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If you have clicked on this blog, it means you have a hard time tracking the user journey and from where s/he downloaded your app.
Well, you are not alone. When you are running your app advertisement with multiple publishers, it might get difficult to track which one influenced your current user to download your app. Here, Attribution can help you!
What is Attribution?
Mobile attribution is the science of matching two data points, such as attributing ad spend to user engagement or installs based on different variables. Attribution helps in understanding what happens when a user interacts with a mobile ad.
In simpler words, Attribution is the practice of evaluating various marketing touchpoints to a consumer on their path to purchase. It helps marketers decide the platform from which the user installed your app.
BUT, Is installing the app enough? NO! Attribution can only occur when the user installs and opens your app as well.
How do you track who should be attributed for your app install?
Let’s introduce you to Attribution Platforms. Some of the leading attribution platforms are Singular, Branch, Adjust, and Appsflyer. These platforms have their Software Development Kits (SDKs) that need to be integrated into your app.
Simply put, you have to integrate the SDKs of one of the attribution platforms and these attribution platforms will apply the rest of the logic to help you attribute value to the different marketing interactions your app has with users.
What is an SDK? How does it work?
An SDK is a code piece that mobile app developers add to their app to collect measurement and app install attribution data. For ad networks, access to the correct data at the right time via an SDK significantly improves their performance.
It is placed in your mobile application and is initialized (started) when the user opens the app for the first time and collects device-level data points from the user, for example, device model, device brand, OS version, and app version. Through these data points, user interactions are tracked that affect the app install and app open.
To track an install, partner with an attribution platform and install their SDK in your app. Once the user opens the app, the SDK is initialized and tracks the user journey to your app
Types of Attribution
There are three types of attribution in the system:
- Click attribution:
It is the most popular type of attribution and is used by 97% of the developer community. It involves two URLs: Impression URL and Click URL. The attribution platform provides these 2 URLs for each of your app publisher/ad networks. The attribution platform has the data of impressions and clicks whenever the user installs and opens the app. It helps in attributing the install to the right publisher/network.
- Impression URL: When your ad is shown to a user on any publisher/network’s platform, for example, say another app ‘B’, then app ‘B’ will fire an impression URL to the attribution platform and claim it.
- Click URL: When the user clicks on that ad on app ‘B’, s/he will be taken to the app store. Now, app ‘B’ will fire a click URL to claim it.
- Preload attribution:
In this type of attribution, you have to give different APKs of your app to each publisher/network with their names embedded in the APK. Once the app is installed and opened, the attribution platform will be able to read the name embedded in the APK and attribute the install to them.
- System property method:
This type of attribution can only be used by a few stakeholders like OEMs and app stores. It involves certain changes in the system part of the device and hence is authenticated by the manufacturer itself. It diminishes the scope of attribution fraud and is a certified way to get attributed for the install.
Indus App Bazaar provides the System property method to its developers and helps in attribution. You can create your tracking links for the Indus App Bazaar account through the manual here.
Conclusion
Attribution is an emerging technology that is essential for all developers to help understand the journey your users take from the moment they click an ad, showing you how and why users install your app.
Learn more about attribution through our Developer Desk series here.
