Mobile retargeting: setting in trackers and traffic sources
At the end of last year, we launched an automated mobile application retargeting system, Getloyal, at Mobio . During this time, we launched more than a dozen campaigns to return users to the applications of major Russian and international players. In the course of work, we identified a large number of nuances that I would like to share in this post.
Under the cat, we’ll tell you about the features of setting up retargeting campaigns in mobile analytics systems: AppsFlyer, Adjust, MAT (Analytics Attribution by Tune) and traffic sources: Facebook, myTarget, Cheetah, Yandex and RTB Exchange (DSP).
To launch a retargeting campaign it is not necessary to integrate with the mobile application analytics system. It is important that the tracking system SDK is built into the application, and the system itself supports reattribution for retargeting campaigns.
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Mobile retargeting is based on deeplink technology - users access a specific page within the application by clicking on an advertisement. And for targeting users advertising identifiers (GAID and IDFA) are used.
Another important point is the platform on which we show ads. Work deeplink is provided, including through the final site. As an example, take the link of the mobile tracker Adjust:
The link has a deeplink - url-scheme, which leads to the main screen of the Delivery Club application. When clicking on a link from a device on which the Delivery Club application is already installed, depending on where we are going from, we get a different result. When you switch from Slack or Telegram, we get into the App Store, and if you enter the link directly into Chrome or Safari, you will be taken directly to the application.
To start retargeting with AppsFlyer, first of all you need to update the SDK, add lines of code that are responsible for tracking links via deeplink. The bottom line is that these are not mandatory methods, which everywhere in AppsFlyer manuals appear as optional. In our experience, if the AppsFlyer client is only going to launch the first advertising campaign, then most likely nobody thought about the optional methods for tracking deeplink, and an attempt to launch a campaign without updating the SDK will show poor results.
What else is worth paying attention to if we launch a retargeting campaign with the AppsFlyer tracker:
When launching a retargeting campaign with a partner, the latter must be integrated with AppsFlyer as a retargeting partner. Also, the partner must pass through such integration, if it is necessary to transfer to the partner all events, not only attributed. From experience, such integration takes up to one month for a partner. More information about the work of retargeting with AppsFlyer can be read in the manuals of the terker itself .
Starting retargeting with Adjust is easier than with AppsFlyer. Deeplink navigation tracking is supported, as they say, in-the-box. Also, Adjust allows the link to indicate the deeplink of the final screen, which is specified in the special GET parameters of the link (deep_link / deeplink - both options work the same).
What else is worth watching if we launch a retargeting campaign with the Adjust tracker:
If you want to launch a retargeting campaign with a partner and transmit to the partner all events (not only attributed), it is necessary that the partner be integrated with Adjust as a retargeting partner. By experience, such integration takes up to one month. Read more about the work of retargeting with Adjust in the manual of the tracker itself and in articles on the official website.
Similar to Adjust, launching an advertising campaign in Mobile App Tracking (hereinafter MAT) is easier than with AppsFlyer. Deeplink navigation tracking is supported in-the-box. MAT is the only tracker that supports delayed deeplinking technology. This makes it stand out among others.
What to look for if we launch a retargeting campaign with the MAT tracker:
Read more about the work of retargeting with MAT in the manuals of the terker itself and in the articles on the official website.
Thanks to Marat Zhanabekov from Foodid for help in writing the MAT-part :-)
Branch is a specialized system for tracking and processing transitions via deeplink, supports delayed deeplinking technology. Unfortunately, this system does not support work with partners, we did not work with it. Hopefully, the support of working with partners will be added, and we will be able to touch the system with our own hands.
We didn’t tell about two trackers : AppMetrica and Kochava , since during the existence of GetLoyal we didn’t launch retargeting campaigns with clients on these trackers.
According to the support and official tracker sites, both systems allow you to organize the work of retargeting campaigns. We have integrated as a retargeting partner with Kochava, so we can start working with any client at any time. According to AppMetrica, you can configure the transmission of events in-the-box. And the launch of retargeting campaigns themselves, including tracking with transitions via deeplink, is not required.
In the near future, we hope to launch retargeting campaigns with customers who use these trackers. After we work with them, we will release a mini-review.
Facebook is the most advanced advertising platform. Facebook can not run ads on the tracking system link, only direct links or deeplink are allowed. Facebook chooses what to use specifically.
