Quick response (QR) codes are just that – quick and responsive. Anyone with a smartphone can scan a QR code and instantly be taken to a webpage or app to access information, perform a task, or engage with content. But what if they were more? 

By pairing QR codes with Kochava SmartLinks, marketers can gain in-depth user journey insights and visualize down-funnel conversions in real-time making QR codes quick, responsive and insightful.

Focus Brands, gleaned remarkable information after placing SmartLinks-enhanced QR codes within their brand’s stores.

Focus Brands is a leading developer of global, Fast Casual brands such as Cinnabon, Jamba, Auntie Anne’s, Mcalister’s Deli, and Schlotzsky’s. Their collection of brands is united under one company that’s leading the industry through product innovation, cutting edge business practices and an expansive media presence.

In an effort to elevate its mobile ordering capabilities and boost overall user engagement across its suite of mobile apps, Focus Brands initiated a plan. Given the expansive reach of their locations, the marketing team brainstormed strategies aimed at encouraging customers to embrace the app, particularly during their in-store visits.

Through careful analysis, Focus Brands observed that the strategic placement of QR codes on tables yielded significantly higher levels of customer engagement compared to QR codes positioned at the registers. This observation provided valuable insights to the marketing team, enabling them to optimize the placement of QR codes within their stores for maximum effectiveness. Consequently, this strategic realignment of QR code positioning led to a notable increase in overall customer loyalty and stickiness.

Between May and June of 2023, Focus Brands found that over 40% of all their attributed mobile app installs were driven from SmartLinks-enhanced QR codes. They also saw a 19.5% month-over-month increase in in-app engagement driven from SmartLinks-enhanced QR codes.

The merging of QR codes and SmartLinks has transformed these familiar tools into something far more valuable than mere convenience. By delving into the user journey and real-time conversion insights, QR codes have evolved into powerful marketing tools. The case of Focus Brands serves as a testament to the immense potential these enhanced QR codes offer. 

In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, embracing innovations like SmartLinks-enabled QR codes is a strategic move that not only keeps you ahead of the curve but also unlocks a world of data-driven possibilities. So, as you consider your marketing strategies, remember that QR codes are not just quick and responsive; they are also incredibly insightful tools poised to revolutionize your campaigns and drive your brand’s success.

Looking to get started with SmartLinks, QR codes, or both? We have resources that can help! If you have a QSR app, QR Codes for QSRs is an informative blog that highlights the use of QR codes throughout store locations and best practices when placing QR codes. Also, for a more in-depth look at QR codes and how they function with Kochava SmartLinks, download the free guide QR Codes & Your Marketing Strategy.

For more information, contact us a support@kochava.com or request a free demo here.

The question of how SKAN (SKAdNetwork) works is not an easy one to answer. In fact, the complexity of its functionality increases with each new version. However, by deconstructing its intricate processes into comprehensible steps, understanding how SKAN works becomes a little easier. Through careful examination of the ensuing flow diagrams, you will establish a robust grasp of SKAN’s operational framework, thereby enhancing your readiness to effectively harness this privacy-enhancing technology.

The left side of the diagram explains view-through attribution, when the user does NOT click on an ad. The right side explains click-through attribution, when the user does click on an ad.

As you can see, steps 1 and 2 of each flow start off the same – an ad network serves an ad, and the ad is presented in an app or website (starting with SKAN 4). Depending on the user’s action (no click or click), the attribution lookback window drastically changes. With a click, the user has a longer time (up to 30 days) to install the app, but only 24 hours if they only view the ad. The intent of a click holds a heavier weight and offers more time for attribution to be awarded.

If the app is installed within the attribution window, the user then has 60 days to launch the app for the app to call its first conversion value update.

Once the user launches the app for the first time, the process that follows is quite different between SKAN 2-3 vs SKAN 4. As such, we will unpack them differently.

At this point, the app has been downloaded but has yet to be opened. For SKAN versions 2-3, when the user launches the app for the first time, a timer starts (24 hours). The left side flow demonstrates when no conversion takes place (eg, the user opens the app but does not complete any in-app action which results in a conversion value update). The right side shows when an in-app action takes place, triggering a conversion value update call. When this happens, the 24 hour timer restarts and will continue to reset until (A) a lack of user interaction, (B) an end of conversion value range, or (C) a forced stop in the app.

As soon as the second timer expires in either flow (left or right), the privacy threshold is applied and the install validation postback is sent to the ad network. When the ad network receives the postback, it is then forwarded to the advertised app’s mobile measurement partner (MMP) with any necessary campaign metadata mapping appended.

About SKAN timers

Apple users timers in SKAN to randomize responses to ad networks and advertisers – a mechanism to obfuscate data and prevent re-identification of individual users or devices. 

About SKAN privacy thresholds

To protect user privacy, Apple applies minimum privacy thresholds before sending any postbacks. 

Additionally, Apple may redact certain values (e.g. source app ID, conversion value) from postbacks that are sent if a certain volume of conversions aren’t reached. The exact privacy thresholds are not publicly known. 

About SKAN postbacks

Beginning in SKAN 3, Apple added the ability for influencing ad networks (not just the ad network that won attribution) to receive a postback. This enabled multi-touch attribution insights in SKAN for the first time. Additionally, Apple added the ability for advertisers to receive their own copy of postbacks, as opposed to the ad networks being the sole recipient.

