At a glance: Apple Search Ads (ASA), an AppsFlyer SRN integrated partner, assists users visiting the App Store to find your app using keywords.
iOS 14 update: Apple Search Ads integration changes
In February 2021, we'll make changes to the Apple Search ads integration.
The relevance of your app to the search query in the App Store determines if your ad is the one displayed. User response to an ad is an important signal of ad relevance. If no one taps the ad, ASA stops displaying it.
ASA offers click-based mobile attribution, user retargeting, and cost data via API.
Configurer les Apple Search Ads
Conditions préalables- If you use an SDK version before V4.10.4, add ASA frameworks manually.
Setting up Apple Search Ads in AppsFlyer:
- Dans AppsFlyer, ouvrez Configuration > Partenaires intégrés.
- Sélectionnez Apple Search Ads.
- Go to the Integration tab.
- Turn on Activate partner.
- Configure the integration, cost, and partner permissions as needed.
Lecture connexe : en-tête de la fenêtre de configuration du partenaire
Configuration tabs
Configuration tabs relevant to ASA are Integration, Cost, and Permissions.
Integration
Apple Search Ads, an SRN, integrates with AppsFlyer via API. As such, there are no postback settings. Complete the following sections according to your attribution goals.
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Integration activation |
Activate partner To attribute this partner:
To stop attributing this partner:
|
| Attribution d'installation |
Install click-through lookback window Set the maximum time from click-to-install. Doing so enables AppsFlyer to attribute installs (first launches) taking place within the lookback window to ASA. Range:1–30 days Additional reading: Click-through lookback window |
| Reinstalls |
Attribution de réinstallation If on, AppsFlyer can attribute reinstalls to ASA according to the rules listed here. Reinstall attribution lookback window settings are set according to the install attribution settings. For each new install, ASA sends AppsFlyer a re-download flag. If true, the install is a re-download. If all of the following are true, the install is attributed to ASA as a reinstall:
Currently ASA retargeting does not support re-engagements. |
|
Inactivity window Set the user inactivity threshold (in days) to control the impact of retargeting campaigns. |
Cost
Permettre l'intégration des coûts Apple Search Ads
If you enable cost API, AppsFlyer receives cost, clicks, and impression data from ASA via API.
The use of multiple ASA accounts is supported. In other words, if you run campaigns for the same app using different ASA accounts, AppsFlyer can receive this data from all accounts.
- Download the authentication certificates, that is, PEM and KEY files, from the Apple Search Ads account.
- Download the files from each account separately.
To download the PEM and KEY file from your Apple Search Ads account:
- Log in to Apple Search Ads, click on the upper-right hand, select settings.
- Allez dans l'onglet API, cliquez sur Créer un certificat API.
- Nommez le certificat API et sélectionnez le type d'autorisation dans la section Compte en lecture seule ou Administration du compte, puis cliquez sur Créer.
- Sélectionnez Action, puis Télécharger
Preparing certificate files
The certificates download in a .zip file containing two files. Extract them and upload them to AppsFlyer as described in the procedure that follows.
If the certificate has permissions to view the data of more than one app, you can use it to retrieve cost data for those apps.
Repeat the procedure that follows for each app referenced by the certificate.
Pour activer la connexion API à Apple Search Ads :
- In AppsFlyer, go to the Apple Search Ads > Cost tab.
- If necessary, enable Get cost, clicks, and impressions data.
- Cliquez sur Ajouter un certificat.
- Enter Certificate name. This should be the same as the Apple Search Ads account name.
- Si vous ne l'avez pas encore fait, décompressez le fichier que vous avez téléchargé sur Apple Search Ads.
- Envoyez le fichier PEM et le fichier KEY téléchargés sur Apple Search Ads.
- After a few moments, the status indicator changes to OK. If this is not the case, an error message displays. Error message table.
- Cliquez sur Sauvegarder le coût.
- If you have more than one Apple Search Ads account, repeat the relevant steps in this procedure for each account.
