For digital marketers, understanding the intricacies of mobile web tracking is no longer a choice. Today, it’s a necessity to stay ahead of the curve in this fast-paced industry. That’s why we’re diving into mobile web tracking in Part 4 of our blog series, based on TUNE’s Ultimate Guide to Mobile Partner Marketing.  

In Part 1, we introduced the guide and how mobile user acquisition and affiliate marketing programs overlap. Part 2 compared mobile measurement partners to partner marketing platforms. In Part 3, we explored why mobile apps are critical to a program’s success.  

In this latest installment, we’re tackling the process behind tracking conversions on mobile web. After all, if you want to manage a successful partner marketing program, you have to be able to measure it first. So let’s get started! 

How to Track Conversions in a Mobile Web Environment 

For years, third-party cookies served as the go-to method for tracking conversions on the web. However, recent browser developments have rendered third-party cookies ineffective, pushing marketers to adopt cookieless tracking methods. This shift brings desktop and mobile web measurement closer to campaigns in the mobile app ecosystem, where cookieless tracking is a requirement. 

For mobile web, there are two primary methodologies for cookieless tracking: server-side postbacks and JavaScript SDK. We’ll go into the basics of how these both work below. 

Server-Side Postback Tracking 

The server postback tracking method is the most reliable for tracking campaigns on mobile web. It has been TUNE’s recommended approach for years and is a native feature of the platform.  

Let’s assume the implementation process has been completed, so all the required code and settings are ready. Here is how postback tracking works: 

1. When a user clicks on a tracking link, TUNE generates a unique alphanumeric ID (Transaction ID).
2. TUNE passes the Transaction ID to the brand’s landing page, where it is stored and associated with the user.  
   • Brands can choose from several methods for storing the Transaction ID, including storing it in a database, using first-party cookies, or passing it via page URLs. Most developers should be familiar with this process and able to implement a solution. 
3. Upon the user’s conversion (e.g., purchase, lead capture), the brand fires the Transaction ID back to TUNE in a postback URL.
4. TUNE leverages the stored information about the click to attribute the conversion accurately to the partner responsible for driving the conversion.  

The first question about this process that many marketers ask is how to store the Transaction ID, which is answered in #2. The second question is how to pass the ID back to TUNE for Step #3. To do this, the brand makes an HTTP request to the postback URL via cURL (on the server side), which logs the conversion in TUNE. 

JavaScript SDK Tracking 

The JavaScript SDK method uses a web browser’s LocalStorage to get around the inaccuracies that come with third-party cookies. This method writes conversions back to TUNE, similar to postback tracking.   

Here’s how JavaScript SDK tracking works:  

1. TUNE passes the Transaction ID into the browser’s LocalStorage upon the user’s click. This works with both redirect links and direct links. 
   • When implementing the JavaScript SDK, you add a snippet of code to the head of the website, an identify code line to the landing page, and a convert code line to the conversion page. This allows TUNE to store the Transaction ID on click in the web browser, and then send the ID back to the TUNE platform when the user ends up on a designated page.  
2. When the user reaches a conversion point (e.g., post-purchase Thank You page), TUNE accesses the Transaction ID stored in the browser and sends it back to the TUNE platform.  

While this tracking methodology is set up using postback protocols, it is still considered client-side tracking, as the browser (not the brand) stores the Transaction ID.  

The JavaScript SDK method is best for tracking in-session conversion points and removes the requirement for the brand to store the Transaction ID. It also integrates well with existing technologies, such as Google Analytics and Shopify, and can track and attribute organic traffic. 

For more detailed explanations including flow charts and diagrams, download the Ultimate Guide to Mobile Partner Marketing.

Mobile Web Tracking and Privacy 

Cookieless tracking methods like the ones above are designed to provide accurate attribution without compromising privacy. It’s a big reason TUNE has always advocated for server-side tracking solutions and first-party cookies versus third-party cookies. However, simply using these methodologies isn’t enough. It’s still crucial to maintain data security and privacy best practices in every aspect of your partner program, and to follow all applicable rules and regulations around data handling. 

As tracking technologies advance, remember to always put consumer privacy first. A few simple steps that every marketer should follow include:  

• Obtain user consent for tracking and data collection.  
• Implement transparent privacy policies that clearly communicate tracking practices.  
• Provide users with opt-out mechanisms for personalized tracking. 

TUNE In to Learn More 

Understanding how mobile web tracking works is essential for marketers seeking reliable conversion tracking methods in 2023. Using cookieless tracking enables today’s program managers to effectively track and attribute conversions in the mobile web environment.

However, it is equally important to prioritize user privacy and adhere to ethical tracking practices. At TUNE, we believe that by striking a balance between effective tracking and privacy considerations, marketers can achieve their program goals while building trust with partners and consumers. (Our customers are proof of that.)

Check back soon for Part 5, where we’ll delve into mobile app attribution and how MMPs operate. Can’t wait? Download the full e-book and get all your questions answered! You can also start a chat to ask one of our experts in person.

Happy reading!

