1. Optimize for Speed and Performance

As Halloween shoppers flock to your app, you need to ensure that it is fast and responsive. Streamline checkout processes, optimize loading times, and perform thorough performance testing to handle increased traffic.

2. Showcase Halloween-Themed Products

Make your Halloween inventory stand out. Create a section dedicated to Halloween-themed products, so users can easily find costumes, decorations, candy, and other items. Entice shoppers with high-quality images and detailed product descriptions.

3. Offer Exclusive Deals and Discounts

Discounts and promotions for Halloween will attract customers. To encourage early shopping, consider bundling related products at a discount, offering free shipping, or offering early-bird specials.

4. Leverage Social Media

Halloween is a great time to use social media. You can promote your products by sharing user-generated content, hosting Halloween-themed contests, and collaborating with influencers. Increase your visibility and reach by using relevant hashtags.

5. Implement Email Marketing Campaigns

Target different customer groups with Halloween-themed emails. Engage recipients with exclusive offers, product recommendations, and compelling visuals.

6. Enhance Customer Support

The Halloween rush will increase customer inquiries. Ensure your customer support team is well-prepared to respond promptly and efficiently to inquiries. Real-time support can be provided through live chat.

7. Ensure Seamless Checkout

It is crucial to have a smooth and secure checkout process. To cater to all customers, offer one-click ordering and various payment options. Transparency should be maintained regarding shipping times and return policies.

8. Monitor Analytics

Keep an eye on the app analytics to identify user trends and make data-driven decisions. Adjust your strategies based on the insights you gather throughout the season.

9. Prepare for Last-Minute Shoppers

There are some people who do not shop for Halloween weeks in advance. Last-minute shoppers can be accommodated by offering expedited shipping options and promoting last-minute sales.

10. Boost Your User Acquisition Efforts

Utilize Halloween as a way to acquire new customers. Discover AppSamurai DSP for performance-guaranteed CPI-based programmatic buying, transparent workflow with tailor-made strategies and AI-backed optimization.

Now that you have some significant tips on how to get your app ready for the spooky season, let’s get into the annual survey of The National Retail Federation to examine statistics that’ll help you make data-driven decisions.

Record-Breaking Halloween Spending

2023 Halloween spending is projected to reach unprecedented levels, surpassing $10.6 billion from last year. This surge in spending is driven by an impressive 73% of Americans who are eager to join in the Halloween festivities, a notable increase from the 69% participation rate in 2022.

• Increased Per-Person Spending

The increase in per-person spending is even more enticing for e-commerce apps.  The average consumer will spend $108.24, exceeding the previous $102.74 set in 2021. It means that users are prepared for a memorable Halloween for themselves and their loved ones.

• Costume Craze

As always, costumes are a cornerstone of Halloween celebrations. It is estimated that 69% of Halloween celebrants will purchase costumes, a significant increase over last year. During this season, costume shoppers are expected to spend a record $4.1 billion on costumes.

• Decorations Are Still a Hit

Over three-quarters (77%) of Halloween celebrants plan to purchase decorations this year. The total spending on Halloween decorations is expected to reach $3.9 billion, demonstrating the importance of offering a wide range of Halloween-themed decorations on e-commerce sites and apps.

• Candy and Greeting Cards

With an estimated $3.6 billion in spending, candy remains a Halloween favorite. A further $500 million is estimated to be spent on Halloween greeting cards. E-commerce apps can offer various candy and greeting card options to capture the Halloween spirit.

• Early Start to Shopping

Consumers plan to begin Halloween shopping as early as possible, with 45% planning to start before October.Apps that promote Halloween-themed products well ahead of time can capitalize on this trend, capturing early-bird shoppers.

• Social Media Influence

Younger consumers are particularly eager to begin their Halloween shopping early, seeking inspiration from social media platforms like Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram. These platforms can be leveraged by e-commerce apps for advertising and influencer partnerships, reaching their target audience where they spend most of their time.

• Shopping Destinations

It is crucial to understand where consumers prefer to shop for Halloween items. Halloween shopping continues to be dominated by discount stores (40%) followed by specialty stores/costume shops (39%) and online shopping (32%). This demand can be met by e-commerce apps that offer user-friendly, seamless shopping experiences.