About SKAN campaign metadata mapping

In SKAN versions 2 – 3, ad networks are restricted to use of campaign ID values (0-99). Rather than ONLY being able to see campaign-level insights, different ad networks mapped ad groups, ad sets and other campaign variables to the different digits in order to achieve more granular insights. An MMP helps decode this information across integrated partners for standardized reporting to the advertiser. 

The final diagram illustrates the post-app launch on SKAN version 4+. SKAN 4 brought forth several noteworthy updates for Apple, most notably the inclusion of multiple postbacks across three predetermined conversion windows. This extension offers ad networks and advertisers a substantially longer period to observe user behavior and assess post-installation quality. This stands in contrast to the single conversion postback option provided by SKAN versions 2-3.

SKAN is not an easy topic to digest and it becomes even more difficult when the mechanisms change with each new version. On SKAN 4+ in particular, crowd anonymity in conjunction with the conversion window, impacts several postback data points. These include: 

• Source App ID or Source Web Domain
• Source Identifier
• Conversion Value

There are also changes to the privacy thresholds with SKAN 4+. Similar to previous versions, an initial, minimum volume threshold must be reached to receive any postbacks. However, after that initial volume threshold is reached, postbacks will be received, but the granularity of data points included in the postback will be dependent on four tiers of crowd anonymity.

If you would like to learn more about these changes, gain more in-depth knowledge from The Ultimate Guide to SKAdNetwork (SKAN), free to download here.

Not sure if you need to use SKAN or not? We can help you find the answer in this blog.

If you have any questions or want to get started with SKAN, feel free to contact us at support@kochava.com.

Mobile measurement partners (MMPs) were created as an independent third-party platform to track, organize, and visualize mobile app data to give marketers a unified view of campaign performance across channels and partners.

Many stakeholders in the mobile advertising industry work and/or partner with an MMP. They can include the following list:

• Mobile advertisers and marketers running mobile advertising campaigns across different channels and platforms rely on MMPs to accurately track and measure the performance of their campaigns. They need an MMP to understand the effectiveness of their marketing efforts, optimize their strategies, and allocate budgets based on data-driven insights. Without an MMP, marketers would have a very fragmented view of performance across the different reporting dashboards of each partner. Getting a sense of the bigger picture wouldn’t be possible.
• App developers and publishers require an MMP to track user acquisition, measure app installs, and attribute app events to specific marketing campaigns. They rely on MMPs to gain insights into user behavior, engagement metrics, and monetization performance, which helps them optimize their apps, improve user experiences, and drive revenue.
• Ad networks and ad exchanges partner with MMPs to provide advertisers and marketers with accurate measurement and attribution capabilities on their ad inventory. They integrate with MMPs to track ad impressions and/or clicks, and independently attribute the conversions that result. The attributed conversion outcomes are syndicated back to these partners for campaign optimization. Essentially, the MMP enables them to demonstrate the value and performance of their advertising inventory.
• Agencies and media buyers partner with MMPs to gain visibility into campaign performance across various channels and platforms. They rely on MMPs to provide them with accurate and granular data to optimize media buying strategies, allocate budgets effectively, and demonstrate the success of their campaigns to clients.

All of these interested parties can benefit from partnering with an MMP. These partnerships enable them to measure, analyze, and optimize their mobile advertising efforts, ultimately driving better results and return on investment (ROI).

There is no exact threshold that needs to be reached before utilizing an MMP. For any of the stakeholders mentioned above, deciding when to use an MMP can depend on a variety of factors. When determining if you need an MMP, consider the following:

Your budget

The first thing you need to establish is your marketing and operational budget for your mobile app. Do you have room in your budget for an MMP and, if so, how much can you allocate to this service? 

The cost of an MMP can vary depending on the scope of services required, the scale of the ad campaign(s), and other tools or features the MMP might provide. Most MMPs provide different pricing models that are structured based on factors such as volume of ad spend, attributed conversions, number of monthly active users, levels of support, etc. 

Even if you only have a small budget for an MMP, it could be beneficial to start using one at a low cost so that you have room for growth. If you can, incorporate with an MMP early so that you can gain at least some valuable insights into your ad campaigns. These insights can make it easier for you to optimize your campaigns and save you money on future efforts.

Your media mix

When you’re just starting out, you might only be running campaigns on one or two channel partners (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Google, etc). During this time, it might not be necessary to use an MMP because you’re probably using the platform of whichever partner you’re running with to view campaign activity and data. 

However, once you start to grow your media mix and spend with other partners, you should seriously consider an MMP. In this situation, an MMP serves as a centralized platform allowing you to collect, measure, and analyze all of your ad campaign data across every partner, channel, and platform. The unified view of your campaign performance enables you to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of different advertising sources in one place, becoming the single source of truth. It should be noted that some media partners (eg, TikTok) require that you use an MMP to advertise on their platform.

Overall, leveraging an MMP when working with multiple advertising partners enhances your ability to track, measure, optimize, and make informed decisions based on reliable data. It simplifies the management of your advertising efforts, improves campaign performance, and maximizes the value you derive from your advertising partnerships.

