At a glance: Send rich mobile attribution data from AppsFlyer to Google Analytics (GA). This feature works with iOS and Android apps.
Important!
Some media sources restrict sharing data with 3rd parties. AppsFlyer cannot share user-level data of users acquired through these media sources with 3rd party platforms or services. Installs from such media sources are sent as organic.
For more details and a list of media sources that restrict sharing data with 3rd parties, click here.
Note that AppsFlyer doesn't support integration with Google Analytics 4.
Related reading
For a complete picture of working with Google Analytics in AppsFlyer, check out these articles:
- Google Analytics integration—setup (this article)
- Google Analytics integration—viewing data
- Google Analytics integration—custom dimensions
- Google Analytics integration—discrepancies
The integration can be performed in two different ways:
- Integrating AppsFlyer Data with Google Analytics - Recommended
- Custom Dimensions on Google Analytics - Not Recommended
Notes concerning UTMs
AppsFlyer doesn't recommend manually adding UTM parameters to attribution links.
Doing so is only supported in cases where AppsFlyer directly sends the user to Google Play. In SRNs and ad networks that operate using server-to-server clicks, this is not supported. For example, if a user comes from an SRN or an ad network that reports clicks to AppsFlyer using server-to-server but sends the user to Google Play, AppsFlyer is unable to report these installs to Google Analytics.
Also, with UTMs AppsFlyer can only send installs to Google Analytics but not in-app events.
Reporting data to Google Analytics
For each new install or in-app event, a postback is sent from AppsFlyer to GA with the following attribution data:
| AppsFlyer Fields | Google Analytics Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Media source name (pid parameter on the attribution link) | Source (utm_source) |
| Campaign name (c parameter on the attribution link) | Campaign (utm_campaign) |
| Google search Keywords | Keyword (utm_term) |
| Country code (GEO) | Country ISO Code |
| App ID (package name on the attribution link) | App ID |
| App Name (package name on the attribution link) | App Name |
| App Version | App Version |
| CID (Advertising ID for Android or IDFA for iOS) | Client Id - appears in the audience dashboard on Google Analytics |
| Type | Event Category |
| Event Name | Event Action / Event Label |
AppsFlyer also sends organic installs and events data to GA. Organic data has no source information associated with it.
Setting up Google Analytics
Go to the dashboard of your app and click on Integrated Partners on the left menu.
Enter "Google Analytics" in the search field and click on its logo to open the Google Analytics configuration window.
The Google Analytics configuration window only makes use of the Integration tab.
For a detailed description of the Partner Configuration Window Header, click here.
Integration tab
General settings
Account ID
Google Analytics connects with AppsFlyer via a unique Account ID. If you don't already have it, you must obtain it from Google Analytics to continue with the integration.
Obtaining the account ID
From the Google Analytics admin window, copy your Tracking ID.
Paste the Tracking ID in the Account_ID field.
Click Save to finish if you only want to send mobile installations data to GA.
AppsFlyer and Google Analytics SDKs
If your app has both the AppsFlyer and GA SDKs integrated into it, then you must set the Client ID (CID) parameter value to match between the two SDKs. GA’s SDK creates a unique CID upon initialization, while for AppsFlyer the value sent as CID is the unique Device ID (GAID for Android and IDFA for iOS). If these values are not matched, data in GA’s platform gets duplicated.
To avoid duplicate data reporting do the following:
- Set the CID (in GA SDK) value to the unique Device ID (GAID or IDFA) of the new user.
- Toggle off sending CustomerUserID (see below).
If your app has only the AppsFlyer’s SDK, then no code changes are required.
Default postbacks
AppsFlyer sends automatic postbacks to Google Analytics following user installs. Use this section to define sending these postbacks.
In-app event settings
Enter the Account ID again to enable in-app event postbacks.
In-app event postbacks
Turn In-App Events Postback on to enable sending in-app event postbacks to GA.
Select the events you wish to send to GA.
Important!
You can only select events that have been sent in the past. If the event you want to select is not in the list, make sure it is sent at least once.
Attribution link tab
Cost tab
Cost data is not supported in the integration with Google Analytics.
Ad revenue tab
Ad Revenue is not supported in the integration with Google Analytics.
Permissions tab
Permissions are not available for Google Analytics.