Welcome to Part 3 of our Mobile Partner Marketing blog series! In this series, we are covering some of the insights and information found in our newest e-book, The Ultimate Guide to Mobile Partner Marketing. Whether you manage an affiliate program or run marketing for mobile apps, this e-book can help you bridge the knowledge gap between the two to unlock their full potential.  

In Part 1, we introduced the guide and outlined what readers can learn from it about mobile marketing and affiliate programs. Part 2 explains the similarities and differences between a mobile measurement partner and a partner marketing platform. 

In Part 3 of our series, we’re reviewing the why behind the what of mobile partner marketing: why apps are critical to a program’s success. Let’s get started. 

Why Mobile App + Affiliate Program = Success  

In short? Synergy. 

As the saying goes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A mobile app on its own can be valuable. An affiliate program, even when run separate from other marketing efforts or in a silo, can also be valuable.  

Real return on investment, however, happens when you put the two together.  

While there are lots of benefits brands see when they combine the power of mobile apps with the guaranteed ROI of performance marketing, we think the following are the most impactful. 

Closer Relationships with Customers 

A huge advantage to using mobile apps in your partner marketing strategy is being able to foster better relationships with your customers. Push notifications, location-based marketing, and a wealth of personalization options make this possible. 

Take push notifications. They are efficient, customizable, and always front-and-center on a smartphone user’s screen — unlike, say, an email that sits ignored in an inbox. This adds up to a channel that often outperforms email, the traditional choice of brands for communicating with customers: 

• In 2021, the average email open rate was around 22%, while the average push notification open rate was 28%. (Source: Campaign Monitor, Omnisend) 
• A push notification sent to new subscribers in the first week following app installation can increase retention rates by up to 71%. (Source: Invespcro) 
• In 2021, email campaigns had an average conversion rate of 0.1%, while 38% of people who clicked on a push message went on to make a purchase. (Source: Omnisend) 

The depth of personalization that a mobile app can provide also brings programs and partners closer to their customers by helping to give them more of what they want. Using mobile app data like engagement and location, brands can tailor messages, share proximity-based offers, and suggest relevant content for smartphone users in ways that other channels can’t.  

Better Experiences for Users 

When it comes to user experience, mobile apps have technological advantages over mobile websites. It’s ideal for a user to be deep linked directly where they want to go in an app, instead of redirected to a clunky mobile webpage or left hanging with a broken link. This is why the mobile app ecosystem leads to both higher conversion rates and higher spending in apps when compared to mobile web. (One example: as effective as push notifications can be, the click-through rate for in-app messages is 25–30X higher.)  

Today’s consumers expect smooth, intuitive, native experiences when engaging with brands on mobile. Anything less, and you risk frustrating and ultimately losing your customers.  

Historically, though, affiliate marketers have shied away from using mobile apps to their full potential. This is because tracking links can introduce challenges when used across operating systems (such as iOS and Android) and experiences (such as mobile web to mobile app). Today, there are solutions and partners available that can handle these and other app-specific challenges for affiliate programs. TUNE has integrations with all of them.  

ROI that Proves Program Performance 

The amount of time U.S. consumers spend on the internet continues to rise every year. As it does, the gap between mobile device and desktop usage is widening, with a growing majority of time spent on mobile, and time on desktop steadily falling. 

By 2018, retailers with shopping apps and mobile websites were already seeing their apps bring in double the revenue when compared to mobile web. What’s more, their apps were driving nearly as many sales as desktop and mobile web combined. By 2020, almost 90% of all mobile internet time was spent in apps. In 2021, in-app spending increased 55% year over year, and e-commerce app installs increased 48%.  

Too often, the affiliate programs associated with these numbers (and by extension, the marketers who run them) are not getting enough credit for their efforts. Fortunately, marketers can combat unattributed channel performance from mobile apps with technologies like server-side tracking. Adding another revenue stream to a program boosts its value, and proving the program’s contributions to the overall business can help secure the budget needed to make it an even bigger success.  

Just like we said: synergy. 

Stay TUNEd to See What’s Next 

We’ll be back with Part 4 in a few weeks. Until then, check out the TUNE Blog for more information on mobile partner marketing, or download the full e-book here.

Whether you manage an affiliate program or run mobile acquisition campaigns, this e-book will help you bridge the knowledge gap between mobile and affiliate to unlock their full potential.

With any partnership, it’s important to know your strengths and your weaknesses. The same goes for your affiliate program. To have the best chance of success, trust the experts for the technology that powers your program — especially when it comes to attribution.

But does every program need a mobile measurement partner? Is an MMP the same as a partner marketing platform? And do you need both to run an affiliate program, or can you do it all with just an MMP?  

In part 2 of our series, we’ll answer these important questions with information found in our newest e-book, The Ultimate Guide to Mobile Partner Marketing. Let’s dive in! 

What Is an MMP? 

MMP is an acronym for “mobile measurement partner.” The term comes from Facebook’s name for the first group of tech providers that integrated with the social media platform to track app installs. 

