force. 
Doyle told CNBC, “I would counter the argument that is being put forward in terms of the pace of investigations. We’ve made ground-breaking steps in terms of the GDPR in cross-border investigations. It’s a new piece of legislation that’s only in almost three years.” Depending on who you talk to, three years is a long time, but it is also still relatively new. The bottom line is that a lot of different EU regulators consider the work done by the DPC not substantial with a few large exceptions like the Twitter case from 2018.