The app’s popularity

Once you expand your media mix, your app’s visibility and, hopefully, its popularity will expand too. If your app is doing well and you are gaining more downloads, daily active users (DAU), monthly active users (MAU) and in-app event activity, it’s probably time to employ an MMP.

An MMP will provide you with precise and reliable measurement of your app’s performance metrics, such as installs, engagements, and conversions. It also employs advanced attribution and measurement to accurately attribute these actions to specific marketing channels, campaigns, and partners. This data helps you understand the effectiveness of your marketing strategies and make informed decisions to optimize your campaigns further.

All of this data can be used for in-depth analysis and reporting, offering insights into user behavior, user acquisition channels, conversion funnels, and user lifetime value. These insights help you understand your audience better, identify user trends, and optimize your marketing strategies accordingly. The advanced analytics provided by an MMP can uncover valuable data points that contribute to the growth and success of your app.

Outside factors/requirements

Not only do MMPs help measure and analyze your app data, they also are vital in the ever-changing ad tech privacy and regulation landscape. MMPs are well-versed in privacy regulations and industry standards and can be helpful in guiding and facilitating your compliance efforts. They help ensure that your data collection and measurement practices align with different policies across platforms (iOS and Android), marketing partners (Facebook, Google, Snap, etc.), and government regulations (California Consumer Privacy Act, General Data Protection Regulation in the EU, and more). An MMP also helps you adapt to new privacy-enhancing technologies like Apple’s SKAdNetwork on iOS and Google’s Privacy Sandbox for Android. 

By working with an MMP, you can navigate the vast web of privacy requirements more effectively and efficiently.

As you incorporate more partners and channels into your media mix and your user base grows, it will be important to employ an MMP. There are a handful of leading MMPs to choose from. Once you determine your budget and your needs, do research into the MMPs that will best fit your needs.

For more information and help choosing an MMP, download this free request for information (RFI) template to guide you in your MMP research.

Want to learn more about Kochava’s MMP solutions? Take the next step here.

Once long ago, in the year 2018, Apple Inc., an American multinational technology company, introduced SKAdNetwork, short for “StoreKit Ad Network”, also commonly referred to as SKAN. 

SKAN is a framework that revolutionized mobile advertising attribution and privacy in the digital marketing landscape. Introduced with iOS 11.3, SKAN emerged as a response to growing concerns over user privacy and the need for more privacy-centric advertising practices. 

With the increasing adoption of mobile apps and the tracking capabilities of various advertising networks, users were becoming increasingly wary of their data being collected and shared without their knowledge. SKAN sought to address these concerns by providing a privacy-preserving way for app developers and advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their ad campaigns without compromising user data. By leveraging SKAN, developers can obtain aggregated performance data while preserving user anonymity, thus laying the foundation for a more secure and privacy-respecting mobile advertising ecosystem.

In this blog, we will expand on the history of SKAN and where this technology is headed.

With Privacy Manifests on iOS 17, Apple is giving iOS app developers new control over the egress of data from their apps. Recall this important excerpt from Apple’s User Privacy and Data Use Policy FAQ:

The key here is that “developers are responsible for ALL code included in their apps.” Prior to Privacy Manifests, a developer implementing third-party SDKs had to trust that the SDK functionality was not collecting and using data for any purpose outside the scope of Apple’s User Privacy and Data Use Policy. If there was any doubt, the developer had no recourse to prevent unauthorized usage other than to pull the SDK altogether—not an ideal approach. 

Privacy Manifests allow the developer to keep SDKs in their app while ensuring they can’t transmit certain data points without a user first consenting to allow app tracking via the AppTrackingTransparency (ATT) framework. This is particularly helpful for app developers integrating SDKs that they may not yet fully trust or understand. 

That being said, when developers are working with SDKs of trusted partners like a mobile measurement partner (MMP), analytics provider, data management platform, and more—care will have to be taken to ensure the proper implementation of certain Privacy Manifest features.

One particular component of Privacy Manifests, the declaration of tracking domains, requires special attention. Here’s an excerpt from Apple’s documentation.

This means that any domain declared by a developer as engaging in tracking will have all network traffic blocked when ATT=0 (e.g., the user hasn’t opted to allow tracking via the ATT framework). Apple defines ‘tracking’ as:

“the act of linking user or device data collected from your app with user or device data collected from other companies’ apps, websites, or offline properties for targeted advertising or advertising measurement purposes.”

However, there’s one potential hiccup here. What if an app developer mistakenly declares a domain that’s not engaged in tracking? 

To be clear, Apple isn’t dictating what these domains are, but rather looking to developers to make this decision themselves. This is where it becomes vital for app developers and marketers to closely communicate with their vendors. If this component is not implemented correctly by an app developer, the potential exists to handicap important functionalities provided by an MMP, for example, that are completely unrelated to tracking as defined by Apple’s ATT framework.

To help app developers and marketers optimally navigate implementation, we will be creating Privacy Manifests for all of our SDKs that support iOS app measurement. In these Privacy Manifests we will clearly spell out what data is collected and for what reasons. Additionally, new developer documentation will provide clarity on which domains contacted by our SDKs are used to provide consented tracking and therefore should be declared as tracking domains. 

