AppsFlyer and Unity Ads launch Attribution Reporting dashboard to enable live-traffic testing for advertisers
At a glance
- AppsFlyer and Unity Ads teamed up to build one of the first integrations on Android that enables advertisers to analyze the performance of live advertising campaigns using the Privacy Sandbox Attribution Reporting API.
- The integration sits at the heart of AppsFlyer’s Android Privacy Sandbox Attribution Dashboard, which allows advertisers to experiment hands-on with the Attribution Reporting API using real-world data from their Unity ads campaigns.
- The Privacy Sandbox team looks forward to hearing feedback from advertisers on how we can continue to improve the Attribution Reporting API to meet their needs.
Setting a new standard for Attribution that prioritizes user privacy
As a widely used advertising mobile measurement partner (MMP), AppsFlyer saw an opportunity to invest in the Privacy Sandbox and evolve its technologies to meet increasing consumer expectations around privacy. Unity Ads, a leading mobile advertising network that offers monetization, analytics, and user acquisition tools for app developers shares AppsFlyer’s goal to create a privacy-first attribution flow that works for everyone.
AppsFlyer and Unity Ads teamed up to create a new Attribution Reporting API integration for Android that enables accurate campaign performance measurement while maintaining user privacy. By integrating with the Privacy Sandbox API now, they hope to serve as trusted advisors for advertisers as they begin experimenting with the technology and lead the industry in shaping a new standard for attribution.
“As the privacy ecosystem continues to evolve, we are happy to partner with Google and AppsFlyer to prepare advertisers for the changes to come. Our goal is to ensure advertisers stay ahead of the changes and maximize their user acquisition performance leveraging the Privacy Sandbox.”
Running Attribution Dashboard experiments with real campaign data
Building the dashboard
The Attribution Reporting API includes structural mechanisms that limit the ability to link users’ identities across apps or domains, removing the need for advertising identifiers. As AppsFlyer began integrating the privacy-preserving API with the dashboard, the team worked through early challenges managing increased noise, complex and diverse source keys (e.g., campaigns and app IDs), and a more extensive data scale.
They started with statistical processes to filter and reduce the inherent noise Attribution Reporting adds to protect user privacy, ensuring more accurate campaign performance results. To keep source and trigger keys unique without storing massive data sets, they created optimized hashing methods that generated unique keys for each piece of data and mapped them to a message queue for aggregation. Finally, they implemented compression techniques and strict retention policies to purge obsolete data from ad interactions and app events efficiently.
After several months of testing and debugging, AppsFlyer and Unity Ads teams released an MVP version of the Sandbox attribution dashboard for Android.
How it works
AppsFlyer’s Sandbox Attribution Dashboard shows campaign performance results reported via the Attribution Reporting API, along with their confidence intervals, from when an app is downloaded until the moment other ads can be credited for the download. This solution allows advertisers to engage with live campaigns, customize their own schemas, and receive real-time attribution reports, offering practical experience in the new environment while maintaining user anonymity.
Simplified illustration of dashboard
Shaping a privacy-first future
AppsFlyer and Unity Ads’ partnership resulted in an open beta attribution solution for Android that sets a new standard in privacy-forward analytics. The dashboard offers an entry point for advertisers to educate themselves, experiment, and relay constructive feedback. AppsFlyer is looking forward to partnering on new features—like in-app event and revenue measurement, and additional ad network integrations.
AppsFlyer and Unity Ads encourage advertisers to get started right away experimenting with live-traffic campaigns using Attribution Reporting API. By starting early and providing feedback, customers can help shape the future of the Privacy Sandbox and ensure their strategies are aligned with the latest privacy standards.
“Google’s Privacy Sandbox has sought input from all across the industry to develop a framework that will be a long-term solution. AppsFlyer takes our role as a mobile attribution leader seriously – and building this infrastructure alongside our partners is a great example of how we can all work together to improve the experiences for marketers.”
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