A mobile measurement partner is exactly what it sounds like: a third-party technology partner that measures mobile app performance. Usually, this means attributing downloads and installs, which is done via a piece of code called an SDK (software development kit). MMPs can measure post-install activities as well, such as in-app registrations, purchases, and engagements.

The major MMPs in the market today are Adjust, AppsFlyer, Branch, Kochava, and Singular. (Fun fact: TUNE was technically the first MMP, as we created the very first mobile app attribution SDK, known at the time as MobileAppTracking. It was eventually rebranded as Attribution Analytics and acquired by Branch in 2018.) 

What Is a Partner Marketing Platform? 

A partner marketing platform (PMP) is an end-to-end SaaS solution for building, managing, and growing affiliate programs and networks. These platforms can handle all the operations needed to run a program, including conversion tracking, commissioning, offer/creative/partner management, communication, invoicing and payments, traffic management, and more. They should also be customizable enough to enable third-party integrations, custom development, and additional functionality via API. Most importantly, a true partner marketing platform operates as an unbiased, third-party software provider.  

While there are many offerings in the market today that label themselves as PMPs, most of these function more like traditional affiliate networks rather than software providers.  

Why You Shouldn’t Use an MMP to Run an Affiliate Program 

The short answer? MMPs specialize in mobile app attribution, not partner program management.  

While you can use your MMP to add individual partners, share links, and track their performance, there are other activities that are vital to running a program that your MMP is not built to handle. That’s where your partner marketing platform comes in. Check out the chart below to see how these two solutions complement each other by handling different activities across your mobile app and partner marketing efforts.  

How to Tell If You Need an MMP 

Do you have a mobile app? Do you run user acquisition campaigns?  

If you answered yes to either question, you should invest in an MMP, as they provide the most reliable and accurate measurement for today’s mobile app ecosystem.  

Master Mobile Partner Marketing with TUNE 

If you enjoyed Part 1 and Part 2 of our series on mobile partner marketing, you’re in luck! We’re back with more insights, advice, and information in Part 3.

Download the new e-book today

Our industry might hate to admit it, but it’s true: There is a knowledge gap that exists between mobile marketing and affiliate marketing. And it’s been holding advertisers back for years.  

We’re here to change that with a new resource designed to bridge the gap: The Ultimate Guide to Mobile Partner Marketing. In our newest e-book, TUNE VP of Sales Nate Ivie covers everything marketers need to know to expand their affiliate activities to the mobile ecosystem. 

Download the new e-book for free!

Why Focus on Mobile Partner Marketing? 

While partner marketing has grown exponentially over the last five years, that success has rarely included mobile apps as a point of conversion.  

In the affiliate marketing industry, the general understanding of mobile web tracking remains underrepresented. We see it all the time in conversations we have with prospective clients. It doesn’t matter whether they are just starting a partner marketing program or looking to migrate from their current solution. Most of the time, there is a disconnect between how they think about mobile and how they think about affiliate. 

After over a decade at TUNE serving customers at brands, networks, and publishers across web and mobile, it’s become apparent that user acquisition managers and partner marketers must align their goals and strategies to succeed. To be able to do this, they must first understand what it is the other does. With that as the foundation, they can then learn the tools they each work with, and finally, figure out how fit it all together to maximize their return. This is how we’ll bridge the gap between mobile marketing and partner marketing. 

What You’ll Learn in the Ultimate Guide 

This one-of-a-kind e-book was designed to give user acquisition teams and partnership teams the knowledge they need to effectively expand affiliate marketing activities to the mobile ecosystem. Our goal in creating this guide is to empower these groups to do that in three specific ways:  

1. Equip partner marketers to understand completely how tracking and attribution work on both mobile app and mobile web  
2. Enable user acquisition managers to understand the possibilities partner marketing can provide  
3. Provide some common knowledge that both partner marketers and user acquisition managers can act on to work more closely together  

No matter your field of expertise, this unique e-book is sure to be a valuable resource for information and insights on the industry and your colleagues. But don’t take our word for it: download The Ultimate Guide to Mobile Partner Marketing and see for yourself! 

Ready to learn more? Head over to Part 2 of our blog series to discover the differences out why an MMP is not the same as a partner marketing platform.

Universal links provide the best possible experience for mobile users of your product or service. They give you the ability to link directly into your mobile app if the user has it installed, the web if they don’t, or even defer deep linking until after the user installs the app. All of this goodness does take a bit of work to set up, but thankfully things are now much easier since TUNE is integrated with AppsFlyer’s OneLink. 

Without diving too deep into the technical details (you can read our help article for that), the crux of the issue is the redirect. Most networks and partner marketing platforms utilize a click redirect URL as part of the tracking process, but that does not play nice with universal links. On iOS specifically, the universal link domain must remain constant for the mobile device to properly open the app at click time. 

So, how do you keep measuring the clicks and conversions from your partners without redirecting the end users through a different domain? Server-side clicks to the rescue! Once AppsFlyer is selected as the universal link platform for your offer in TUNE, your partners will be able to generate an AppsFlyer OneLink automatically from the TUNE Partner Interface. The OneLink will have some special parameters appended that tell AppsFlyer to send TUNE a server-side click when a user clicks the OneLink, and the rest is business-as-usual. 