Final Thoughts

Halloween presents a unique opportunity for e-commerce apps to increase user acquisition and sales. Optimize performance, showcase Halloween-themed products, offer exclusive deals, leverage social media, and implement email marketing to create a successful shopping experience.

A seamless checkout process and enhanced customer service ensure a positive user experience while monitoring analytics allows you to adapt your strategies on the fly. Be sure to boost user acquisition during this holiday season by catering to last-minute shoppers.

Your e-commerce app can thrive during Halloween and beyond by combining these strategies with NRF’s annual survey insights. Get ready to cast a spell on your success!

The post Boo-sting Sales: E-commerce Apps’ Guide to a Successful Halloween Season first appeared on AppSamurai.

Threads is a new contender that has emerged, captivating users and stirring up a rivalry with one of the giants of the industry. Threads, the brainchild of Meta, has quickly become a sensation, pitting itself against the long-standing titan, Twitter. Let’s delve into the intriguing world of Threads, its rapid adoption, and the factors that have propelled its viral growth.

The Launch and Rapid Adoption of Threads

Threads was born from Meta’s vision to provide users with a text-based, real-time, engaging social media experience. According to Meta, Threads was born to give people a place to express their thoughts and connect with each other through text- Instagram does it with visual elements.  

Initial user response and adoption rate

From the moment Threads hit the app stores, it garnered a remarkable response from users worldwide. People were drawn to its sleek interface, intuitive design, and promises of a more personalized social experience. Its adoption rate soared as users flocked to try out this novel platform, curious to see how it would differentiate itself from the well-established Twitter.

When we logged in to the app, we saw that most of our team members had started to open their accounts and interact with others. Seeing people’s enthusiasm to discover a new social platform is a wonder!

Can we compare Threads’ launch success to Twitter’s early growth?

Just as Twitter revolutionized how we share short bursts of information, Threads offers a similar perspective on social media interaction. The quick rise of both platforms highlights the demand for concise, real-time communication and the power of connectivity in the digital age. However, it’s safe to say that the hype around social media and competition was not as high as today’s, making a huge difference regarding the launch days of such apps or platforms.

Users are now more ready than ever to adapt to different social media platforms. We witnessed that with BeReal, and even though Threads is not an entirely new concept, users are still curious about the atmosphere. There are also other factors that we believe to have popularized Threads:

Elon Musk’s recent updates on Twitter

Twitter is going through a lot since Musk took over. Users feel like it’s a new adventure every day regarding Twitter updates. The confusion around verified accounts and the recent tweet-limiting issues might impact users looking for or wanting to adapt to another platform.

The ongoing rivalry between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk

The rivalry between Threads and Twitter extends beyond the platforms themselves, encompassing the high-profile feud between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Both tech moguls have publicly clashed over their visions for the future of social media, with Zuckerberg aiming to connect people in more meaningful ways and Musk advocating for decentralization and free expression. Their differing philosophies have added an intriguing layer to the rivalry between Threads and Twitter. 

The talk around Zuckerberg and Musk fighting it off at the Collesoeum of Rome has raised the rivalry indeed! (The news was denied by Italy later.)

Source: IFLScience

Understanding Threads: Features and Functionality

How does Threads work?

Threads is a social media platform allowing users to create and follow threads, topical discussions centered around specific themes or interests. Threads encourage users to engage in public conversations and foster connections. 

In the app, you have your homepage, search page, activity page, and profile. You can log in with your Instagram account, which caused some discussion we’ll get to in a minute. The posts can be up to 500 characters, and you can add links, photos and videos up to 5 minutes. 

Meta also said: ‘’We’re working to soon make Threads compatible with the open, interoperable social networks that we believe can shape the future of the internet.’’

Comparison of Threads’ features to Twitter’s

Threads shares many similarities with Twitter, which is quite usual for a text-based platform.  One of the differences is that there are no separate pages for an explore page and the following page- they are combined. 

Another one is Threads allowing users to follow specific threads to ensure they never miss out on engaging discussions. You can add blocked words, unfollow, block, restrict, or report others.