For launching retargeting, the App Engagement ad format is used. We can distinguish two types of targeting in such an advertising campaign:
Conversion from click to reattribution to FB is highly dependent on the application and the number of connected partners. It is difficult to say the exact envelope; in our case, 50% of clicks on Facebook were converted into reattributions in the tracker.
Note that in myTarget JS redirects are prohibited, which ensure the majority of deeplink work. The launch of a remarketing campaign is possible in the format “Remarketing in Mobile Applications”, which is currently available only for Android.
The format "Remarketing in Mobile Applications" allows you to use two links:
Macros {{campaign_id}}, {{banner_id}} and others can be used both in a regular link and in deeplink.
Conversion was obtained at the level of 50% (conversion in the tracker / clicks on the site).
Retargeting can be started in two ways:
Cheetah Mobile has a special campaign format for retargeting App Re-Engagement mobile applications. This format allows you to use the classic tracking link and deeplink (similar to myTarget). But unlike myTarget, there are no special tracking parameters in Cheetah Mobile, and deeplink transitions are not registered in the tracker.
When using the usual link instead of deeplink, the conversion was noticeably lower than in myTarget. Work in this platform is possible due to the fact that traffic targeting the audience is cheaper, which allows you to receive the same exhaust as in myTarget.
Retargeting can be started in two ways:
Theoretically, it is possible to launch a remarketing campaign in Yandex.Direct, but there is no special format for advertising for retargeting. It is possible to target a list of users that can be downloaded when you create ad groups in the format of the advertising campaign "Advertising Mobile Applications." You can also manage audiences using a special API. You can use the tracking link with built-in deeplink.
Tests have shown that there is little traffic from targeting an audience from Yandex.Direct, and integrating through the API is impractical.
A number of DSP systems allows you to automate work with audiences. Unlike the sites described above, the allowed update rate is only once every 24 hours, which allows you to work. It is possible to manually download a list of users.
In the systems we looked at, there is no special format for retargeting. It is possible to insert a regular tracking link or a link with deeplink (see Adjust). As a result, the final envelope is highly dependent on the tracking system. Conversion, which turned out with us: 5% - 10%.
Mobile retargeting is the next step in the evolution of mobile marketing. With it, you can return users who have not reached the purchase, to offer something new to active before. You can advertise new features for users of the old version of the application or increase the frequency of purchases and the average bill already paying the audience.
We know a large number of companies that are thinking about using mobile retargeting for their products, but they postpone everything “for later” because of the difficulty in setting up and evaluating performance. We hope that this post will be an additional impetus to the development of this tool.
If you still have questions, or need help with setting up retargeting campaigns, contact us at Getloyal . We will be happy to help! :)
Under the cat, we’ll tell you about the features of setting up retargeting campaigns in mobile analytics systems: AppsFlyer, Adjust, MAT (Analytics Attribution by Tune) and traffic sources: Facebook, myTarget, Cheetah, Yandex and RTB Exchange (DSP).
Important points before launch
To launch a retargeting campaign it is not necessary to integrate with the mobile application analytics system. It is important that the tracking system SDK is built into the application, and the system itself supports reattribution for retargeting campaigns.
')
Mobile retargeting is based on deeplink technology - users access a specific page within the application by clicking on an advertisement. And for targeting users advertising identifiers (GAID and IDFA) are used.
Another important point is the platform on which we show ads. Work deeplink is provided, including through the final site. As an example, take the link of the mobile tracker Adjust:
app.adjust.io/irbhvh?campaign=RU_Mobio_Retargeting&deeplink=dclub%3A%2F%2F
The link has a deeplink - url-scheme, which leads to the main screen of the Delivery Club application. When clicking on a link from a device on which the Delivery Club application is already installed, depending on where we are going from, we get a different result. When you switch from Slack or Telegram, we get into the App Store, and if you enter the link directly into Chrome or Safari, you will be taken directly to the application.
Overview of mobile application analytics systems
Mobile retargeting in AppsFlyer
To start retargeting with AppsFlyer, first of all you need to update the SDK, add lines of code that are responsible for tracking links via deeplink. The bottom line is that these are not mandatory methods, which everywhere in AppsFlyer manuals appear as optional. In our experience, if the AppsFlyer client is only going to launch the first advertising campaign, then most likely nobody thought about the optional methods for tracking deeplink, and an attempt to launch a campaign without updating the SDK will show poor results.
