Best practices guide: Drive better performance and measurement for iOS App campaigns

1. Understand key Google-supported iOS measurement frameworks

Multiple forms of measurement have emerged for iOS app install campaigns.

• Google’s conversion modeling: Modeled conversions, which we report in your Google Ads interface, use Google AI to help you assess the event-level performance of your campaigns when a subset of conversions can’t be directly linked to ad interactions. Learn more About modeled online conversions.
• Apple’s SKAdNetwork: SKAdNetwork, also known as SKAN, helps app advertisers measure their ad activity, such as impressions, clicks, and app installs, on an aggregated level. SKAdNetwork has become increasingly important to some app advertisers in assessing their iOS campaign performance across multiple ad networks.

2. Get started with SKAdNetwork for install and in-app event measurement

Many app advertisers have adopted a SKAdNetwork-oriented approach for both installs and in-app event measurement.

Install measurement

If you’re measuring installs with SKAdNetwork, you'll be able to view reporting data by following the instructions below:

1. Go to Campaigns within the Campaigns menu .
2. Select the Reports icon at the top of the page.
3. Select Other.
4. Select SKAN conversions.

3. Implement best practices for iOS App campaign measurement and optimization

For better app measurement:

• Implement on-device measurement: Implement on-device conversion measurement using event data to boost observable conversions available for enhanced iOS campaign optimization and reporting. It works without any user-identifying information ever leaving a user’s device or being disclosed to external parties, including Google. If your app has significant user sign-in and collects email and phone number data, we recommend you additionally implement our second variant of this solution which uses first-party data. Learn more about Google’s on-device measurement solutions. 
• Activate integrated conversion measurement to get more real-time, comprehensive, and accurate cross-channel attribution in your third-party App Attribution Partner interfaces. Enable this solution by implementing on-device conversion measurement using event data and updating to the latest version of your third-party App Attribution Partner SDK.
• Evaluate if it makes sense to set up your app within the SKAdNetwork framework.
  • For install measurement, integrate your app with SKAdNetwork for installs. Our Google Analytics solution helps you integrate and register your app for SKAdNetwork attribution so that you can measure “first open” conversions. You can also configure SKAdNetwork install measurement with another measurement SDK, like an App Attribution Partner, or manually.
  • For post-install event measurement, set up your conversion value schema. You can do this through Google Analytics, a third-party App Attribution Partner, or the Google Ads API directly. When setting up your schema, ensure that it’s inclusive of the biddable events you plan on optimizing your App campaigns for.
• Consolidate your iOS App campaigns for install to run 8 or fewer campaigns. This will ensure optimal performance and support accurate SKAdNetwork campaign reporting, as more campaigns may obscure measurement within SKAdNetwork. Note that this limitation will be removed in the future for apps with on-device measurement event data.
• App Tracking Transparency: Review Apple’s documentation and evaluate if implementing the ATT consent prompt is right for your app. You may also decide to create and display a warm-up, or explainer, screen before asking for consent with the ATT prompt. The explainer screen allows you to give users more context on how your app uses information for advertising purposes. Users who accept the prompt will increase your observed conversions, improving conversion modeling and campaign optimization. Learn more about creating and displaying an explainer screen by using the Google Analytics for Firebase SDK.

Best practices

Review the table below for an overview out iOS best practices.

4. Apply general App campaign best practices

• Set up your iOS App campaigns around your advertising goals for optimal focus and performance.
• Take a focused approach to bidding based on your conversion goal, for example, app installs or in-app activity. Learn more about bidding in App campaigns.
• Follow creative asset best practices.
• Track first opens, in-app purchases, or custom events by importing events from Google Analytics or by linking your Google Ads account with a third-party analytics tool.
• Use Universal Links for iOS to send mobile device users directly to relevant pages in your app. Learn more about deep links.
• Adjust your bid and budget based on campaign performance. Learn to evaluate performance based on your goal.