To track app installs or events in the Adform platform using third-party mobile measurement partner SDK, you should follow this process:
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Generate a click tracker URL.
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Create an ad in the Adform platform.
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Define a postback URL for app installs or events.
See the diagram below for the tracking process:
Generate Click Tracker URL
To correctly attribute app installs to a user, you need to generate a click tracker URL in a third-party system, which would redirect the user to the app store and would be used as a landing page in the ad.
Note
For instructions how to generate a click tracker URL, refer to the relevant third-party documentation.
The format of the click tracker depends on the third-party platform. For example, https://www.adserver.com/test?campaign_id=123 (Because the process of generating a click tracker URL is different in each system, for instructions, refer to the relevant third-party documentation.)
Before using such a click tracker in the Adform system as a tracker URL, you must append some parameters to this URL. This step is important because it allows Adform to receive information that is required for a successful app installation/event attribution.
The following parameters have to be added to the click tracker:
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pm=%%ADFTRID%%: a parameter that dynamically defines Client Tracking ID, so that data would be attributed to the correct client -
ADFrid=%%ADFRID%%: request ID -
appDownloadData=%%ADFAPPDATA%%: information about the user that is required for attribution
After adding the parameters, the click tracker URL should look like this:
https://www.adserver.com/test?campaign_id=123&pm=%%ADFTRID%%&ADFrid=%%ADFRID%%&appDownloadData=%%ADFAPPDATA%%
Note
Not all third-party trackers accept custom parameters. You need to check with the third-party system to see if it’s possible to use custom parameters, or if predefined ones must be used.
Even if predefined parameters are used, you still need to use Adform macros. To see the list of all site tracking macros, see Use Site Tracking Macros.
For example:
https://www.adserver.com/test?campaign_id=123&Defined1=%%ADFTRID%%&Defined2=%%ADFRID%%&Defined3=%%ADFAPPDATA%%
Create Ad
The next step after configuring click trackers is to create the ad in the Adform system and use the click tracker URL as the target URL. For more information on how to create the ad in the Adform platform, see Create Banners.
Install Tracker
To track data of app installs or events in the Adform system, you need to define a postback URL in the third-party tracking system. When a request to the Adform postback URL is created, a new tracking point (with the name defined in the postback URL) is created in the Site Tracking > Tracking Points page automatically.
Note
In some cases, you won't be able to define a postback URL manually until an integration is completed between a third-party tracking system and Adform. Contact Site Tracking Support (site-tracking@adform.com) support with the request for integration.
An example of a standard Adform postback URL:
https://track.adform.net/appdownload/?pm=pm_value&name=Install&ADFrid=ADFrid_value&adid=Advertising_id&appDownloadData=appDownloadData_value
Where:
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pmis a value frompmparameter in the click tracker. If it's not possible, then you need to define it manually by entering Client Tracking ID which you can find at the top of Site Tracking > Tracking Settings page. -
nameis an app event title (install, start, custom event) which is assigned to the new tracking point. -
ADFridis a value fromADFridparameter in the click tracker. -
adidis an IDFA or Google Advertising ID. Usually, every system has the macro that replaces this value automatically. -
appDownloadDatais a value fromappDownloadDataparameter in the click tracker.
Organic Installation or Events Tracking
In some cases, it's necessary to define a separate postback URL to track organic app installs or events.
The postback URL for organic installs or events should look like this:
https://track.adform.net/appdownload/?pm=Tracking_ID&name=Install&adid=Advertising_id
Where:
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pmis manually defined Client Tracking ID, which can be found in Adform Site Tracking section. -
nameis an app event title (install, start, custom event) which will be assigned to the new tracking point. -
adidis an IDFA or Google Advertising ID. Usually, every system has the macro that replaces this value automatically.
Custom Variable Tracking
To receive additional data for the installation or in-app events, such as sales values, product information, or other custom data sent by the mobile measurement partner, custom variables need to be employed.
See the list of supported variables that can be appended to the postback URL.
Example of Adform postback URL with several custom variables:
https://track.adform.net/appdownload/?pm=pm_value&name=event_name&ADFrid=ADFrid_value&adid=Advertising_id&appDownloadData=appDownloadData_value&itm={"sl":"sales_value","id":"orderid_value","var1":"var1_value","sv1":"sv1_value","itms":[{"pid":"productid_value1"},{"pid":"productid_value2"}]}
where:
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pmis a value that should be taken from pm parameter in the click tracker. If it is not possible, then define it manually by entering Tracking Setup ID which can be found in Site Tracking tab in Adform DSP. -
nameis an app event title (install, start, custom event) which will be assigned to the new tracking point. -
ADFridis a value fromADFridparameter in the click tracker. -
adidis an IDFA or Google Advertising ID. Usually, every system has the macro that replaces this value automatically. -
appDownloadDatais a value fromappDownloadDataparameter in the click tracker. -
itmis a placeholder for custom variable string. -
itmsis a placeholder for product variables (array).
POST Method
Mobile measurement partners might prefer to postback Adform tracking via the POST method. This method is useful when you need to send a lot of data. You can use it to send a virtually unlimited amount of data via the body of a POST request.
Example of Adform postback URL with several custom variables:
https://track.adform.net/appdownload/?pm=pm_value&name=event_name&ADFrid=ADFrid_value&adid=Advertising_id&appDownloadData=appDownloadData_value
Example body of the post request:
{"sl":"sales_value","id":"orderid_value","var1":"var1_value","sv1":"sv1_value","itms":[{"pid":"productid_value1"},{"pid":"productid_value2"}]}