We can’t wait to see what kind of partnerships this new integration will enable! 

Did you know TUNE also integrates with AppsFlyer’s Aggregated Advanced Privacy framework? Read our blog post for more information, or email us your questions at sales@tune.com.

On October 27, Instagram announced they were expanding the ability to add links in Instagram Stories to all accounts. (Yes, even yours.)  

Once a feature only accessible to verified accounts or those with 10,000+ followers, Stories links are now available to everyone. That’s a big change for influencers, brands, and the affiliate marketing industry, not unlike the NCAA’s NIL rules change earlier this year. How it will ultimately play out is still to be determined. In the meantime, here’s what marketers need to know. 

Stickers: A New Way to Add Links in Instagram Stories 

All users can now use the new Link sticker feature to add external links to an Instagram story. The sticker, a new feature introduced in August, replaces the “swipe up to see more” functionality users are used to seeing at the bottom of linked Stories.

Users are redirected once they tap on the sticker, which can be placed anywhere (as opposed to stuck at the bottom of a screen). 

How to Add a Link Sticker 

1. Capture/upload content to a story
2. Tap the sticker tool in the top nav bar
3. Tap the “LINK” sticker, add the destination URL, and tap “Done”
4. Place the sticker on the story and adjust as you would any other sticker, or tap it to see color variations
5. Tap “Share” to set the story live for 24 hours

Here’s a gif of the process: 

(If you don’t see the option to add a Link sticker in your account, try updating your app, or closing and restarting it.) 

Benefits of Link Stickers  

According to Instagram, the Link sticker provides multiple benefits over the swipe-up experience, including: 

• A more streamlined creation experience in Stories 
• More creative control — stickers can be styled, resized, and placed anywhere 
• More engagement, as users can react/reply to posts with a link sticker (but couldn’t with the old swipe-up link) 

Note that accounts are not allowed to promote posts with Link stickers as ads (which still use the swipe-up functionality). A story can have a Link sticker and be marked as branded content, but brands cannot use the Paid Partnership tag if there is also a Link sticker present. 

Some analysts believe this change was prompted by the rapid growth of TikTok, another influencer-focused platform. TikTok provides users with tools that encourage real-time engagement and creativity over planned-out promotions. This in-the-moment authenticity has been a driving force behind TikTok’s success, and is something that other social media companies will likely try to replicate in their own platforms.

Link Sharing Versus Tracking Links in Instagram

The expansion of Stories link sharing to all users does make it easier for micro-influencers and small businesses to drive valuable traffic with a wider audience. However, Instagram still does not allow clickable links in unpaid posts — you can add a URL, but it won’t be hyperlinked, so the user must copy and paste it into a browser. This is the reason companies that specialize in “link in bio” functionality, such as Linktree, are popular on the platform.  

In addition, Instagram does not allow multiple redirects in links. That’s a problem for performance-based advertising campaigns, as affiliates often use tracking links that redirect two to three times, sometimes more. If influencers can’t redirect through different publishers and tracking servers, is performance marketing even possible on Instagram? 

In a word, yes. TUNE solves this issue with Direct Links, a tracking link that doesn’t redirect through TUNE’s tracking servers. Since Direct Links take the user straight to the landing page, these links provide SEO value and reduce the potential number of site redirects. They also allow offer and partner ID information to be passed in the URL to the landing page itself, streamlining the information sharing process for advertisers and affiliates. 

While not as granular as Direct Links, promo codes (e.g., clickless tracking) also allow brands to track partner performance on Instagram, through podcasts, and in almost any other channel. Promo codes are easy to use and have minimal technical requirements,  which is the reason they have been a staple in traditional advertising and on social media platforms for years. 

Making the Most of Marketing on Instagram 

Now that anyone can put a link in Instagram Stories, the platform is sure to experience change. Will consumers see this as a good thing? Will influencers and brands?

We’re guessing yes. Here at TUNE, we believe in opening up opportunities to creators and businesses of all sizes. It’s what partner marketing is all about. This change is hopefully one of many that continues to move the ecosystem in the right direction.  

If you would like to know more about Direct Links and other TUNE tracking solutions, please email sales@tune.com. 

Apple’s privacy updates shipping with iOS 15 could mean the end of “opens” as a viable email marketing engagement metric. But as anyone who has been paying attention to the email marketing space knows, opens may already be one of the most unreliable engagement metrics. This update from Apple will force many email marketers to rethink the way they measure success — and that’s a good thing.

Changes to Mail in iOS 15

iOS 15 will include what Apple is calling Mail Privacy Protection, which will nullify email tracking pixels. This means email service providers (ESPs) will no longer be able to accurately track email opens. They also won’t be able to track geographic information, which is typically based on the IP address of the user that opened the email.

Worst case? Every email sent to an Apple Mail inbox could be reported as opened.

