AdAttributionKit adoption expected at a later date
Note: On April 14, Apple announced the rebranding of Apple Search Ads to Apple Ads, reflecting the expansion of its advertising business. Watch for an upcoming blog on the impact of this change.
Apple Ads (formerly Apple Search Ads) made its debut April 10 on the SKAdNetwork (SKAN) stage—joining other publishers and ad networks that have registered to work with Apple’s privacy-first measurement framework.
SKAN experienced a major adoption upswing in April 2021, when the release of iOS 14.5 saw the rollout of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework that put the IDFA behind an opt-in wall. Now, for the first time since SKAN’s launch, iOS marketers can have their Apple Ads campaign activity deduplicated against other acquisition campaigns they’re running over SKAN.
What Marketers Need to Know
1. Apple Ads Registered as an Ad Network With SKAN
Effective April 10, Apple Ads is registered with SKAN as an ad network and begins signing ads with SKAN signatures.
2. SKAN Version Support Limitations
At the outset, Apple Ads will support only SKAN versions 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0. Timing for registration with SKAN 4.0 or AdAttributionKit (AAK) has not yet been disclosed.
3. Click-Through Attribution Only
Apple Ads view-through attribution is not available over SKAN. Only taps are reported. This means that only installs or redownloads attributed to a tap/click are included in SKAN.
4. SKAN Campaign ID Mapping
For campaign ID mapping, Apple Ads is using the following numbering corresponding to the different placement types:
- Search Results: 10
- Search Tab: 20
- Today Tab: 30
- Product Pages: 40
5. Apple Ads Data in Kochava
Apple Ads reporting continues to function fully through the AdServices framework—providing granular, real-time attribution for your campaigns. The data can be visualized in the analytics dashboard, accessed via Kochava Query, or downloaded from the reports module. (See our recent blog about the launch of view-through attribution with Kochava here.)
At this time, Apple does not support forwarding of SKAN install validation postbacks to mobile measurement partners (MMPs) or provide an API for MMPs to pull SKAN conversion data. As a result, Apple Ads campaign data will not surface in Kochava SKAN reports or the SKAdNetwork Insights dashboard within Kochava analytics. If you’re using SKAN to measure campaigns with other partners, you may observe fluctuations in reported SKAN conversions as Apple Ads may be credited for conversions that would have previously been attributed to other SKAN-registered ad networks.
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Is SKAN Integration Required for Apple Ads?
No, you’re not required to integrate your iOS app with SKAN in order to continue running campaigns on Apple Ads. The AdServices framework will continue to function—meaning that you can measure your campaigns outside of the SKAN framework.
Supporting You on Apple Ads & SKAN
As you navigate Apple Ads and SKAdNetwork (or AdAttributionKit), our team is here to help. If you have questions about your campaigns, SKAdNetwork configuration, or overall iOS app marketing strategy, contact your Client Success Manager or email support@kochava.com.
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