In 2021, Kochava released Privacy Profiles to provide our clients with complete control over how our SDKs collect and use data when ATT consent is not present, including controls to ensure no tracking takes place. We’re excited to further iterate on Privacy Profiles and will be segmenting out new domains for network communication from our SDK that allow for continued data signals unrelated to tracking, but vital for other functionality, including: 

• Support of SKAdNetwork (SKAN)
• App install and event measurement (without attribution)
• Owned media and cross-promotional campaign measurement
• 1st party analytics
• Privacy-compliant Apple Search Ads results from the AdServices framework
• Deep linking into the app for personalized experiences
• Deep link meta data capture to support cohorted attribution with self-attributing networks (Examples include: gBraid from Google Ads, Facebook’s Aggregated Event Measurement (AEM) campaigns, etc.)
• And more

We’re committed to privacy and transparency and will be providing our clients with a clear path to compliance with Apple.

While Privacy Manifests is operating on an honor system at the moment, in that app developers have the onus to implement it, Apple is almost certainly going to make it mandatory in the not-too-distant future. Fingerprinting has continued to persist as a workaround utilized, and in some cases even promoted, by certain vendors skirting Apple’s ATT policies that went into effect in April 2021 with the release of iOS 14.5. Privacy Manifests is shaping up to be the mechanism that Apple will use to finally force compliance by making it technically impossible to gather signals off device without consent via ATT. If you’re in a position where you’re relying on this as a crutch, Apple has clearly sent a final warning shot across your bow.

The good news is that marketers have a growing array of options to help future-proof their measurement strategy in a privacy-safe manner. Here are recommendations of steps you can take to proactively position yourself for success as campaign measurement continues to evolve. 

A.) Further invest in SKAN 

SKAN can be difficult to get right, but it’s possible. Apple is clearly pushing it as the future of campaign measurement on iOS. If you’re new to SKAN or just want a refresher, check out our Ultimate Marketer’s Guide to SKAN. 

If you’ve been using SKAN for any length of time and are still struggling to get the insights you need from your SKAN data, our experts on the Kochava Foundry team offer a SKAN Consult that has been a game-changer for some of the biggest brands in the world. Learn more HERE. 

B.) Explore cohorted campaign measurement with SANs

Kochava now supports cohorted attribution on Google’s gBraid as well as Facebook’s Aggregated Event Measurement (AEM) campaigns, which are privacy-safe approaches to driving reengagement on iOS. Other SAN partners are also planning to introduce these privacy-safe approaches to driving measurable growth. Connect with your client success manager or email Support@Kochava.com to learn about utilizing these campaign types. 

C.) Set the stage for MMM

Marketing mix modeling (MMM) is gaining steam and making a comeback. With advances in technology, next-generation MMM platforms like AIM (Always-on Incremental Measurement) are now dynamic enough to meet the needs of today’s marketers. 

If MMM isn’t on your radar, it should be. It doesn’t rely on the row-level, granular attribution data that is increasingly being phased out. A good prerequisite for effectively testing an MMM platform is adopting a cost aggregation solution that will bring together your spend and conversion data by app, by partner, by country, and by day. This data will provide the foundation for building MMM models. 

If you want to learn more about MMM, check out our MMM 101 webinar series HERE.

We want to help, so don’t hesitate to reach out to your Client Success Manager or email Support@Kochava.com. 

Not a Kochava client? Contact us to connect with our experts and see how we can help you.

SKAdNetwork (SKAN) has been around for a minute. In fact, it was first released by Apple back in 2018. Since then, four versions have been created with the most recent, v5.0, announced at WWDC 2023. 

While five long years have elapsed since the first release, SKAN is still finding its stride with iOS marketers and hasn’t gotten the traction it might have initially anticipated. Will we see more adoption after the release of 5.0? Let’s take a look into what SKAN 5.0 will look like and how it stacks up against previous versions.

Up until now, SKAN support has been limited to acquisition attribution only, but with version 5.0, there will be added support for re-engagement attribution. While Apple’s mention of this release was subtle, the new feature will potentially increase adoption rates. The inner workings of SKAN for re-engagement have yet to be revealed, but the ability to attribute ad taps that prompt existing users to return to the app is undoubtedly a welcomed addition. However, it’s important to acknowledge that re-engagement targeting on iOS already poses challenges due to the limited availability of IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers) since it’s availability became subject to user opt-in at the app level via the AppTrackingTransparency (ATT) framework in April 2021.

It remains to be seen how fast the industry can finish adopting all of the SKAN 4 updates introduced at WWDC 2022 and then take the step up to be on v5 to gain the benefits of re-engagement attribution. 

Get more information on the SKAN releases from Apple’s release notes.

Each SKAN version builds upon the previous release, but some releases have made a bigger impact than others. Version 3 introduced support for influencer reporting and delivering copies of postback to advertisers (previously only the ad network received the postback, which then had to be shared/forwarded to an advertiser and their measurement partner) making this one of the most adopted versions. However, SKAN v.4 was a big jump from the previous versions, introducing so much change that it upended some learnings, practices, and optimization modeling that had finally gained a foothold for effective use with v2-3. 