Furthermore, Threads implements sophisticated algorithms to curate personalized content, tailoring the user experience to individual preferences. Instagram’s community guidelines are enforced on Threads. 

Does Threads pose a threat to Twitter?

We can’t simply ignore the fact that Threads’ launch was highly successful. Nearly 100 million users are estimated to have signed up for Threads in the first few days. Even Zuckerberg was surprised by the high engagement rates, and emphasized that it was mostly organic. 

On the other hand, Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino tweeted on July 10th saying that Twitter had its largest usage day since February, and added ‘’There’s only ONE Twitter. You know it. I know it.’’. Musk replied to the tweet saying that regarding the cumulative user-second per day of phone screen time on iOS & Android, they may have hit an all-time record. 

As you can see, both platforms have their ups, and it’s not entirely logical to come to a conclusion on which one is better, or which one will raise with triumph from the competition. Maybe, a better question would be ‘’Is Threads better/more liked than Twitter?’’ To this, we can say that Twitter has strong foundations that are not likely to be shaken in the near future. Even though Threads rose to the top rapidly, most users still view it as a ‘’copycat’’ of Twitter, which is not good for the app’s reputation.

‘’Am I stuck in the app?’’ Discussions around Instagram integration

One of the most intriguing aspects of Threads is its integration with Instagram, which is also owned by Meta. This integration allows users to seamlessly share content between the two platforms, providing a unified experience for those who enjoy both visual and text-based social media interactions. Threads’ compatibility with Instagram has further fueled its popularity, attracting users from both sides. 

While this made things a lot easier for users to sign up and elevated the user experience since it’s the same account for two platforms, users were faced with this message when they tried to delete their Threads accounts: “You may deactivate your Threads profile at any time, but your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account.”

This caused users to feel ‘’online entrapment’’, and they simply didn’t like it. Here’s what the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, said: ‘’I’ve been getting some questions about deleting your account. To clarify, you can deactivate your Threads account, which hides your Threads profile and content, you can set your profile to private, and you can delete individual Threads posts – all without deleting your Instagram account. Threads is powered by Instagram, so right now it’s just one account, but we’re looking into a way to delete your Threads account separately.’’

So, yes. There’s a way out!

Looking Ahead: The Future of Threads

Mark Zuckerberg’s vision and plans for Threads

Zuckerberg envisions Threads as a pivotal component of Meta’s overarching goal to create a metaverse, a shared virtual space that transcends individual platforms. Zuckerberg aims to leverage Threads’ capabilities to foster deep connections and build communities within this metaverse, redefining how people interact and collaborate online. So, this is not merely about bringing Twitter down but building a ‘’Meta Universe’’ where we can quickly connect with each other on a web of different platforms.

Potential challenges and opportunities for Threads

While Threads has enjoyed rapid growth and acclaim, it is not without its challenges. As with any social media platform, it must navigate issues such as privacy concerns, moderation of content, and maintaining user trust. Additionally, Threads must continuously innovate and adapt to evolving user preferences to stay ahead in a competitive landscape. However, the potential opportunities for Threads are vast, given Meta’s resources and commitment to pushing the boundaries of social media.

Final Thoughts

Threads has made a remarkable impact on the social media landscape. Its rapid growth, coupled with the ongoing rivalry with Twitter, highlights the evolving demands of social media users. As Threads continues to innovate and Meta expands its vision, it will be fascinating to witness the future trajectory of these platforms and how they shape how we connect and engage online.

Well, how do you like Threads? Share this blog post with your circle, and learn what they think!

The post Threads vs. Twitter: Exploring the Rise of Meta’s New Social Media Platform first appeared on AppSamurai.

Measuring App Engagement is Everything

Before diving into the metrics and all that mathematical stuff, let’s understand why measuring app engagement is vital. App engagement refers to the interaction and interest users have in an application. It directly impacts the success of a mobile app, influencing user retention, monetization potential, and overall app performance. By measuring app engagement, developers can gain valuable insights and take proactive steps to enhance their app’s success.