AppsFlyer receives cost data for the past 7 days. Prior cost data is not available.
Note
Cost data for Basic campaigns is not supported by the ASA reporting API, so Basic campaign data is not available in AppsFlyer.
Cost data sync status
In the cost tab, the status of the cost integration displays
Permissions
Additonal integration information
Apple Search Ads campaign field mapping
| AppsFlyer raw data report field | ASA attribution parameter | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Campagne | iad-campaign-name | |
| Identifiant de la campagne | iad-campaign-id | |
| Ensemble de publicités | iad-adgroup-name | |
| Identifiant de l'ensemble de publicités | iad-adgroup-id | |
| Publicité | iad-creativeset-name | Not mandatory in ASA. If not set the AppsFlyer field is blank. |
| Identifiant de publicité | iad-creativeset-id | Not mandatory in ASA. If not set the AppsFlyer field is blank. |
| Mots-clés | iad-keyword | |
| Keyword ID | - |
Apple Search Ads: Marketing partner vs. Agency
Advertisers and agencies may elect to work with ASA Marketing Partners to report and optimize campaigns on ASA.
The differences between agencies and marketing partners are enumerated in the table that follows.
| Agency | Marketing partner | |
|---|---|---|
| AppsFlyer sends postbacks | No | Yes |
| Technology | Run campaigns on your behalf | Have a value add technology solution to optimize campaigns |
Configuring agencies and marketing partners
Use the checklist that follows to ensure that you complete all steps in the configuration process. Detailed instructions are conainted per partner type in the sections that follow.
| Configured by | Agency | Marketing partner |
|---|---|---|
| Advertiser |
|
|
| Agency |
In the ASA integration tab, set Apple Search Ads Campaign Group. |
S/O |
Marketing partner setup
To setup a marketing partner:
- If required, activate Apple Search Ads integration :
- In AppsFlyer, go to, Configuration> Integrated Partners > Apple Search Ads.
- Turn on Activate Partner.
- Cliquez sur Enregistrer.
-
In your Apple Search Ads dashboard:
- Get the Apple Search Ads Campaign Group parameter related to the partner as shown in the preceding screenshot.
- This value needs to be unique across ASA. If there are no campaign groups in the Apple Search Ads account, use the Account Name (appearing in the upper right-hand corner).
-
In AppsFlyer, configure the ASA marketing partner:
- In AppsFlyer, go to, Configuration > Integrated Partners.
- Enter Apple search ads marketing partner.
The list of marketing partners displays. - Select a marketing partner.
- Turn on Activate Partner.
- Enter the partner's Apple Search Ads Campaign Group that you retrieved in the earlier step.
- Cliquez sur Enregistrer.
-
Configure in-app events postback:
-
Turn on In-app events postback.
-
Select the Sending Option for all SDK defined events, select one of the following:
-
Only events attributed to this partner for events coming only from users attributed to this partner
-
Events attributed to any partner or organic to have your entire user base reported to the partner
-
-
Click Add event to add an SDK Event to the list.
-
Remplissez les paramètres suivants :
Nom du paramètre Description SDK event name The name of the event, as received by AppsFlyer either from the SDK integrated in your app, or from server to server events.
Tip: If you don't see the event you want in the list, make sure to activate the event on a device with a non-organic installation and recheck.Partner event identifier Le nom ou l'ID unique de chaque évènement tel que défini du côté d'Apple Search Ads.
Obtenez l'ID d'évènement correspondant d'Apple Search Ads et configurez-le dans le champ de texte.Send revenue If not selected: AppsFlyer sends all the parameters of the rich in-app event to the partner, except for the revenue parameter, which is contained in the af_revenue parameter.
If selected: AppsFlyer sends all the parameters including the revenue value (if it exists in the event).
-
Agency setup
Advertisers permit agencies to run campaigns on their behalf using Apple Search Ads. Both advertisers and agencies perform setup actions in AppsFlyer as described in this section.
