Measuring your iOS App campaign performance can feel a bit tricky with all the new platform policies and different measurement frameworks popping up. This video breaks down two key Google-supported options: Google’s Conversion Modeling and Apple’s SKAdNetwork (SKAN). We’ll look at how they work, what makes them different, and when you should use each one to get the most accurate picture of your campaign results.
Understanding The Key Measurement Frameworks
There are two main ways Google helps you measure your iOS app campaigns:
- Google’s Conversion Modeling: This shows up in your Google Ads account. It uses Google’s AI to figure out how your campaigns are doing, even when some conversions can’t be directly linked to an ad click. Google has been improving this model using SKAN data, and they’ve added updates to make the reporting in Google Ads more useful.
- Apple’s SKAdNetwork (SKAN): This is Apple’s own tool. It measures app installs and what people do in your app after installing, but it does this in a summarised way. It’s become important for seeing how campaigns perform across different ad networks.
Why Discrepancies Happen
It’s normal for the numbers from these two frameworks to be a bit different. Here are the main reasons why:
- Conversion Windows: SKAN version 3 uses a shorter, 24-hour window to track what happens after an install. Google’s conversion modeling lets you set this window anywhere from 1 to 90 days, giving you a longer view of user activity which might be more realistic for your app.
- Web-to-App Tracking: SKAN is better at tracking people who come to your app from Safari. For other browsers like Chrome or Firefox, there can still be some gaps in measurement because SKAN doesn’t fully support them yet. Google’s conversion modeling covers all search interactions for your campaigns.
- Redownload Definitions: Each framework might count a ‘redownload’ differently, which can also lead to different numbers.
When To Use Which Framework
Choosing the right tool depends on what you need:
- SKAN: This is great for a big-picture view of how your campaigns are doing across many ad networks. It’s best for long-term decisions, like deciding how to split your overall ad budget between different partners. Because SKAN reports can take a while to come through (due to conversion windows and other factors), it’s best to check them about once a month. This means SKAN isn’t ideal for making quick, day-to-day adjustments.
- Google’s Conversion Modeling: This is more like the traditional reporting you might be used to. It gives you a more detailed look at campaign performance, helping you make optimisation decisions on a daily or weekly basis, like figuring out which ad creatives are performing best. It’s particularly useful when SKAN data isn’t available, especially for tracking what users do after they install your app. If you want to understand the full value a user brings to your app over time, conversion modeling is a good choice.
Remember, even with conversion modeling, there’s still a delay in reporting. It’s best to wait for the full conversion window to pass before judging campaign performance.
The Best Approach: Using Both
Most successful advertisers find that using both measurement frameworks is the way to go. They often use SKAN for long-term planning and conversion modeling for daily optimisations. This gives them the best of both worlds – a broad view for strategy and detailed insights for immediate improvements.
It’s worth noting that the iOS landscape is always changing. Apple announced AdAttributionKit (AAK) at WWDC 2024, which builds on SKAN. Google is looking into AAK, but for now, SKAN remains a supported measurement option.
In summary, both conversion modeling and SKAN have their own strengths for measuring iOS app campaigns. Understanding their differences will help you use them effectively for your specific business needs.