Apple introduced 2 more conversion postbacks (for a total of 3), along with three fixed conversion windows spanning day 0 to day 35 with fixed time ranges that could be prematurely ended with a new feature called lock window. New types of conversion values were introduced, along with a more complex approach to privacy thresholds which deploy multi-tiered crowd anonymity…say that three times fast. To top it all off, a new parameter was created to replace the 2-digit campaign ID.

Let’s take a look at the lock window functionality. All the time-based cohort modeling that was innovated to help marketers with early predictions on performance based on more stable conversion windows in v2-3 is negated. As such, some partners recommend advertisers don’t enable the lock window because of the disruption it could cause. Separately, the 2 additional conversion postbacks are appreciated, but they arrive so late that many ad network partners have advised they won’t be factoring them into their campaign optimization modeling for the foreseeable future.

In July of this year, Apple introduced SKAN 4.0 but then quickly rolled back to v3.0 ten days later due to a significant bug between SKAN and the AdService API. After a few days, Apple claimed the bug was fixed and SKAN 4.0 was once again available. Due to the bug with v4.0 and the major changes arriving on the scene with SKAN 4, adoption has been understandably slow. Partners need more time to see how the version adapts to their strategy before implementing it at any scale. The chart shows each release and the changes that were introduced with each version.

The answer is: it depends on the ad networks you’re running with. Ask your trusted SKAN ad network partners what version of SKAN they’re ready for and sign ad signatures with AND best positioned to optimize using the postbacks from SKAN they receive. They’re also likely to have recommendations for the optimal SKAN configurations to select within your mobile measurement partner (MMP) dashboard (e.g. how long to set your measurement window for SKAN v2-3, and whether to enable lock window on SKAN v4, etc.). It’s important to remember that your SKAN configuration and chosen conversion value model is one size fits all, meaning you can’t customize it per ad network. As such, if recommendations from your ad network partners are in conflict, you may want to follow those of the partner you’re driving the most spend and success with. 

Last, but not least, you can update your app as the advertiser to be v4 ready ahead of your partners. Your SKAN settings with your MMP will be backwards compatible. Once your ad network partners begin signing ads with v4, you’ll be ready to roll.

While SKAN is certainly complex, below are just some of the pros of using SKAN across all versions. 

1. Enhanced privacy – SKAN prioritizes user privacy by limiting the amount of personal information shared with advertisers and their partners. This protects user data and ensures compliance with privacy regulations.
2. Attribution insights – SKAN provides a solution for advertisers who have limited access to user-level data, such as the Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) on iOS devices. It allows them to maintain some method for measuring the effectiveness of their ad campaigns without relying on user-level data.
3. Fraud prevention – SKAN employs measures to prevent ad fraud by providing limited and aggregated data. This reduces the risk of fraudulent attribution and increases the accuracy of campaign performance measurement.
4. Compliance with Apple: Complying with Apple’s privacy guidelines and using SKAN is crucial for app marketers to maintain a positive relationship with the platform. SKAN ensures adherence to Apple’s privacy policies, reducing the risk of App Store rejections and other consequences that may arise from attempting to bypass SKAN.

Even though each SKAN release has included more features than the last, the confusion and frustration  around how it works have been major reasons why some advertisers have struggled to embrace it. With more education around the topic and as the push for user privacy mounts, SKAN will become more widespread. In the meantime, determine which SKAN version your preferred media partners are using as there’s a wide variation in version adoption across the partners that have invested in supporting SKAN for their ad inventory. 

If you’re new to SKAN or need to brush up on it, gain an in-depth dive into what SKAN is and how it works with  The Ultimate Marketer’s Guide to SKAN for free. You can also read all about Kochava support for SKAN 4.0 here, and check out Kochava SKAN solutions.

In Shakespeare’s poem, Hamlet presents us with a question – To be, or not to be. Since 1601 we have been contemplating his proposal, taking it upon ourselves to find the answer. It’s hard to believe that over four hundred years later marketers would be faced with a similarly difficult question – To SKAN, or not to SKAN. Unlike Shakespeare, we are here to help you find the answer.

Before we dive in, it’s important to note that using SKAdNetwork (SKAN) isn’t required just because you have an iOS app. However, SKAN can open up more opportunities as the app grows or when you expand your marketing efforts. 

SKAN, or SKAdNetwork, is a complicated topic and attempting to understand all of its nuances can be a daunting task. So let’s determine if you really need SKAN for your iOS app or if you can bypass it. Below is a simplified chart explaining if you should use SKAN or not.

In the realm of running paid media campaigns on iOS, employing SKAN becomes imperative if an advertiser seeks to collaborate with channel partners beyond ASA. SKAN stands as the sole privacy-compliant mechanism for effectively measuring campaign performance across all users, regardless of their opt-in or opt-out choices concerning the AppTrackingTransparency (ATT) framework.

For example, should a marketer intend to drive iOS user acquisition through platforms like Facebook, Google, Snapchat, Twitter, TikTok, and various other media partners, embracing SKAN is essential. Implementing SKAN requires a concerted investment of time and effort to comprehend its functionalities fully. Nonetheless, the payoff is invaluable as SKAN facilitates campaign measurement while respecting user privacy, regardless of their consent status via the ATT framework.