What else is worth paying attention to if we launch a retargeting campaign with the AppsFlyer tracker:
- In the tracking link, you must write the parameter & is_retargeting = true. This enables retargeting on this link.
- AppsFlyer shares two reattribution events: re-engagement (opened the application) and reattribution (installed the previously deleted application and opened it) - these are the primary tracking events. All subsequent events are considered after the primary.
- Reattribution overrides a user for a certain period of time, the Attribution Window. Set by GET with the af_reengagement_window = 60 parameter in the link. The default Attribution Window is 60 days. Events that the user made after the established Attribution Window will not be counted in the retargeting source.
- Any other source of reattribution overwrites all previous ones. Events from the user will be recorded on the latest source (link) of retargeting, but always get into the source of the original installation.
When launching a retargeting campaign with a partner, the latter must be integrated with AppsFlyer as a retargeting partner. Also, the partner must pass through such integration, if it is necessary to transfer to the partner all events, not only attributed. From experience, such integration takes up to one month for a partner. More information about the work of retargeting with AppsFlyer can be read in the manuals of the terker itself .
Mobile retargeting in Adjust
Starting retargeting with Adjust is easier than with AppsFlyer. Deeplink navigation tracking is supported, as they say, in-the-box. Also, Adjust allows the link to indicate the deeplink of the final screen, which is specified in the special GET parameters of the link (deep_link / deeplink - both options work the same).
What else is worth watching if we launch a retargeting campaign with the Adjust tracker:
- The user can be reattrined if he was inactive longer than the selected reattribution window, reattribution window. By default, the reattribution window is always seven days, it can be set in the client account settings, the minimum window is 30 minutes.
- The consequence of the previous one. There are no parameters responsible for the time for which the user will be reattributable to another source. Everything is determined based on its activity in real time.
- The user can be reattributed from one source, campaign (campaign), ad group (adgroup) or banner (creative) to another (th).
- No need to use a special tracking link. There is the parameter rt = 1, which allows you to disable reattribution (= 0), but it does not need to be turned on: regular tracking links work for all types of advertising campaigns.
- After the user's reattribution, other events (purchases, tutorials, and etc.) will not be counted in the previous source, but only in the source of the retargeting campaign that led to the reattribution.
If you want to launch a retargeting campaign with a partner and transmit to the partner all events (not only attributed), it is necessary that the partner be integrated with Adjust as a retargeting partner. By experience, such integration takes up to one month. Read more about the work of retargeting with Adjust in the manual of the tracker itself and in articles on the official website.
Mobile Retargeting in MAT (Analytics Attribution by Tune)
Similar to Adjust, launching an advertising campaign in Mobile App Tracking (hereinafter MAT) is easier than with AppsFlyer. Deeplink navigation tracking is supported in-the-box. MAT is the only tracker that supports delayed deeplinking technology. This makes it stand out among others.
What to look for if we launch a retargeting campaign with the MAT tracker:
- No need to use a special tracking link. Reattribution tracking is always enabled and working. You can turn on re-engagement tracking and select the time (reattribution window). Or disable reattribution (disabled).
- By default, the reattribution window is set to 24 hours. This setting must be installed on each link separately. Events made after clicking on the link for the established reattribution window, the MAT marks as re-engagement and writes events to the reattribution source.
- The transmission of events is configured in the partner settings when installing postbacks, you can configure the transmission of all events (not only attributed).
- Reattribution rewrites the user to a new source. The original source (installation source) will not receive all reattributed events.
Read more about the work of retargeting with MAT in the manuals of the terker itself and in the articles on the official website.
Thanks to Marat Zhanabekov from Foodid for help in writing the MAT-part :-)
Mobile retargeting in other analytics systems
Branch is a specialized system for tracking and processing transitions via deeplink, supports delayed deeplinking technology. Unfortunately, this system does not support work with partners, we did not work with it. Hopefully, the support of working with partners will be added, and we will be able to touch the system with our own hands.
We didn’t tell about two trackers : AppMetrica and Kochava , since during the existence of GetLoyal we didn’t launch retargeting campaigns with clients on these trackers.
According to the support and official tracker sites, both systems allow you to organize the work of retargeting campaigns. We have integrated as a retargeting partner with Kochava, so we can start working with any client at any time. According to AppMetrica, you can configure the transmission of events in-the-box. And the launch of retargeting campaigns themselves, including tracking with transitions via deeplink, is not required.
