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All You Need to Know about Mobile App Attribution SDKs
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Attribution SDK Deep Dive
Why Use Attribution Analytics SDKs?
Why Attribution is so Great for Mobile
Nice-to-Have OR a Must-Have?
Cost Effectiveness is the Name of the Game
The Top Attribution Analytics Tools
How to choose the Best SDK?
How to Optimize Pricing
Summary and Last Thoughts
INTRODUCTION
We’ve recently released the first Android Mobile SDKs Data Report, revealing the top SDK players in each category, as well as the most popular SDKs categories.
One such popular category is of Attribution Analytics SDKs that allows apps to track the source of their app’s installations.
Most app publishers that acquire users through paid campaigns have at least one premium Attribution Analytics SDK.
Our report discloses which Attribution SDKs are the most popular as well as a geographical drill-down (which SDKs are being used by different developers around the world).
Because Attribution is such a popular and important category, we’ve decided to dive deeper and share some ways to optimize their cost effectiveness.
ATTRIBUTION SDK DEEP DIVE
For example Adjust, an attribution SDK, has recently sent a price change email to its customer base. The industry responded by looking for alternative attribution tools.
Many of our colleagues have started thinking and asking questions. As did we.
WHY USE ATTRIBUTION ANALYTICS SDKS?
Let’s think of the mobile app industry’s big brother, the online industry. Where the most commonly used tools are UTMs and cookies.
Attribution Analytics tools (SDKs) are used to track the sources of your mobile app paid installs or post install paid events.
Attribution allows access to detailed analysis of any event you set in order to tweak your marketing initiatives accordingly.
In other words, you can make optimized data-driven media buying decisions.
1. Attribution tools save you the need to implement a new SDK for every time you run a pilot with a new ad channel, as they are directly connected with hundreds of ad-networks.
WHY ATTRIBUTION IS SO GREAT FOR MOBILE
WHY ATTRIBUTION IS SO GREAT FOR MOBILE – CONT.
2. Since fraud is common in the ad industry, app developers that use multiple channels for acquisition are left vulnerable and at risk. The numbers provided by attribution tools – an unrelated third party –becomes the baseline for the billed installs on which both parties can agree.
NICE-TO-HAVE OR A MUST-HAVE?
Generally speaking, the more paid campaigns you run, and the more paid channels you operate in, the more crucial and complex it becomes to monitor the whole process.
Still, a significant amount does not mean you can’t live without premium attribution. Basically, it depends on how and where you spend your budget and on the quality or availability of your developers.
Facebook, for instance, provides an easy-to-implement SDK with an elegant way to track installs and post-install paid or organic events.
If you spend your budget mainly on Facebook and you use Facebook Analytics , you might not see a significant added value in a premium attribution SDK.
On the other hand, most app marketers are desperately looking for ways to track their acquisition sources in real time.
The use of Attribution tools allows them to instantly add multiple paid channels without help from the dev team.
LET’S ASSUME
… that you, are using multiple acquisition channels, paid or organic.
Chances are that you can’t afford to wait to discover what your best channels are.
Sure, you can add key events and forego the attribution SDKs, but if you are running campaigns through multiple sources, implementation becomes a burden, and so is analyzing results from multiple dashboards.
Providing your chosen SDK is connected with all the ad networks the implementation is a one time thing.
Attribution tools won’t necessarily bring you the largest number of installs, but they will bring the largest number of quality installs, the kind that trigger engagement events and positive ROI. You’ll need attribution SDKs to make sure your ROI is kept positive.
COST EFFECTIVENESS IS THE NAME OF THE GAME
THE TOP ATTRIBUTION ANALYTICS TOOLS
With so many tools adding attribution to their features list, it looks like attribution capabilities are becoming a commodity in the mobile app ecosystem.
Some attribution SDKs are more popular than others, with AppsFlyer claiming the throne based on our recent data trends report that analyzed over 35,000 Android apps.
Highly adaptable – One of the most important things to consider when choosing an SDK is its adaptability. Your best bet is selecting a well-connected highly adaptable attribution SDK.
Stable – It’s important to ensure your chosen SDKs’ stability through review of established long-term partnerships with major industry players such as Facebook, Twitter, Google etc…
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SDK?Here is a simple checklist to help you select the preferred provider:
Lightweight – Choose an SDK doesn’t strain your code.
Specialty – Make sure to implement an SDK whose sole purpose is Attribution Analytics.
Deep linking – Your attribution tools should be able to offer you the option to track deep links, as well as regular links.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SDK? – CONT.
HOW TO OPTIMIZE PRICING
Here are some pointers to keep in mind when considering not just product, but also price:
Some attribution SDKs require monthly payments, whether they are used or not. Some attribution SDKs are free as long as you don’t run any paid campaigns.
Some charge for clicks AND installs. Try to estimate the projected price (XX amount of installs + XX multiplied by 10 amount of clicks).
Consider the pricing levels. Your acquisitions may grow faster than you think.
HOW TO OPTIMIZE PRICING – CONT.
Just because you have an attribution SDK, doesn’t mean you always have to use it. You can cut cost by minimizing the amount of data you send to that SDK.
If you’re using attribution tools only for quality tracking, you can use our data sampling option: The SafeDK Real-Time SDKs Control allows you to sample the data you send to specific SDKs, so you can still enjoy the relevant insights and optimize your spending.
So if you’re going to be spreading the word and your money around, you’ll most likely want to keep track of what works best.
Attribution Analytics does just that.
But as every cent does truly count, it’s important to not only choose the right ad and campaign, but also the best tracking SDK for you.
SUMMARY
LAST THOUGHTS Consider the pricing for your future users as well.
Consider the different tiers and plans, for current and future needs.
Consider how easy it’ll be for your marketing team to track current and future campaigns with any ad-network.
Consider all the added value of using attribution SDK, and realize that it’s not just added volume.
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