1. Understanding User Behavior: App engagement metrics provide valuable insights into how users interact with an application. It reveals user preferences, usage patterns, and areas that require improvement. By analyzing user behavior, developers can identify popular features, content, or functionalities that resonate with users. This understanding allows them to tailor their app to meet user expectations and provide a seamless experience. Let’s say you are a mobile game owner, and players’ engagement with rewarded videos decreases at a certain level. This might mean that players don’t need rewarded videos at that level, and you might want to make adjustments to see if the level is too easy or uninteresting.
2. Optimizing Monetization Strategies: Engaged users are likelier to make in-app purchases, subscribe to premium services, or generate ad revenue. Measuring app engagement helps optimize monetization strategies to maximize revenue per user. For example, by analyzing user engagement patterns, developers can identify the most effective placements for in-app advertisements or determine the optimal pricing for in-app purchases. This data-driven approach enables them to create targeted monetization strategies that resonate with their user base.
3. Improving User Acquisition: User acquisition is critical to app success. Understanding app engagement is vital to refining user acquisition campaigns, targeting the right audience, and reducing acquisition costs. Developers can identify the channels, marketing messages, or demographics that attract highly engaged users by analyzing engagement metrics. This knowledge allows them to optimize their user acquisition efforts, allocate resources effectively, and attract users more likely to engage with the app over the long term.
4. Enhancing User Experience: Monitoring engagement metrics is crucial for identifying pain points and optimizing the user experience. Tracking metrics such as session length, session frequency, and retention rates enables developers to identify areas where users might be facing challenges or experiencing drop-offs. This insight allows them to refine the user interface, streamline navigation, and provide personalized experiences.

These metrics are developers’ best friends (hopefully)

To measure app engagement effectively, it’s essential to track specific metrics. Let’s explore the key metrics that shed light on user engagement:

1. Daily Active Users (DAU): DAU represents the number of unique users who engage with an app daily. It measures the app’s popularity and user interest, indicating the strength of the user base.
2. Monthly Active Users (MAU): MAU captures the number of unique users who engage with an app within a month. Comparing DAU and MAU provides insights into user retention and the app’s overall popularity over a longer duration.
3. DAU/MAU Ratio: The DAU/MAU ratio is a vital metric to measure user engagement over time. A higher ratio indicates greater stickiness, suggesting that users consistently engage with the app.
4. Session Length: Session length measures users’ average time in a single app session. Longer session lengths indicate deeper engagement and imply that users find value and enjoyment in the app’s content or functionality.
5. Session Frequency: Session frequency refers to the average number of sessions per user within a specific timeframe. Higher session frequencies indicate regular usage and strong app engagement.
6. Retention Rate: The retention rate measures the percentage of users who continue to engage with an app over time. A high retention rate indicates app stickiness and a loyal user base.
7. Churn Rate: The churn rate calculates the percentage of users who stop using an app within a given period. A low churn rate signifies effective user retention strategies and sustained engagement.

Monetization Metrics

Beyond user engagement, successful app monetization is crucial for long-term profitability. Here are key benchmarks related to monetization:

1. Average Revenue per User (ARPU): ARPU represents the average revenue generated per user. It is calculated by dividing total revenue by the number of active users. A higher ARPU indicates more robust monetization strategies and a higher user value proposition.
2. Lifetime Value (LTV): LTV estimates the total revenue generated from a user throughout their entire lifecycle. Maximizing LTV is essential for profitability and justifies investment in user acquisition.
3. Conversion Rate (CR): CR measures the percentage of users who complete a desired action, such as purchasing or subscribing to a premium service. Increasing the conversion rate enhances monetization potential and encourages user engagement.
4. In-app Purchase (IAP) Conversion Rate: The IAP conversion rate measures the percentage of users who make purchases within the app. A higher conversion rate signifies effective monetization through in-app purchases, indicating that users find value in the app’s offerings.
5. Ad Revenue per User: This metric quantifies the average revenue generated from ads displayed to users. Optimizing ad revenue per user is crucial for apps relying on advertising as a monetization strategy.

