SKAdNetwork Solution guide (iOS 14)

To enable the use of SKAdNetwork in the app:

• Advertiser app (your app) meaning the app being advertised: implement the SDK
• Publisher apps (app displaying an ad): must implement configure a source app
• Ad networks must register with Apple,

• Devices having:
  • iOS 11-13 support SKAdNetwork V1 (installs only)
  • iOS 14 or later support SKAdNetwork V2 (with conversion value)
• LAT devices
• App-to-app attribution

• Mobile web
• Adset and ad granularity
• Organic installs

• Last-click attribution for direct referrer mode: User clicks an ad → app store → install
• Aggregated attribution with campaign-level granularity
• Postbacks:
  
  • Sent to the attributed ad network by the OS layer of the iOS device
  • 24-72 hours after install
  • No postback for organic installs

• For the advertiser, SKAdNetwork postbacks are collected from multiple ad networks.
• Advertisers don't need to integrate individually with each ad network—a complex and tedious task.

• Ensures postbacks are signed by Apple; this reduces the chances of postback manipulation.
• Uses the transaction ID field to validate that postbacks are unique.

• Enriches SKAdNetwork postback data with other data points to provide complete ROI analysis.
• Data points include impressions, clicks, cost, organic traffic, and more.

Enriched SKAdNetwork data is available in the following: 

• SKAdNetwork Solution dashboard
• [Coming soon] Raw data and aggregate-data reports (using Export data, Pull API, and Data Locker)

• Full encapsulation enables a near-zero effort by the advertiser via the app settings page.
• No coding required. The app requires AppsFlyer iOS SDK Version 6.0 or later. 
• Includes support for expected changes by Apple in the SKAdNetwork infrastructure.

Advertisers can change measurement configurations as needed in the dashboard.

Click-to-install rate

Count of unique users performing a designated measurement event:

• Revenue event (always af_skad_revenue)
• Conversion event
• Engagement event

Converted users / Installs * 100

Cost / Unique users performing a designated event

Revenue generated during the Measurement Window

Settings:

• Value range:
  • Single-mode: 0-63
  • Split-mode: 0-31
• Conversion value translation:
  • Conversion value units are translated to USD using one of the following conversion factors: $0.01, $1.00, $10.00
  • Revenue amounts in the dashboard and raw-data are converted to the app-specific currency using the current exchange rate. 

Metrics:

• Revenue
• ROI
• ROAS
• ARPU: Revenue/users installing the app
• Rate of users converting: Users making a purchase/users installing the app
• eCPA

Consideration:

In the app, foreign currency amounts are translated to USD which are converted to conversion units. Fractions of a conversion value unit are rounded up to complete units. For Example, EUR 10, after translation using the current exchange rate is USD 11.25. If the conversion value unit rate selected is $1=1 unit, this is 11.25 units which is rounded up to 12 conversion value units. 

In-app event performed at one or more times during the Measurement Window

Settings:

• Number of events supported:
  • Single-mode: 1-6
  • Split-mode: 1-5
• Select in-app events to measure from the drop-down list.
• Designate one in-app event as the conversion event.

Metrics per in-app event:

• Count of users performing an event
• Conversion rate: Users performing the conversion event/users installing the app
• eCPA

Example of user counts:

• Completed registration
• Made a purchase
• Reached a game level

Clarification! Use conversion measurement to count if a user performed an event. To count how many times a user performs an event use engagement measurement.

Settings: 

• Select an in-app event from the drop-down list.
• The in-app selection is also designated as the conversion event.
• Value range:
  • Single-mode: 0-63
  • Split-mode: 0-31

Metrics for the in-app event:

• Count of users performing the event
• Average number of events per user
• Conversion rate
• eCPA

Example: Measure the number of times a user opened the app.

• 20 users install the app and perform the following purchases:
  • 10 users each make a purchase of $10
  • 5 users each make a purchase of $5
• Cost data provided by API from the ad network: $30

• Select measurement type: revenue
• Set conversion factor: 1 conversion unit = $1
• Designated conversion event: af_purchase (always)

• Installs: 20
• Revenue: $125
• Conversions:15
• ARPU: $6.25
• ROI: 316%

Events carrying revenue are recognised

• Five users (A-E) install the app
• They perform 0-3 different in-app events as depicted in the table
• Cost data provided by API from the ad network: $30

Select measurement type: Conversion

• Select in-app events: in-app-1, in-app-2, in-app-3
• Designated conversion event: in-app 1

• Ensure that you send in-app events users perform.
• SKAdNetwork Solution disregards event values (except in relation to revenue measurement.

Five users install the app and open the app the number of times listed in the table. 

• Select measurement type: Engagement
• Designated conversion event: af_app_opened Note! You can use any event available. 

Sample metrics available

• Installs: 5
• Conversions: 4
• Sessions: 79 

On each occasion the user performs the selected engagement event: send the in-app event. SKAdNetwork counts the number of times you send the event. 

 Split-mode 

[Coming soon] Enable split-mode to support two measurement types simultaneously

• Users who install the app are split randomly between any two of the measurement types.
• Attribution results are scaled automatically and are available in the dashboard and raw data reports.

Example:

• Users are split between Revenue and Conversion modes.
• On Day "X":
  • 100 users install the app
  • 50 users send revenue measurements
  • 50 send conversion measurements 
• Conversion data is recorded:
  • $50 generated by 25 unique users
  • 10 users finished game level 5
• Data is scaled and shown in the metrics. Media source attribution is similarly attributed as follows:
  
  • $100 generated by 50 unique users
  • 20 users finished game level 5

A time window having a duration of 24 hours starting with the first app open. The SDK updates the conversion value 

• The setting is communicated to the SDK.
• Best practice is a 24-hour window; taking into consideration the trade-off between recording more events and the speed in getting conversion data.

• Read SKAdNetwork Solution guide 
• See current app performance using the SKAdNetwork simulation view
• Additional reading: Prepare your apps for iOS 14

In AppsFlyer, configure the SKAdNetwork solution

Migrate the app to AppsFlyer V6 SDK

• No change to app logic nor to app code is required.
• The Solution relies on in-app events to set the conversion value. Send the in-app events in the usual manner. No Solution specific testing is required. 
• See developer considerations for specific measurement scenarios.
• Submit the app to the App Store
• No SKAdNetwork registration or process is required in the app store.

• Ad network partners must integrate with us using our updated SKAdNetwork integration.
• Verify with each of your partners that they are suitably integrated.
• SKAdNetwork simulation contains the data of all your partners irrespective of their current integration status. This won't be the case for the live data reported by SKAdNetwork postbacks.