What This Means for Open Rates

Open rate is the number one email metric used by email marketers to define success. Open rates often drive powerful drip campaigns and are the backbone of list hygiene. Geographic information from IP addresses drives dynamic content widgets in more advanced campaigns. On the surface, with Apple Mail making up almost 50% of email client market share, this sounds like a huge loss.

Open Rates Were Already Suspect

However, open rates have been unreliable for a long time. Gmail has been caching email tracking pixels since at least 2013 as a way to speed up the email viewing experience for the end user. Gmail’s caching practice can take the form of tracking pixels being downloaded at point of delivery, even if the recipient never opens the email. Similar issues exist with geographical tracking based on IP address. If your ESP offers a map of recipients that have opened your email, all recipients using Gmail have been known to be grouped in Mountain View, California.

As of this writing, Gmail makes up almost 30% of email client market share. That means up to 30% of your audience’s open data could be inaccurate today.

There’s Still a Lot to Learn

Until iOS 15 rolls out, we won’t truly know the impact these changes will have on the way we measure engagement with email. It appears users will have the option to opt-in to Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection until users begin updating to iOS 15, we just don’t know how many people will adopt these changes. Keep in mind that changes come quickly, and it’s possible Apple will choose to automatically opt-in users to this service in the future.

Embrace Change: Double Down on More Tangible Metrics

To get ahead of the changes coming with the iOS 15 release, marketers can begin to shift the way they define a successful campaign. Focusing more on click rate will paint a better picture of your most engaged audience members. Personalizing content to individual recipients will drive email engagement higher. Even better, coupling your email campaigns with a platform like TUNE can give you engagement metrics beyond email, all the way to the point of conversion.

Privacy protection is a good thing for all of us. As marketers, it’s up to us to stay ahead of market trends and be the smartest marketers we can be. Start crafting a plan to modify your marketing strategy now to ensure your audience will receive the most relevant information from your brand.

When Apple announced iOS 15 at WWDC in June, they stirred up quite the fervor with the latest privacy updates (a predictable pattern for the last couple of years). “No more IP address in Safari” seemed to be the big takeaway. Now that we’re getting closer to the September release of iOS 15, some of the details are becoming clearer. Using the iOS 15 public beta, I was able to test out some of these new capabilities. Here’s what I found. 

Safari Will Hide IP Addresses for “Trackers” Whether You Have iCloud+ or Not in iOS 15

In the settings for Safari, there are three options to hide your IP address: 

• Trackers and Websites 
• Trackers Only 
• Off 

The default setting is “Trackers Only,” and this does not require a subscription to iCloud+ to use. If you choose “Trackers and Websites,” you’ll be prompted to subscribe to iCloud+ and enable Private Relay. Although it does not specify here what a tracker is, I can only assume it will use the same on-device machine learning algorithm employed by Intelligent Tracking Protection (ITP) since 2017. 

There Are Two Settings for IP Address Location with Private Relay 

When iCloud+ Private Relay is active, there are two settings for IP Address location:  

• Maintain General Location 
• Use Country and Time Zone 

I believe the first option is meant to be more granular, and the second option is much broader. Unfortunately, these options were not fully operational in the beta test I ran. Even when I chose “Maintain General Location” (the default), Private Relay gave me an IP address in El Cajon, CA, which is quite far from my actual location in Seattle, WA. I fully expect this to change when iOS 15 is released. 

TUNE Postback Tracking Will Still Function Over Private Relay 

While I didn’t expect Private Relay to have any effect on our postback tracking, I tested it to make sure. I clicked a TUNE tracking link with Private Relay enabled, then triggered a conversion by visiting a confirmation page. The transaction ID was passed as normal, and the conversion fired.

Since server-side tracking doesn’t rely on a cookie or the user’s IP address, Private Relay should not cause any issues to your offers using postbacks.  

Messaging Around AppTrackingTransparency Continues to Be Frustrating 

Various wording in the tracking settings has changed with iOS 15, and it highlights the stark difference between Apple’s description of their own tracking practices versus the AppTrackingTransparency (ATT) prompt for all other developers. 

As you can see above, in Apple’s own prompt, they clearly frame personalized ads as a good thing. What’s more, they highlight the fact that opting out of personalized ads does not reduce the number of ads you receive. I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions about ATT: the average consumer likely believes that opting out of tracking will reduce the number of ads. 

In the ATT prompt on the right, the difference is night and day. They put it on developers to mention anything about personalized ads (as DoorDash has done in this example) and use aggressive anti-tracking language that makes it sound very bad. 

The Only Constant Is Change 

In such a fast-moving industry, the only thing we can count on is that it will keep changing. Many businesses are caught in the crossfire between tech giants like Apple and their endless jockeying for position, so we’ll do our best to keep reporting on the changes and their impact on partner marketing. 

Questions or comments about iOS 15? Let us know in the comment section below or reach out to us at partnermarketing@tune.com.  

The big privacy push that Apple began last fall, then was delayed until spring, is finally at hand. With the upcoming release of iOS 14.5, Apple will start enforcing the AppTrackingTransparency framework and requiring mobile app users to opt-in to tracking before advertisers will get access to their IDFA. That’s the change in a nutshell, but let’s unpack what that means for the partner marketing industry.

