What Is Mobile Attribution? A Beginner’s Guide To Mobile Attribution Platform
If you have ever wondered how companies know the origin of their app users, the answer is through mobile attribution. Mobile attribution is a critical technology for anybody who builds, markets, or manages a mobile app.
In this beginner’s guide, we will explain what mobile attribution platforms are, how they work, and why it is important for successfully growing your app. Whether you’re brand new to apps or you want to make sense of something you’ve recently heard, this guide will provide you with a simple, basic understanding of mobile attribution.
What Is Mobile Attribution?
Mobile attribution is the process of determining the source of your app users. It tracks which ads, social media posts, search results, or promotions drove a person to download and open your app. In its basic meaning, mobile attribution ties a user’s action (i.e., the downloading of your app) to the marketing effort that initiated that action.
This is hugely valuable because it allows you to understand what is and is not working. Without mobile attribution, guessing at which of your marketing efforts are acquiring users would be plain guesswork.
Mobile Attribution services, like Apptrove, a reputable mobile attribution platform, greatly facilitate this process. They guide you through analysing where users are coming from, what ads lead to installs, to help you make effective marketing decisions.
Why Mobile Attribution Matters
Promoting a mobile app is a process that takes time, effort, and money. If you don’t know where your best users are coming from, you may be wasting your late. Mobile attribution allows you to track how users find your app and tells you which platforms deliver the most valuable users.
For example, if you’re running ads on Instagram, Google, and TikTok, Mobile attribution will tell you which advertisement of the three is driving the most installs, and it will also track which ads are bringing users back to the app.
A recent report states that only 32% of app users return to the app more than 11 times after downloading the app. That’s a low number! Knowing how marketing campaigns provide value and lead to loyal users is vital – mobile attribution allows you to know just that!\
How Mobile Attribution Works
1. Click or Impression Occurs
When a user either clicks or views your app ad, a digital “touchpoint” is created, which is where mobile attribution starts.
2. User Downloads the App
Once a user clicks the ad, if they download the app and open it, the mobile attribution platform will tie the download to the ad click.
3. Credit is Assigned to the Source
The tool will then credit the source- whether it be a Facebook ad, a YouTube ad, or a blog post, which lets all marketers know which of their campaigns are performing well.
This entire process is executed using specialised links, software kits, and tracking IDs that are embedded in the app and ad platform.
Key Features of Mobile Attribution
A. Multi-Touch Tracking
Certain users will interact with multiple ads and or other mediums before downloading your app. A good mobile attribution platform can track multiple touchpoints to show you the entire touchpoint journey.
B. Real-Time Reporting
Most tools will provide real-time data, which allows you to quickly take action if a campaign is not performing as well as you would like or if a new strategy is performing better than you had anticipated.
C. Fraud Detection
Fake clicks and installs can be detrimental to your data, and many app attribution tools will have built-in features to detect and stop this type of fraud or fake engagement.
Choosing the Right Mobile Attribution Platform
There are a lot of tools available, but the best mobile attribution platform is accurate, easy to use, and provides a wealth of insights. A good mobile attribution platform allows you to track users from the very first click through to in-app purchases and other longer-term engagement.
Platforms like Apptrove can not only help to measure downloads and installations, but they also provide insights into post-install activity, such as signups, purchases, and uninstalls. This allows you to see not only the number of users but also the quality of your users.
Benefits of Mobile Attribution
Improved Marketing ROI
You can stop wasting money on channels that don’t work, and invest more money in channels that actually generate results.
Better Decision Making
Mobile attribution will allow you to try out different ads, messages, and platforms to learn what works best.
Stronger Growth Strategy
Understanding where your users come from and what they do after downloading your app allows you to plan growth in the long term.
How It Connects with Other Tools
Mobile attribution complements user acquisition tracking tools. Users can determine how many users they are gaining and from where over time. When combined with mobile analytics platforms, users can understand everything about how users behave, from download to uninstall.
Many brands also use app attribution tools to connect that data and understand it across channels and apps. This allows them to bring more structure to their marketing approach and work more efficiently.
Conclusion: Mobile attribution allows you to get ahead
Knowing where your users are coming from is everything, especially in the mobile app world. Mobile attribution can provide a lot of value if you want to spend your time and money wisely. Use tools like Apptrove – a powerful mobile attribution platform to track campaigns, boost user quality, and grow your app business confidently.
Don’t let guesswork run your marketing. Make mobile attribution a repeatable part of your app strategy and feel your growth soar.
