[Legacy] Organic search attribution

For:
Marketers
Last update:

At a glance: Get detailed organic search attribution data so you can optimize organic conversions. See our updated organic search attribution method.

 Important!

We recommend implementing our updated organic search attribution method.

Organic search attribution

Organic search attribution is an innovative attribution solution that allows AppsFlyer customers to attribute mobile app opens of users who already have your app installed to organic search.

Use organic search attribution to attribute these existing users who re-engage with your app after an organic web search.

FLOW

Organic_SEO_attribution_flow.png

  1. A user searches for a term (for example “mens shoes”) on their mobile browser search engine (Google, Bing, etc.). The search engine displays several clickable results.
  2. Some of these search results are mapped by your web developer to open your mobile open using Android App Links and iOS Universal Links. If a user has the app installed, when they click the search result, the app opens (without redirecting to an app store first).
  3. Upon app launch, AppsFlyer collects the required information and is able to attribute the app open to your configured media source (for example search_engine).
  4. If the user doesn’t have the app installed, they are sent to a web landing page, where you can use any of several AppsFlyer web-to-app solutions (like Smart Banners, Smart Script, or QR codes) to redirect and attribute them.

To set up attribution:

  1. Give your app Android and iOS app developers the domain associated with your app. For Android, this means the domain with Android App Links configured to open the app for existing users. And for iOS, this means the domain with Universal Links is configured to open the app for existing users.
  2. Tell the developers what value to use for the media source (pid) parameter. For example: search_engine. 
  3. Tell your developers to follow their Android and iOS organic search attribution instructions.
    Any installs from organic searches will display with the media source value you chose. For example: search_engine. 

Tip! Learn about search engine usage breakdown by geo