Mobile Attribution: The Key to Tracking Your Mobile Marketing Success

With the rise of app culture, investment in mobile technology is more crucial than ever. As such a prominent feature is or day to day lives, mobile applications have become essential for brands and users alike, and their popularity shows no signs of slowing down.

But as a company, how do you best measure the success of you marketing campaigns, media spend and channel mix for the north star app install KPI? That’s where mobile attribution comes into play.

What is mobile attribution?

Mobile attribution is a method for marketers to determine the journeys that users take to download their app, and their behaviour post-install. It connects the dots between campaigns, channels, and key metrics to identify the source of the install – ultimately enabling marketers to connect their activity to a tangible result.

The importance of mobile attribution

Without the ability to attribute performance back to a source, you cannot determine have whether your marketing spend is being used efficiently or understand the relative value of those users by channel.

Key metrics to track:

• Installations:
  • Total number of app installations driven by your marketing campaigns.
• Active Users:
  • Number of users actively engaging with your app within a specific timeframe.  
• Retention Rate:
  • Percentage of users who continue to use your app over time.
• Conversion Rate:
  • Percentage of users who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or registering.
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV):
  • Total revenue generated by a single customer over their lifetime.
• Cost Per Install (CPI):
  • Cost incurred to acquire a new user.
• Return on Ad Spend
  • Revenue generated for each pound spent on advertising.

Strategies for effective measurement:

Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs): MMPs are a third-party technology provider, that make mobile attribution a whole lot easier for marketers. By collecting and analysing data from various sources, MMPs track user journeys across multiple channels and devices. Insights include metrics broken down by geo/region, channel, campaign, media source, event name and more. Popular MMPs include Appsflyer, Adjust & Branch. Choosing the right MMP will depend entirely on the features markers needs, data privacy and security, integrations with ad networks, and pricing.

SDK Integration: An MMP’s software development kit is the core component that enables data collection and transmission between your app and the MMP’s servers. By integration the SDK into your app, you unlock a wealth of valuable insight to help inform marketing strategies. Benefits include real-time data, allowing marketers to make timely decisions. Before integrating an SDK, consider potential privacy concerns and technical complexities in the set up.

Deep Linking: Use custom dynamic links, or deep links, to direct users to specific content or pages within your app, rather than just opening the app’s homepage. This is achieved by creating a unique URL that can be shared through various channels such as email, social media and web links, and helps with both user experience and attribution accuracy.

Need help selecting and setting up an MMP or crafting a mobile marketing strategy? Get in touch to find out more about our services here at In Digital.

Kate Lindars, Senior Performance Manager