Although there might still be some volume of IDFA-based attribution available when iOS app users grant consent to tracking through the ATT framework, a significant majority of iOS app users opt-out of such tracking, irrespective of the appeal of an app’s ATT opt-in flow. Without SKAN, the visibility into this opted-out user segment remains entirely obscured, leading to an incomplete understanding of campaign impact.

By integrating SKAN, advertisers can gain comprehensive insights into campaign performance, even among opted-out users, ensuring a holistic understanding of user acquisition efforts across various channels. This strategic adoption of SKAN enables marketers to make data-driven decisions, optimize campaigns effectively, and adhere to privacy guidelines, thereby fostering long-term success in the dynamic landscape of iOS advertising.

In the context of user acquisition through paid media campaigns, the adoption of Apple’s SKAdNetwork (SKAN) warrants consideration based on specific marketing needs and strategies. If an organization does not engage in paid media campaigns with third-party ad networks, Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs), or other publishers to drive user acquisition, the implementation of SKAN may not be necessary. However, it is important to recognize the distinction that Apple Search Ads (ASA) represents a notable exception within this context.

ASA stands as a paid media partner that operates exclusively within Apple’s ecosystem atop the App Store. Remarkably, ASA provides deterministic reporting capabilities that extend beyond the confines of SKAN. This essentially means that ASA offers a more precise and detailed attribution process, allowing marketers to gain comprehensive insights into the performance of their campaigns.

As a result, businesses that exclusively utilize ASA for their paid media endeavors can capitalize on its deterministic reporting features without the need for SKAN implementation.

If you have come to the realization that SKAN is indeed necessary for your requirements, you are now prepared to embark on the next phase of your SKAN journey. As previously mentioned, the integration of SKAN entails a complex process, and prior to implementation, it is essential to acquire a comprehensive understanding of its functioning. 

For a detailed explanation on the workings of SKAN, we invite you to download “The Ultimate Marketer’s Guide to SKAdNetwork (SKAN)” here. This resource will serve as a valuable reference to facilitate a successful implementation and optimize your utilization of SKAN in your marketing endeavors.

Learn more about Kochava solutions for SKAN or get in touch with us.

The recent unveiling of Apple’s Vision Pro at WWDC 2023 brought to mind a quote by Ernst Cline, the author of Ready Player One, “For a bunch of hairless apes, we’ve actually managed to invent some pretty incredible things.” This sentiment captures the transformative potential of augmented and virtual reality in reshaping our world. From the widespread popularity of Pokemon Go to Snapchat filters, and Beat Saber, this tech has seamlessly integrated itself into various industries. In this blog, we will explore the exciting intersection of AdTech, virtual reality (VR), and the emerging potential of augmented reality (AR) marketing.

AR and VR are both immersive technologies that offer unique experiences to their users. AR overlays digital information or virtual objects onto the real world, enhancing the user’s perception. VR fully immerses users in computer-generated environments, providing a highly immersive experience. These technologies rely on essential components like headsets or smart glasses, motion tracking sensors, and powerful computing devices, to deliver captivating and lifelike experiences.

Augmented reality: Using a smartphone AR app to see information about landmarks when pointing the camera at them, providing an augmented reality experience for users.

Virtual reality: Using the headset and hand controllers to immerse the user into a physically interactive simulated environment.

Now, let’s take a quick look at the different types of VR.

Virtual and augmented reality has created a world of possibilities, offering marketers and advertisers the ability to engage with audiences through highly unique and captivating experiences. One platform that stands out in this domain is Meta (and its popular subsidiary, Instagram). The social media giant has embraced VR advertising and AR advertising both for its own purposes and as a tool for its business users. In 2022, Meta put out a non-immersive VR billboard in Times Square to promote the release of the Meta Quest 2 headset. In the future, businesses on Instagram Shops that use ModiFace or PerfectCorp technology will be able to offer augmented reality-powered try-ons for clothing, shoes, jewelry, and more. 

As an advertiser, here’s how you should take advantage of both: 

1. Interactive ads:  Users can directly engage with content, such as virtual try-ons, billboards, sponsored mini-games, or immersive environments. This dynamic interaction can enhance exposure and user engagement, fostering a more memorable advertising experience.

In 2022, Coke released ‘Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte’, a digital softdrink, into the Metaverse. The soda was a promotional item players in the Metaverse could obtain after completing a series of mini-games. Coke later launched the physical product to store shelves for consumers to try in real life. 

2. Product placement: Virtual worlds offer a seamless avenue for advertisers to integrate brands and products through intrinsic product placement. Users may encounter branded items or virtual storefronts showcasing real-world products, amplifying brand recognition and potentially driving purchase intent.

Selfridges, the popular London-based department store, partnered with Fondation Vasarely and Paco Rabanne to launch a VR storefront for consumers. Consumers were able to take a guided tour that showcased its NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) in chronological order, providing valuable insights into their historical significance, artistic aspects, and more.

3. Personalized and targeted advertising: The immersive nature of VR enables advertisers to collect user data and preferences, facilitating the delivery of customized advertisements based on individual interests and behaviors. This level of personalization increases ad relevance, user engagement, and conversion rates (CVR). 

By incorporating VR and AR into marketing campaigns, brands can transport consumers into interactive virtual environments that showcase their values, products, and services. 