What We Know

1.   Apple iOS 14.5 will require users to opt-in before sharing their IDFA with advertisers.

2.   SKAdNetwork is Apple’s mobile app attribution solution.

• Big walled-garden ad networks have integrated with SKAdNetwork:
  • Google
  • Facebook
  • Snapchat 

3.   Apple stated in their most recent FAQ that they will not allow fingerprinting without an opt-in.

4.   MMPs are taking various stances on these changes, with AppsFlyer leading the way:

• AppsFlyer created Advanced Privacy Mode to address fingerprinting concerns in a privacy-friendly way.
• Adjust was acquired by AppLovin, so they have been quiet on the innovation front.
• Branch and Kochava are stating that only opted-in users can be attributed.
• Singular is going all-in on SKAdNetwork, but they do believe fingerprinting can be done under certain circumstances.

5.   Apple has separately introduced Private Click Measurement as a new privacy-friendly web standard for measuring clicks and conversions.

What We Don’t Know

1.   How many mobile advertisers will adopt SKAdNetwork:

• It is non-trivial to implement SKAdNetwork in mobile apps, and it places an extra burden for launching campaigns.
• Advertisers may decide to shift focus to mobile web instead.

2.   How Apple will update SKAdNetwork in response to industry feedback. 

3.   How strictly Apple will enforce their “no fingerprinting” stance in iOS 14.5 and beyond. 

• Will AppsFlyer’s solution be acceptable to Apple? 

4.   Whether browsers other than Safari will adopt Private Click Measurement and make it a true web standard.

Summing It All Up

2021 is going to be a bumpy year for advertisers, networks, and publishers alike. But keep in mind that partner marketing is not the primary target of these iOS 14.5 changes by Apple: it’s Facebook and Google.

On the contrary, partner marketing has been more privacy-friendly from the beginning. Our industry is based on relationships between advertisers and publishers, not massive lookalike audiences built on cookie profiling and personal data. That’s really the difference between adtech and martech when you break it down: adtech requires information about the end user in order to serve relevant advertising, and martech doesn’t.

That’s why, despite the upheaval from industry giants and platform providers, I’m as bullish as ever on the future of partner marketing. TUNE has enabled privacy-friendly attribution from the beginning with tools such as our Server Postback with Partner ID protocol. This allows us to track what matters, how many conversions each partner sent to each advertiser, without identifying the end user at all.

For mobile advertisers facing the enforcement of iOS 14.5, the biggest thing to do right now is take stock of the places you are running traffic and decide if you will need to implement SKAdNetwork. If you are spending on Facebook, Google, Snapchat, or the other big walled-garden ad networks, you will likely want to implement it. But if you are focused more on partner marketing and smaller channels, you can wait and see how it plays out.

Publishers, influencers, content creators, and partners of all types need to make money in order to continue providing free content on the internet. And advertisers need to get their products in front of people who may be interested in them. In 2021 and beyond, partner marketing remains one of the most cost-effective and privacy-friendly ways to do that, fueling the modern web and helping to keep the internet free.

Questions about iOS 14.5 or partner marketing? Contact us to learn more.

Drumroll, please … it’s Part 3 of our Capture Every Conversion blog series! In this series, we’ve been diving into the details behind four conversion tracking methods covered in our new white paper, How to Become a Track Star: Your Guide to Tracking for Performance Marketing Campaigns. 

If you missed them, head over to Part 1 and Part 2, where we reviewed the pros and cons of cookie-based pixel tracking and server-side postback tracking. In this post, we’ll be exploring the third tracking method in our white paper, JavaScript SDK tracking. 

What Is JavaScript SDK Tracking?

JavaScript SDK tracking is a new and evolving client-side method for storing session data and measuring conversions. It was designed to provide conversion tracking in situations where traditional client-side methods fail — namely, on mobile web, although it works on desktop as well. 

Like traditional pixel tracking, JavaScript SDK tracking uses a snippet of code and makes the user’s web browser do all the hard work. However, this method differs from pixel tracking in that it uses first-party cookies instead of third-party cookies. It may seem like a small difference, but it’s not. Web browsers do not restrict first-party cookies in the same way that they restrict third-party cookies, because first-party cookies are fundamentally different. Head over to our article on first-party vs third-party tracking cookies for details.

At TUNE, we like to think of JavaScript SDK tracking as a mix between pixels and postbacks. It’s fairly easy to set up (like pixel tracking), and it provides accurate measurement (like postback tracking). It’s the best of both worlds, but it’s not the answer to everything. 

JavaScript SDK Tracking Capabilities

So why do we still recommend postback tracking over other methods, including this one? If it’s so easy and accurate, what’s stopping you from using JavaScript SDK tracking for every campaign? 

A few things.

Like we’ve said before, postback tracking is the most accurate, granular, and reliable conversion tracking method available to performance marketers today. Period. The reason why is that it uses servers to store and send information, which bypass all of the problem areas that result in poor measurement — browsers that block cookies, app store dead ends, et cetera.

