AppsFlyer Integration: Track Mobile Apps Traffic and Events

This article covers what the AppsFlyer integration is, why it's necessary for mobile app tracking, and the benefits it provides for your AdRoll campaigns. To read more about how to connect AdRoll and AppsFlyer, click here. 

What are Mobile Measurement Platforms (MMP)

A Mobile Measurement Platform (MMP) is a third-party service that gathers, organizes, and analyzes data from mobile app events. AdRoll requires an MMP because its pixel tracks user activity on desktop and mobile websites, but it cannot track events that occur within a native mobile app.

To bridge this gap, AdRoll partners with AppsFlyer. This integration is crucial for marketers whose mobile app is a primary source of traffic and conversions (e.g., forex and crypto companies), as it enables them to create audiences and attribute performance based on in-app user activity.

Currently, AdRoll's only MMP partner is AppsFlyer.

Features and Use Cases

By integrating AppsFlyer with AdRoll, you can perform three primary functions:

Attribute Mobile App Installs 

• You can correctly attribute new mobile app installations to the specific AdRoll ad campaigns that drove them.
• The integration uses AppsFlyer’s OneLink URL within AdRoll ads, which sends users directly to the correct app store (Apple App Store or Google Play Store) based on their device's operating system.
• Mobile app install is the default event tracked. If a user clicks the ad on a desktop browser, they are sent to a designated deep link page on your website, such as an account sign-up page.

Attribute Other In-App Mobile Events

• Beyond installs, you can configure AppsFlyer to track a variety of other valuable in-app events.
• Examples of other events include a user opening an account, funding an account, or completing a trade.
• This allows you to attribute mobile view-through conversions from your AdRoll ad campaigns for these specific actions.

Target Mobile Audiences

• The integration allows you to segment users who have visited your mobile app into audiences that can be used for retargeting ad campaigns.
• These mobile-specific audiences can be identified by the "af" prefix in the audience name.

Reporting & Attribution

Once connected, you can view performance data within both AdRoll and AppsFlyer.

AdRoll Reporting

• AdRoll Attribution: View your AppsFlyer audiences (e.g., af_media_play) and see how they contribute to total conversions. You can differentiate between "Touched" conversions (exposed to an AdRoll ad) and "Attributed" conversions (directly credited to AdRoll).

• Campaign Attribution: See which AdRoll campaigns served as touchpoints on the path to conversion for your mobile audiences.

• Scroll further down the page and select the conversion audience: af_media_play. See the path type to: Touched. The table shows the individual and combinations of AdRoll campaigns that were touch points on the path to conversions.

• Cross-Channel Attribution: AppsFlyer conversion audiences are available as filters, allowing you to see their performance alongside other channels.

AppsFlyer Reporting

• Navigate to the Analyze > Overview page to see metrics like "Non-Organic Installs".

• You can also view a breakdown of events by the specific campaign that drove them.