Apple Search Ads campaign group
- Agency campaigns and advertiser campaigns must be in different Apple Search Ads campaign groups.
- Don't use special characters and spaces for the group name.
Advertiser actions
Prerequisite:
Grant permission to an agency.
To enable attribution for Apple Search Ads the advertiser:
- In AppsFlyer, go to Configuration > Integrated Partners.
- Select Apple Search Ads.
- Go to the Integration tab, switch on Activate partner.
- [Optional] If you want to attribute users who reinstall the app during the re-attribution window, switch on Reinstall attribution.
- Cliquez sur Enregistrer.
Actions de l'agence
- Go to your Apple Search Ads account, get the Campaign Group name (highlighted below in green,
- In AppsFlyer, select an App.
- Go to Configuration > Integrated Partners.
- Select Apple Search Ads.
- Enter the Apple Search Ads Campaign Group parameter.
- Click Save.
Important !
- The campaign group name must be unique to the Apple Search Ads platform. To make sure it's unique, add your company's name at the beginning of the campaign group name. For example, partner_campaign_group_name.
- The Campaign group shouldn't include special characters or white spaces.
Note
Lorsqu'une agence travaille avec un partenaire marketing d'Apple Search Ads, l'agence doit configurer le même nom de groupe de campagne dans la page de configuration d'Apple Search Ads et dans la page de configuration du partenaire marketing.
Cost, clicks, and impressions data
- In the Cost tab, turn on Get Cost, Clicks and Impressions Data.
- Téléchargez le fichier PEM et KEY valide.
- Cliquez sur Enregistrer.
Note
Les agences doivent activer les coûts sur leur tableau de bord et télécharger les certificats de leur côté afin de synchroniser les coûts avec AppsFlyer.
Disabling agencies and marketing partners
To disable an agency or a marketing partner's attribution of Apple Search Ads, while keeping it enabled for the advertiser:
- From the agency account, go to the Apple Search Ads or the marketing partner's configuration page.
- Clear the text in the Apple Search Ads Campaign Group box.
- Cliquez sur Enregistrer.
AppsFlyer and Apple Search Ads use different attribution logic resulting in discrepancies between the platforms. Apple Search Ads, an SRN, reports new installs by API.
Apple Search Ads reporting to AppsFlyer by API
- Campaigns are aggregated by Geo.
- The following are not reported: Impressions, taps, or cost of geos having less than 100 impressions for a given campaign.
- When grouping by Geo in AppsFlyer, Geos with unavailable data are not shown, and the total of unavailable data appears under N/A.
Retargeting related discrepancies
The AppsFlyer retargeting attribution mechanism allows advertisers to measure and analyze retargeting campaigns, in addition to user acquisition campaigns.
The figures that follow illustrate how discrepancies can occur in relation to retargeting campaigns (irrespective of the retargeting controls setting) running on Apple Search Ads.
Retargeting on
Retargeting off
Motifs supplémentaires d'écart
The table that follows lists the main reasons for discrepancies.
| Écarts |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
|
Apple Search Ads' initial attribution data may be delayed by a few seconds. |
Can be delayed by a few seconds |
To correctly attribute AppsFlyer requires data in real-time |
|
Differences related to AppsFlyer SDK versions |
Counts conversions irrespective of the AppsFlyer SDK version |
Requires SKD V5.0 or later to attribute correctly |
|
Limit ad tracking (LAT) and ATT. |
Always counts the conversion. If your campaign is limited by age and gender LAT users are excluded from the campaign. Apple users younger than 18 are always LAT. |
LAT conversions are attributed to organic.