In the near future, we hope to launch retargeting campaigns with customers who use these trackers. After we work with them, we will release a mini-review.
Overview of traffic sources
Mobile retargeting on Facebook
Facebook is the most advanced advertising platform. Facebook can not run ads on the tracking system link, only direct links or deeplink are allowed. Facebook chooses what to use specifically.
For launching retargeting, the App Engagement ad format is used. We can distinguish two types of targeting in such an advertising campaign:
- Integrate the Facebook SDK into the app and set up events. After that, target users of the application according to Facebook.
- Download the list of users manually or integrate your own analytics system with Facebook via API for automatic creation and updating of the audience.
- Organize work through third-party retargeting systems, for example, GetLoyal. After setting up the transfer of events from any tracker to the partner system, the partner can form Facebook audiences based on the application data using the Facebook API.
Conversion from click to reattribution to FB is highly dependent on the application and the number of connected partners. It is difficult to say the exact envelope; in our case, 50% of clicks on Facebook were converted into reattributions in the tracker.
Mobile retargeting in myTarget
Note that in myTarget JS redirects are prohibited, which ensure the majority of deeplink work. The launch of a remarketing campaign is possible in the format “Remarketing in Mobile Applications”, which is currently available only for Android.
The format "Remarketing in Mobile Applications" allows you to use two links:
- Classic tracking link type: app.adjust.io/irbhvh?campaign=EN_Mobio_Retargeting
- Deeplink with tracking parameters, which are described in detail in this article . Example link: dclub: // irbhvh? Adjust_campaign = RU_Mobio_Retargeting
Macros {{campaign_id}}, {{banner_id}} and others can be used both in a regular link and in deeplink.
Conversion was obtained at the level of 50% (conversion in the tracker / clicks on the site).
Retargeting can be started in two ways:
- Download the list of users manually or integrate your own analytics system with MT by API to automatically create and update an audience.
- Organize work through third-party retargeting systems. After setting up the transfer of events from any tracker to the partner system, the partner generates audiences in MT based on application data using the MT API.
Mobile retargeting at Cheetah Mobile
Cheetah Mobile has a special campaign format for retargeting App Re-Engagement mobile applications. This format allows you to use the classic tracking link and deeplink (similar to myTarget). But unlike myTarget, there are no special tracking parameters in Cheetah Mobile, and deeplink transitions are not registered in the tracker.
When using the usual link instead of deeplink, the conversion was noticeably lower than in myTarget. Work in this platform is possible due to the fact that traffic targeting the audience is cheaper, which allows you to receive the same exhaust as in myTarget.
Retargeting can be started in two ways:
- Download the list of users manually or integrate your own analytics system with Cheetah via API to automatically create and update an audience.
- Organize work through third-party retargeting systems, for example, GetLoyal. After setting up the transfer of events from any tracker to the partner system, the partner forms the audience in Cheetah based on the application data using the API.
Mobile retargeting in Yandex.Direct
Theoretically, it is possible to launch a remarketing campaign in Yandex.Direct, but there is no special format for advertising for retargeting. It is possible to target a list of users that can be downloaded when you create ad groups in the format of the advertising campaign "Advertising Mobile Applications." You can also manage audiences using a special API. You can use the tracking link with built-in deeplink.
Tests have shown that there is little traffic from targeting an audience from Yandex.Direct, and integrating through the API is impractical.
RTB Exchange (DSP)
A number of DSP systems allows you to automate work with audiences. Unlike the sites described above, the allowed update rate is only once every 24 hours, which allows you to work. It is possible to manually download a list of users.
In the systems we looked at, there is no special format for retargeting. It is possible to insert a regular tracking link or a link with deeplink (see Adjust). As a result, the final envelope is highly dependent on the tracking system. Conversion, which turned out with us: 5% - 10%.
Conclusion
Mobile retargeting is the next step in the evolution of mobile marketing. With it, you can return users who have not reached the purchase, to offer something new to active before. You can advertise new features for users of the old version of the application or increase the frequency of purchases and the average bill already paying the audience.
We know a large number of companies that are thinking about using mobile retargeting for their products, but they postpone everything “for later” because of the difficulty in setting up and evaluating performance. We hope that this post will be an additional impetus to the development of this tool.
If you still have questions, or need help with setting up retargeting campaigns, contact us at Getloyal . We will be happy to help! :)
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/329460/
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