CTV, PC, and console platform attribution concepts

Direct attribution links are AppsFlyer links that support redirection and attribution for a single destination app on a single platform at a time. They're typically utilized for:

• Same platform to same platform advertising. Meaning the platform displaying the ad and the platform supporting the app are identical. For example, an advertiser can display an ad for a Samsung TV app on a Samsung TV.
• Any platform to any platform advertising, with the destination/platform predetermined. For example, a desktop web landing page shows an ad with 1 or more buttons, with each button redirecting to a specific platform store/marketplace. 

Direct attribution links support both probabilistic modeling and deterministic matching (when an ID is provided in the link) attribution methods, whereby one install by one user is matched to an ad click or impression. The attribution flow is illustrated in the diagram that follows.

Because direct attribution links are for an app on a specific predetermined platform and lead to one specific destination, they always contain the app ID and platform information in the URL.

Sample direct attribution link: https://engagements.appsflyer.com/v1.0/c2s/click/app/steam/1234561?&af_media_source=game_media_source&af_campaign=campaign_yellow&af_campaign_id=1234&af_ad=game_ad_name&af_adset=game_adset_name&af_r=https%3A%2F%2Fstore.steampowered.com%2Fapp%2F1176160%2FSpace_Wars%2F

Learn how to set up direct attribution link structure and parameters.

Cross-platform OneLink links support redirection and attribution when the ad and destination platforms differ. They're used when various platform choices exist. For example, in a CTV-to-mobile flow, an ad displays on a Roku platform/device, but the destination can be an Android/iOS app. Another example is a desktop web-to-console flow, where the ad displays on desktop web, but the game is available on PC and multiple console platforms, like PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam.

Cross-platform OneLink links only support the probabilistic modeling attribution method (based on IP address). For this reason, multiple installs by multiple users can be attributed to the same impression. The attribution flow is illustrated in the diagram that follows.

All possible app destinations/platforms are configured in the OneLink template. To that end, cross-platform OneLink links don't contain a specific app ID or specific platform information in the URL. Instead, the URL includes the template ID where all the possible app destinations/platforms are configured.

Sample cross-platform OneLink link: https://impressions.onelink.me/ch/AG7A?pid=game_media_source&c=game_landing_page&af_ad=game_ad_name&af_adset=game_adset_name&af_xplatform=true

Learn how to set up cross-platform OneLink links

With direct attribution links and cross-platform OneLink links, AppsFlyer attribute installs via data contained in the URL. In contrast, self-reporting networks (SRNs), sometimes also known as Self-attributing networks (SANs), self-attribute using the device ID when notified of an install by AppsFlyer.

Attribution to SRNs is via deterministic matching. When an advertiser integrates an SRN, attribution works as illustrated in the diagram that follows.

Currently, SRN attribution only works for same platform to same platform advertising. Meaning, when the touchpoint (click or impression) occurs on the same platform as the install. For example, if a Roku CTV install is checked with Roku Endemic Media (the SRN for Roku) and an impression is found to have occurred on a Roku device. If the impression happened on a different platform, such as mobile, it is not considered for attribution.

In the future, SRN attribution may become available for any platform to any platform ads, allowing for more comprehensive cross-platform attribution.

Cross-platform landing pages are designed to support common cross-platform user journeys and marketing flows. They are most-commonly used for gaming apps. The landing pages run the AppsFlyer Smart Script to perform web-to-app attribution. This means they attribute installs on any platform (such as CTV, PC, console, and mobile platforms) to ads displayed on web.

The Smart Script in a cross-platform landing page uses the incoming link (the link on the web ad) to do 2 things that ensure the original media source and web ad are attributed with the install:

• Create a cross-platform OneLink link that sends an impression to AppsFlyer. This lets AppsFlyer log an impression that can later be used to attribute user installs. Impressions are sent when the landing page opens. Even if users leave the landing page without clicking any buttons, and then download and install the app on their own, the impression is still attributed.
• Create direct attribution links for each app/platform. When users click these links, they are directed to the correct platform/app store. And when they subsequently download and install the app, the install is attributed to the click. 

The landing page supports both probabilistic modeling and deterministic matching (when an ID is provided in the link) attribution methods. With probabilistic modeling, it's possible that multiple installs by multiple users can be attributed to the same impression. The attribution flow is illustrated in the diagram that follows.

For example:

1. You have a gaming app that can be downloaded and played on desktop, mobile, Epic, or Steam platforms.
2. You advertise on the web.
3. A user sees the ad on the web, whether from paid search results or social media promotions.
4. The users click on the ad and is redirected to a landing page, that has separate download buttons for each platform: desktop, mobile, Epic, and Steam.
5. The landing page runs the AppsFlyer Smart Script that:
6. Captures essential data points from the incoming link (the link that brought the user from web to the landing page), like query or UTM params, or default values, that identify the media source, campaign, ad, and more.
7. Uses the above data points to generate an impression and send it to AppsFlyer.
8. Generates outgoing links for each of the platform download buttons. 
9. The user clicks one of the download buttons, is taken to the platform app store, downloads and opens the app.
10. The install/first app open is matched to the impression and attributed to the media source that showed the original ad on the web.

Additional information:

• See sample cross-platform landing page
• Learn how to set up cross-platform landing pages with Smart Script