Appsflyer User Acquisition Integration

To launch a User Acquisition Mobile campaigns with Smadex, it’s essential to have the right setup in your MMP in place. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for setting up Appsflyer correctly.

1. VTA Probabilistic enablement

To leverage probabilistic modeling for view-through attribution, it is essential to enable VTA probabilistic within your AppsFlyer application settings and the integration tab for non-Self-Reporting Networks (non-SRNs). Please refer to the following visual for guidance:

2. Sharing Non-Attributed (NA) Data

Getting Non-Attributed data is key for Smadex. To do this, we'll give you a Tracking Group ID. You'll need to add this ID in two spots within AppsFlyer:

1. General Settings: This lets us see installs, rejected installs, and re-engagements. Choose "all media sources including organic" as the sending option in order to receive the NAD.

2. In-App Event Settings:  This helps us track post-install events like purchases and registrations. Again, pick "all media sources including organic (Screenshot 2).

Heads up, it usually takes 2-3 hours for us to start getting this data.

Screenshot 1:

Screenshot 2:

Enabling Data Sharing (Scope of data):
"This partner only" means we only see data from our campaigns.
"All media sources" gives us all your app's data, including organic.

3. Activate Raw Revenue Data

Activating raw revenue data (Screenshot 3 below) on Appsflyer for Smadex is essential for maximizing the value of campaigns. It allows Smadex to optimize for revenue (ROAS) and ensure every dollar spent is geared toward driving profitability. Without raw revenue data we can't accurately assess performance, even for attributed data. This is crucial for our machine learning models to perform accurate predictions. In other words, this is a must!

Screenshot 3:

4. Cost integration

Cost integration between Appsflyer and Smadex is essential for precise ROI/ROAS tracking and efficient reporting. Smadex can track ROAS correctly internally, but for ROAS/CPI/CPA metrics to appear in Appsflyer will require cost data. Moreover, you might be pulling cost data from AF to your internal BI so its key that this is done correctly. Once the cost integration is properly set, you will be able to monitor the cost only for the following dimensions (campaign, campaignid, creative name).

To set this up, we'll need your Smadex Hub user credentials (username and password):

You can check if cost integration is active by accessing the "Cost" tab inside the "Active Integrations" section:

5. Advanced Privacy Mode

Advanced Privacy Mode (APA) is a feature designed to enhance data privacy and security for users and comply with stringent privacy regulations. Advanced Privacy Mode restricts the type of user-level data that AppsFlyer collects, processes, and shares. Instead of detailed user-level data (e.g., device IDs, IP addresses), it focuses on collecting aggregated and anonymized information, ensuring individual users cannot be identified. When it's on, it limits the data we (Smadex) receive significantly. For this reason we always advice you to turn it off. In other words, when APA is active, Smadex doesn't receive device id or click id data in postbacks, which limits the tracking of conversions and difficults optimization.
Please find below where you can see if the advanced privacy mode is on or off in the Appsflyer platform.

6. P360

Protect360 (P360) is a tool Appsflyer offers to advertisers to block impressions, clicks, installs or post-intall events that they consider fraudulent. Only advertisers under certain paid plans can activate p360.