This opens up three key opportunities for marketers:

1. Immersive brand experiences: VR enables the creation of unique and interactive environments that go beyond traditional mediums, allowing consumers to engage with brands on a deeper level. Examples include virtual stores, destination tours, and virtual event participation.

DressX, the largest retailer of digital fashion, offers exclusive digital versions of their clothing to consumers to wear in photos and videos. The brand launched an AR app in August of 2021, allowing their customers to try on clothing items and accessories via their smartphone’s camera before making a purchase.

2. Enhanced storytelling: In VR, marketers can craft immersive narratives that actively involve users, evoking emotions and fostering deeper brand connections. By placing users at the center of the experience, VR offers endless storytelling possibilities and creates lasting memories.

In 2021, Nike partnered with Fortnite to create an immersive fan experience where player’s characters could not only wear a new line of Jordan sneakers, but also take part in a digital treasure hunt for branded ‘artifacts’ exclusive to the digital environment.

3. Comprehensive measurement: Integrating VR into marketing campaigns provides the opportunity to measure user behavior, interactions, and engagement. These valuable insights allow marketers to optimize future campaigns, refine storytelling techniques, and make data-driven decisions to maximize the impact of VR marketing initiatives.

Overall, VR marketing and AR marketing offer significant advantages by creating immersive brand experiences, leveraging enhanced storytelling, and enabling comprehensive measurement. It goes beyond traditional mediums, providing a powerful platform for marketers to engage audiences and achieve their marketing goals.

Despite the exciting opportunities presented by both technologies, there are challenges to overcome. Issues concerning the user experience like comfort, nausea, accessibility, and cost, need to be addressed to ensure widespread adoption and acceptance. Addressing these concerns is essential to ensure widespread adoption by consumers and the integration of this technology into their daily lives.

In addition to the consumer-facing challenges, there is the inherent challenge of the medium itself. It’s new, and that means limited ad inventory options. Unlike traditional advertising channels that have established spaces for promotions, VR and AR aren’t completely there yet. As a result, suitable advertising real estate for brands may be difficult to find, making it harder to reach their desired audience during the early stages of adoption.

Our once (fairly) calm ocean has been riddled with COVID swells, waves of shifting privacy policies, and overall economic surges that have left marketers tumbling. The possibility of a recession has been brought to the forefront of many of our minds, but we must remember that this isn’t our first storm. Let’s build a lifeboat, put on our water wings, and surf the waves of uncertainty until the winds die down. So how do we navigate ad budget cuts while staying afloat?

When it comes to any emergent situation like a flux in our economy, people are always surprised and not many of us are prepared, because we don’t want to admit to any negative changes. In these times there are two ways to proceed: (1) messy and scared or (2) accept the problem and get ahead of it. Let’s choose option two.

Here’s what we know: ad spend growth will likely decelerate in 2023. According to a survey by IAB, ad buyers revealed that there will be a 3.1% decrease in year-over-year ad spend growth between 2022-2023, versus 2021-2022.

Here’s the problem: Marketers will have less money to spend on advertising. But let’s reframe it: Marketers have the opportunity to reassess their budgets and optimize for future growth.

In many ways, ad budget cuts force marketers to get creative, reevaluate their techniques, optimize their spend, and proceed with more clarity and confidence. One might even say that a marketer can learn more and mature in their craft by weathering budget cuts, versus only operating in times of plentiful and growing spend.

When you’re in a stressful situation it’s best to take a step back and look at things from a different perspective. Before you can build a lifeboat, you need to determine what tools and supplies you have. What will safely get you over that next wave and keep you afloat?

It’s no surprise that in economic uncertainties, media budgets get evaluated more frequently. In fact, 63% of IAB survey respondents said that they will be evaluating and reforecasting their budgets more frequently in 2023. Of those reforecasting, 45% said they would be doing this on a monthly basis, with another 20% doing it on a daily or weekly basis. Continuous reforecasting can help marketers make better predictions on their future ad performance and adjust their budget accordingly. However, be wary of too much micromanagement. You need to give new strategies enough time to age, before deciding whether they’re a failure or a success. Finding a balanced approach is key. Ask yourself:

• What platforms and partners are actually pulling their weight? By reevaluating what partners and platforms you’re running ads on, you will be able to understand which one’s are providing you with the best long term value while avoiding the cannibalization of your audiences. In the past, you might have been quick to cut out partners that are not driving immediate results (e.g. installs), but you might be overlooking their ability to bring in high-quality customers further down the line. Partners who are bringing in immediate revenue but short term, low quality customers are not sustainable and could be a waste of your ad budget over the long haul.
• Have your customers’ habits changed? How your customers/users spend their own money can affect how a marketer spends their’s. During an economic downturn, your customers might be spending less overall or spending more on specific things. As a marketer, you might be wasting ad dollars pushing products or services that aren’t making you money because your customers have moved their focus elsewhere. Listen to your customers and observe how behaviors may have shifted, then and refocus your budget on what is actually making you money.

By looking both at your own marketing efforts and your customers trends, it will be easier to align the two and make ad budget cuts with more confidence.