JavaScript SDK tracking still needs a web browser to do all the work. That means it’s still susceptible to some of the same risks and limitations as traditional pixel tracking. 

For example, Apple’s Safari browser now fully blocks third-party cookies by default. That means pixel tracking won’t work at all in Safari, but JavaScript SDK tracking will. However, Safari also deletes all first-party cookies (and other script-writable storage) after 7 days without user interaction. If you’re using JavaScript SDK tracking, this means your conversion windows on Apple devices will be capped at one week. 

When to Use JavaScript SDK Tracking

JavaScript SDK tracking is a specialized solution that’s great at dealing with certain scenarios. It’s not a blanket solution for every tracking need.

For advertisers who prefer not to set up a server-side integration, TUNE’s JavaScript SDK provides a client-side alternative to pixel tracking. This method can be effective in the following cases:

1. Anywhere third-party cookies can’t be used
   – for example, on mobile web, or in desktop campaigns where users will be on Safari or Firefox
2. Social media campaigns where links can’t be used
   – for example, on certain platforms that prevent redirection
   – needs to be used in conjunction with Direct Links
3. For measuring organic traffic

In addition, JavaScript SDK tracking can also be used to support eCommerce cart management.

We still recommend using server-side postback tracking as your bread and butter. Other tracking methods, including the JavaScript SDK, simply can’t compete with the accuracy and reliability of postbacks. 

In Conclusion

In our new white paper, How to Become a Track Star, we talk about conversion tracking in terms of campaign health. If your tracking is strong, your campaign will be healthy. If your tracking is weak, your campaign is less effective and more susceptible to harm. It’s our way of making a dense, technical, often confusing subject a little more fun — while still getting the important bits across.

There’s just one more method left for us to cover: clickless tracking. See you for Part 4!

While you’re here, check out the rest of our How to Become a Track Star series, where we cover the pros and cons of four popular tracking methods for affiliate programs and performance marketing campaigns.

• Part 1: Pixel Tracking
• Part 2: Server Postback Tracking
• Part 3: JavaScript SDK Tracking
• Part 4: Clickless Tracking (Promo Codes)

Download the full e-book here!

March 2021 update: Apple has finally pushed iOS version 14.5.

Following outcry from Facebook, app developers, and mobile marketers, Apple has postponed a requirement for opt-in ad tracking across iOS devices until “early next year.” Translation: Mobile marketers can stop freaking out … for now.  

What’s Going On? 

Back in June, Apple announced that iOS 14 would make the IDFA opt-in for all apps – a 180-degree turn from the current opt-out environment on Apple devices. With the launch of iOS 14 scheduled for September, that gave the mobile advertising industry only three months to prepare for a foundational shift in how the ecosystem works. 

Understandably, marketers freaked. Predictably, Facebook complained. And surprisingly, Apple listened.  

Here’s the statement from Apple announcing the delay: 

“In addition, on iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and tvOS 14, apps will be required to receive user permission to track users across apps or websites owned by other companies, or to access the device’s advertising identifier. We are committed to ensuring users can choose whether or not they allow an app to track them. To give developers time to make necessary changes, apps will be required to obtain permission to track users starting early next year. More information, including an update to the App Store Review Guidelines, will follow this fall.” 

The rest of iOS 14 is expected to release in September as originally planned. 

What Does It Mean? 

Apple rarely backtracks when it comes to privacy, so this is kind of a big deal. It could signal a more community-conscious and consultation-focused Apple … or it could simply be a signal that the company underestimated the blowback of the latest changes. 

Make no mistake, the new IDFA restrictions and App Tracking Transparency framework are still coming. No word on when that will be in 2021, but expect more information to come out this fall.  

What’s the Industry Saying? 

We did a roundup of how attribution companies were responding to Apple’s original bombshell in our previous article on iOS 14. Here’s what the top players are saying about this news: 

Adjust 

• Here’s what you need to know about the delay to iOS 14 ad tracking changes 

AppsFlyer 

• Announcing: SKAdNetwork Simulation Dashboard (no direct response to the delay as of publication) 

Branch 

• The Great iOS 14 Reprieve (For Now) 

Kochava 

• Apple Delays Portions of iOS 14 

Singular 

• Apple’s IDFA gift: More time to prepare for SKAdNetwork (so don’t waste it!) 

Conclusion 

The mobile industry is still set to undergo an evolution on iOS when these changes do take place. Make the most of this time now to prepare with your affiliates, mobile measurement partners, and advertising platforms by understanding whether you use IDFA today and what the impact will be from losing access to it. Most TUNE customers do not use IDFA today and should see little direct impact from this change. 

March 2021 update: Apple has finally pushed iOS version 14.5 after postponing the update in September 2020.

Did you feel that? Apple just shook the foundation of the digital marketing industry — again.

