How do I measure which ad channel brings paying users after Apple's App Tracking Transparency?
Since ATT, most iOS users can't be tracked across apps. Measurement now combines privacy-safe attribution, modelling and tests.
- Our ad dashboards disagree.
- What is SKAdNetwork?
- How do we know what works on iOS?
Use Apple's privacy-preserving attribution, AdAttributionKit and SKAdNetwork, through a mobile measurement partner, and map conversion values to early signals of paying users, such as trial start. Use the platforms' own reporting, compare against your revenue data and run geo or holdout tests for big channels. Expect direction, not perfect precision.
Layers of measurement
| Layer | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Privacy-safe attribution | Installs and early events by campaign |
| Platform reporting | Each platform's own modelled results |
| Your revenue data | What actually paid |
| Holdout or geo tests | Real lift from a channel |
How we look at it at ShoutEx
We set up attribution, conversion values and reporting. Mobile app analytics covers event planning.
- Trusting one dashboard.
- Conversion values not set.
- No revenue tie-back.
- Never testing lift.
- MMP set up.
- Conversion values mapped.
- Revenue compared.
- Lift tests.
What developers and the app stores say
Here is what Apple and developers say.
Apple's documentation for privacy-preserving attribution.
Read Apple's docs →Developers discuss SKAdNetwork and attribution after ATT.
Browse the threads →Community summaries describe recurring themes in public threads, not individual posts. Vendor pages describe vendor claims, so test them on your own calls.
Read next
Go deeper in the ShoutEx guides, or check the sources behind this answer.
We'll set up measurement you can act on.
Book a call →Follow-up questions
Is Android easier?
Android tracking still works differently. Privacy changes continue.
Do we need an MMP?
For several channels, usually yes.
What about web-to-app?
Track web funnels separately.