|
|
Comptage des utilisateurs |
Counts users based on downloads |
Counts users based on first app open |
|
Reinstall: A user after installing the app, deletes it, clicks on a Search Ad, then installs the app again |
Counts as a conversion (install) |
Identifies the reinstall and does not count it for UA purposes. Tip! Enable retargeting and the reinstall is recorded as a retargeting install (AKA re-attribution) |
|
Clock lookback window |
Fixed 30-day window |
Configurable |
|
Winning click |
Always attributes to itself if the user engaged and downloaded the app. |
Has visibility across multiple networks, and attribute according to last click methodology |
|
Install time |
App download time |
First app open |
|
Time zone |
App store local time-zone |
UTC time-zone |
|
Conversion data |
It can take more than 5 seconds for AppsFlyer to be updated that Search Ads brought the install |
Attributes within 5 seconds at which time the Conversion data API responds. If no data has been received then the response is organic. |
|
Données de coûts |
Reports cost for all keywords |
Doesn't report cost data for keywords containing uppercase letters in the cohort dashboard or cohort API. |
|
Geo locations |
Apple Search Ads allows advertisers to target users according to their country and region. Apple Search Ads supports a limited number of countries. |
AppsFlyer recognizes the exact geographic location of the user based on the IP address, and so reports on geos not available on Apple Search Ads. Tip! Users that install while being in the actual country of the app store have the same geo data in AppsFlyer and Apple Search Ads |
Travailler avec Apple Search Ads vous permet de collecter de précieuses données marketing, ce qui peut avoir un impact sur vos efforts d'acquisition d'utilisateurs sur toutes les sources média pour vos apps iOS.
Conseils pour vous aider à optimiser votre utilisation d'Apple Search Ads :
| Tip | Details |
|---|---|
|
Obtenir des données de mots clés |
Apple Search Ads shares keyword data with AppsFlyer. You can view the keyword data in raw data and analytics tools like Pivot, Retention, and Cohort. If keyword data is missing in AppsFlyer, this can be caused by:
Utilisez uniquement des campagnes de recherche de correspondance exacte ou large pour obtenir des données complètes sur les mots clés. |
|
Comparez la qualité des utilisateurs en fonction des données des mots clés |
Tous les mots-clés ne sont pas égaux, ce qui signifie que même si différents mots-clés ont le même coût, la qualité des utilisateurs attirés peut être différente. Utilisez les rapports de rétention ou de tableaux croisés dynamiques pour identifier les mots-clés qui optimisent votre ROI. |
|
Analyser le coût des mots-clés |
La plate-forme contient des données agrégées de coût des mots-clés lorsque les campagnes de mots-clés de l'ASA sont configurées en tant que correspondance exacte ou une correspondance élargie. Les données de coût des mots-clés présentent les caractéristiques suivantes :
Limites
ExemplesExemple de cohorteL'exemple suivant montre comment configurer la cohorte pour afficher les informations de coûts et de ROI. Mise en place de la cohorte Tableau de résultats de cohorte Le coût total et le ROI de la cohorte sont affichés dans le tableau qui suit Exemple de tableau croisé dynamiqueConfiguration des tableaux croisés dynamiques Tableau de résultats de tableau croisé dynamique |
| Trouvez l'ensemble créatif le plus performant |
Il est recommandé de tester la réponse des prospects aux différents ensembles de créations que vous utilisez. Les ensembles de créations les plus performants ont les taux de conversion les plus élevés. De plus, les meilleurs ensembles de créations convertissent les utilisateurs avec un niveau d'engagement plus élevé. Cela affecte tous vos prospects iOS, pas seulement les prospects ASA, car ils atteignent tous la page de votre app dans l'App Store. Cependant, avec les installations ASA, AppsFlyer indique l'ID de l'ensemble de créations dans le paramètre AD ID des données brutes, ce qui vous permet de comparer les performances de différents ensembles de créations. |
|
Ciblez les utilisateurs qui ont déjà téléchargé l'app |
Vos anciens utilisateurs sont probablement le meilleur public à cibler à l'aide de l'ASA. A user, who uninstalled your app, and as a result of your ASA retargeting campaign installs again, is called a Re-Downloader by ASA. If the re-install is performed during the re-attribution window, AppsFlyer calls this a Re-Attribution. In all other cases, it is treated as a new install. |