In June, Apple announced at WWDC that the next version of iOS would make the IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers) opt-in for all apps. Starting in September, iOS 14 will require every app to get explicit permission from the user before tracking them or accessing their device’s advertising identifier. In other words? Big changes are coming to the mobile ecosystem. Here’s what you need to know.

iOS 14 Will Make App Tracking Opt-In

Apple users who upgrade to iOS 14 later this year will notice a new pop-up when they open an app for the first time. This is the new IDFA opt-in prompt, and it’s the most significant change separating iOS 14 from its predecessors. Here’s what it looks like: 

The new prompt is part of Apple’s AppTrackingTransparency framework, and is required for every app that wants to access a user’s device IDFA to track them. The pop-up will be shown on a per-app basis to users who have not already enabled Limit Ad Tracking (LAT) on their phone. When a user does not give consent to be tracked, the user’s IDFA will appear as all zeros, and the requesting app will not be allowed to track them. 

If that just sounds like an app-specific version of Limit Ad Tracking, it’s because it is. But there is one big difference between this pop-up and the LAT feature: visibility. 

LAT is a device-level setting, but it’s buried deep in the iOS settings menu. It’s hard to find, which is likely the reason only 30% of Apple users have it turned on. The new pop-up, however, will be unmissable — and that’s the point. 

Privacy by Design

Making it easier to see and control what companies are tracking you and why is a definite win for consumer privacy. Given Apple’s steady progress toward greater protections for data security and privacy, this move was a natural next step. 

It’s also a strong signal to marketers of where the rest of the industry is heading. iOS 14 represents the beginning of a paradigm shift for mobile marketing, because where Apple goes, Google and others follow:

• Apple introduced Limit Ad Tracking (LAT) in 2012; Google introduced similar tools in 2013
• Apple introduced Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) in 2017; Mozilla announced similar anti-tracking measures in 2018, followed by Google in 2019
• Apple introduced default third-party cookie blocking in March 2020; Google is following in 2022

It’s possible that Google breaks tradition and chooses not to follow Apple with something similar for Android’s version of the IDFA, the Google Advertising ID (GAID or AAID), but experts are betting otherwise.  

How the Mobile Attribution Industry Is Responding

Mobile attribution companies have chimed in across the ecosystem, and with mixed reactions. Across the board, one thing is clear: everyone wants more clarity from Apple on exactly how mobile marketing will work in iOS 14. 

Here are some of the major industry players and their responses:

Adjust

• An update on Apple’s user privacy changes
• Granular attribution compatible with iOS 14: The Attribution Hash

AppsFlyer

• The future of the App Store economy, in a privacy-centric world

Branch

• How to Prepare Your Mobile App and Attribution Stack for Apple’s iOS 14 Privacy and IDFA Changes

Kochava

• Apple Announcements at WWDC 2020 Challenge Marketers to Tap Alternative Marketing Solutions

Singular

• Singular announces first-to-market SKAdNetwork support to replace the IDFA
• IDFA iOS 14 FAQ: What’s true, what’s fake, and what’s total fantasy

There’s a lot of noise out there about what this really means for mobile marketing. If you assume that only Apple really knows, then it’s time to take a look at SKAdNetwork, Apple’s proposed solution.

SKAdNetwork is an iOS install attribution API originally released in 2018 and updated for iOS 14. According to Apple’s developer site:

“SKAdNetwork allows registered advertising networks to attribute app installations to a particular campaign by receiving a signed signal from Apple. This enables them to verify how many installations occurred from an advertisement and measure which campaigns are most effective while maintaining user privacy. Beginning this fall, advertising networks using SKAdNetwork will have access to Source App information, which identifies the specific app from which an installation occurred. This allows advertising networks who run advertisements on apps they don’t own to identify which app should be credited with initiating the download. SKAdNetwork will also identify re-downloads, which helps advertising networks measure the success of re-engagement campaigns.”

What this means in a nutshell: Apple has decided to facilitate the attribution process at the operating system level to ensure that consumer privacy is protected to its standards. And in doing so, the company is eliminating most of the granularity that mobile marketers have come to expect in their data. (Singular has a good breakdown of it here.)

At least, that’s what people think. Right now, there are still more questions than answers when it comes to iOS 14, SKAdNetwork, and the future of marketing on Apple devices. 

What Mobile Marketers Should Do Now

If you’re an advertiser who uses a mobile measurement partner, you’re in good hands. Across the board, MMPs are aware of the potential and wide-ranging effects iOS 14 will have on mobile marketing, and they’re working to address that new reality ahead of the September 2020 release. Adjust, for example, has already suggested a solution that uses an “attribution hash,” and Singular has announced SKAdNetwork support. However they end up doing it, MMPs are still working to provide well-attributed data.

Right now, the best defense is a strong offense. Make sure your tracking methods and solutions are solid across the board. Work closely with your MMPs, partner management platforms, and other partners to communicate steps you’re taking to prepare. And keep up with the news, both from Apple and experts in the industry. Because until Apple releases more information, this is about all you can do. Time to hurry up and wait. 

To learn more about working with MMPs and different tracking methods, download The Ultimate Guide to Mobile Partner Marketing.