Do you ever wonder how companies know which ad led you to an app, game, or online purchase? That is called MMP attribution, the hidden tool of app marketing that helps companies figure out what works and what doesn’t. Working with a trusted MMP like Apptrove allows companies to measure success in a cleaner way so they can grow cleaner.
What is MMP Attribution?
In non-distracting terms, Mobile measurement partner attribution is akin to being a detective for app marketing. Let’s say you saw a YouTube ad for a new mobile game, clicked on the ad, and installed the game. Later, you made an in-app purchase. How does the game company know the YouTube ad got you there? That’s what attribution solves. It tracks:
- Where the user came from (Facebook ad, Google ad, influencer link, etc.)
- What actions they took (installing, signing up for anything, making purchases)\
- How much value does that user create over time?
Without MMP attribution, app developers would be in the dark and simply spend money on advertising, though they do not know what works.
Why MMP Attribution Matters in the Mobile World
Every year, millions of apps are fighting for a piece of your attention. In 2022, over 255 billion mobile apps were downloaded globally, according to Statista. With so many apps to compete with, no business can afford to throw money away. MMP attribution will help businesses:
- Save money: By showing marketers which ads are driving real users, it allows them to stop spending money on ads that aren’t working.
- Understand users better: It identifies patterns, like did the gamer over there prefer video ads on TikTok or Reels on Instagram.
- Make smarter decisions: With real data provided, they can see where they should make their next investment.
Ultimately, without MMP attribution, businesses are just guessing and hoping for the best instead of relying on facts.
What is a Mobile Measurement Partner?
A mobile measurement partner (MMP), is a company or platform that provides attribution tracking. Think of it like a scoreboard in a basketball game – you can’t play the game properly without knowing what the score is.
There are a handful of platforms that help app businesses measure their results accurately, like Apptrove, Adjust, AppsFlyer and Branch. MMP services assist businesses by collecting relevant data from many types of ad network, stitching it together, and providing businesses with a clear picture of what is and isn’t working.
For example, if a business is running ads simultaneously on Facebook, Google, and TikTok, the MMP will let them know which ad source brought in the best user.
MMP Attribution vs. Mobile Attribution
You might hear both MMP attribution and mobile attribution. These terms are often confused, but here is the distinction:
- Mobile attribution is the general concept—it simply means knowing which ads drive app installs or actions.
- MMP attribution is the specific process for doing this with the help of specialized partners and tools.
Think of it like school grades. “Mobile attribution” is the overall grading system. “MMP attribution” is the actual report card that the teacher prepares. Both are essential, but one is a bit more specialized.
How Attribution Tracking Works
Attribution tracking may sound sophisticated, but it uses a simple logic. Here is the general workflow:
- User clicks an ad: for example, on Instagram.
- User click is tagged: as the link to the ad includes a unique identifier that says “this user came from Instagram.”
- User installs the app: when you install the app, the MMP attribution product checks for the ID match.
Challenges in MMP Attribution
While MMP attribution is powerful, it can be challenging. Some of the challenges include:
- Privacy regulations: With Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) now allowing users to give apps explicit permissions over what data they can track, and regulations like GDPR in Europe increasing the data controls for users, this can make it harder to track attribution.
- Fraud: Clicks or installs that never happened can skew the marketer’s awareness if they don’t have trustworthy partners that work hard to filter out fraudulent advertisers or fake installations.
- Multiple touch: a) In some cases, a user sees up to five different ads before they decide to install the app. How do you know which ad has contributed to the install?
Even with the challenges above, MMP attribution will continue to be the best way to guide marketing decisions.
Final thoughts
In the app economy, data is everything. MMP attribution will give businesses the insights needed to grow smarter, faster, and with greater efficiency. With a trustworthy mobile measurement partner, like Apptrove, a business can maximise its full potential with data-driven marketing campaigns.
So, the next time you see an ad for a game or app, just remember that there is a whole system of MMP attribution that tracks your experience in a couple of ways to make your experience better.