When the sea is calm, as it was a few years ago, it’s easy to extend your resources. You might have had a generous marketing budget and you got used to spending money on large campaigns across multiple channels. Now with ad budget cuts staring you in the face, it’s overwhelming to imagine having a limited budget. With less ad dollars, you will have to allocate the amount you have more efficiently while still striving for a profit.

Start by improving the efficiency of your overall marketing strategy by checking in  on your key performance indicators (KPIs) and potentially evolving how you measure success. Specifically, look at user/customer lifetime value (LTV). It’s cheaper to keep acquired customers than it is to obtain new ones. If you focus on driving more engagement with your current customers, you can more efficiently boost growth and profitability.

Another telling KPI is the average revenue per user (ARPU). This metric is important because it indicates how profitable a product or service is based on how much revenue is gained from each user, giving you helpful insights into your overall growth and success. That being said, don’t be fooled by averages and be sure to check for outliers. If you have Bill Gates and this writer in a room, then you have 2 billionaires on average. As such, make sure you check for outliers that can steer important decisions. 

Compare your historical KPIs with current numbers, and continue to monitor LTV and ARPU to observe any changes. Efficiently allocate your ad budget to the high-value customers you’ve already acquired and who are more likely to turn a profit.

Finally, get creative. Use the data you have to think outside the box. Maybe you focus more on your owned media efforts and optimize your website and social presence. Maybe you utilize customer generated content via influencer marketing or an ambassador program. Out-of-home (OOH) marketing is becoming more and more measurable with cost-efficient techniques such as community events, pop-up shops, or chalk art.

Marketing efforts that were effective two years ago might not be effective now. Consumer behavior has changed and so should your advertising. Look to your customers and optimize for efficiency and profitability all while staying within budget. We believe in you.

For expert advice from marketing veterans, check out this recent  Kochava webinar event featuring Realtime Agency that covers how to continue driving growth in the face of economic downturn. You can learn how seasoned marketers can weather seasons of budget cutting – all the while maintaining healthy performance and growth.

Reducing your ad budget can be a complicated and overwhelming task, but it doesn’t have to be. Kochava suite of solutions offer actionable, data-backed steps that simplify the process and optimize your ad spend. 

To make informed decisions about your ad budget, consider the following:

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact us at support@kochava.com or visit https://www.kochava.com/smart-savings-for-marketers/.

How much is your attention worth? Five dollars a minute? Fifty? Every moment you spend online equates to a dollar amount somewhere to someone. As people increasingly turn to digital media for entertainment and connection, the line between social media and connected TV (CTV) is beginning to blur. Advertisers are seizing the opportunity to tap into the powerful human connection that exists between these platforms. Social media giants like Facebook/Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Snapchat have revolutionized how people connect and share information. At the same time, CTV devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV have transformed how people consume television. In this blog, we’ll explore how the convergence of social media and CTV is creating a digital gold rush for advertisers and how they can engage in this trend by leveraging each platform’s unique strengths to connect with audiences in new and engaging ways.

Source: https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/digital-advertising/social-media-advertising/united-states

Social media and CTV aren’t just changing the advertising game – they’re also transforming how we shop. As more and more consumers shift to online shopping, physical malls are becoming less relevant.  Social media platforms are helping to drive this growth by offering new opportunities for businesses to reach customers and sell products. For example, Instagram’s ‘Shopping’ feature enables users to buy products directly from the app, while Facebook Marketplace allows users to buy and sell items within their local communities. Meanwhile, CTV devices are opening up new opportunities for retailers to reach audiences in the comfort of their own homes. By combining the power of social media and CTV, retailers can create immersive shopping experiences that engage customers and drive sales. Say ‘goodbye’ to physical malls, and ‘hello’ to the future of digital retail!

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok have developed apps that can be accessed through CTV devices, enabling users to watch videos, engage with content, and interact with their favorite social media accounts on the big screen. Let’s take a look at a few ways you can implement a CTV/social media strategy.

Live streaming is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways for people to consume content on social media and CTV platforms. According to Statistca, Twitch had a total of 5.71 billion hours of watched content in the third quarter of 2022. Here are some actionable steps that advertisers can take to leverage this trend for their advertising campaigns:

• Identify relevant live streaming platforms and creators that align with your brand values and target audience.
• Work with these creators to develop branded content that integrates seamlessly into their live streams.
• Utilize influencer marketing strategies to promote your brand and products to their followers.
• Take advantage of CTV devices’ live streaming functionality to reach a larger audience and create a more immersive advertising experience.
• Continuously monitor and analyze the performance of your live streaming campaigns to ensure they are effectively reaching your target audience and delivering meaningful results.

As with any advertising strategy, success in leveraging social platforms and CTV requires a deep understanding of your target audience, the platforms they use, and the creative strategies that will resonate with them. Advertisers must continually monitor and analyze their campaigns to ensure they are effectively reaching their target audience and delivering meaningful results. By staying on top of emerging trends and technologies, taking a data-driven approach to targeting and creative decisions, and experimenting with new formats and channels, advertisers can harness the power of social media and CTV to create immersive, engaging campaigns that deliver real results.

Whether you’re a streaming service with an OTT app, or a performance marketer looking to drive growth through OTT, Kochava can help. Stay up-to-date with all the latest in adtech by subscribing to our newsletter. 

For more information, visit our website or reach us at support@kochava.com.