Acquisition Metrics

App acquisition benchmarks help assess the efficiency and effectiveness of user acquisition campaigns. Here are some vital metrics to consider:

1. Cost per Install (CPI): CPI determines the average cost of acquiring a new user. Tracking CPI helps optimize user acquisition budgets, ensuring efficient user acquisition and maximizing returns on marketing investments.
2. Cost per Acquisition (CPA): CPA represents the average cost of acquiring a user who completes a specific action, such as purchasing or subscribing to a service. Monitoring CPA helps optimize marketing strategies for desired outcomes and efficient resource allocation.
3. Organic vs. Paid Installs: Differentiating between organic and paid installs provides insights into the effectiveness of user acquisition campaigns and the potential for organic growth. A healthy balance between organic and paid installs indicates the app’s attractiveness to users.
4. Install-to-Action Rate: This benchmark measures the percentage of users who install an app and subsequently perform a desired action, such as signing up or purchasing. A higher install-to-action rate indicates strong user engagement and effective user onboarding.

Let’s bring app categories into this

App engagement benchmarks can vary across different app categories due to the unique nature of each category and the expectations of its target audience. Let’s explore some examples of how app engagement benchmarks differ across various app categories:

Gaming Apps: Gaming apps often focus on metrics like LTV, session frequency, and retention rates (D1, D7, D30). These metrics reflect the addictive and competitive nature of gaming apps, highlighting the need for regular user engagement. In the gaming industry, success is often measured by the number of active players, how much revenue the players are generating (LTV), the frequency and duration of gaming sessions, and the ability to retain players over time. High LTV, frequent sessions, and strong retention rates indicate that the game is engaging, enjoyable, and can hold players’ interest. Click here to visit Unico Case Study!

Social Media Apps: Metrics such as DAU, Monthly Active Users (MAU), and session length are crucial for social media apps. The success of these apps relies on keeping users engaged, fostering connections, and facilitating content consumption. Social media apps aim to create a vibrant community where users spend significant time interacting with others and consuming content. High DAU and MAU numbers indicate a large and active user base, while longer session lengths suggest that users spend considerable time engaging with the app’s content and features.

E-commerce Apps: For e-commerce apps, metrics like conversion rate, Average Revenue per User (ARPU), and Lifetime Value (LTV) are critical. These apps aim to convert users into customers and maximize revenue per user through transactions and repeat purchases. The success of an e-commerce app is often measured by its ability to drive conversions, increase the average revenue generated from each user, and extend the customer’s lifetime value. Higher conversion rates, ARPU, and LTV indicate that users find deals in the app’s offerings and are more likely to purchase and become loyal customers. 

Productivity Apps: Productivity apps may prioritize metrics such as session length, frequency, and retention rates. The value of productivity apps lies in users integrating them into their daily routines, relying on them for improved productivity and organization. These apps help users accomplish tasks, manage their time, and stay organized. Longer session lengths and higher session frequency indicate that users actively utilize the app’s features to enhance productivity. Additionally, strong retention rates demonstrate that users continue to rely on the app over an extended period.

Other Categories: Each app category has unique engagement benchmarks, depending on the nature of the app and its target audience. Health and fitness apps may focus on metrics like workout frequency, goal completion rates, and user progress tracking. Education apps may prioritize metrics like time spent learning, course completion rates, and user engagement with educational content. Entertainment apps may emphasize metrics like content consumption, meeting with media, and user ratings and reviews. Analyzing benchmarks specific to a particular category helps set realistic goals and expectations based on industry standards and user preferences.

Developers can set meaningful goals, track progress, and make informed decisions to improve app engagement by understanding the specific benchmarks relevant to their app category. Tailoring strategies and features to meet the expectations and preferences of the target audience within a particular app category can significantly contribute to the success and growth of the app.

Analyzing Benchmarks and Identifying Areas for Improvement (always helpful!)

Benchmarking app engagement against industry standards and competition are essential for identifying areas for improvement. Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Comparative Analysis: Compare your app’s engagement metrics with industry averages or leading competitors. Identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
2. Seasonality and User Behavior: Understand fluctuations in engagement benchmarks. Identify patterns and adjust strategies accordingly. Seasonality, app updates, or user behavior patterns can influence metrics.
3. User Feedback and Surveys: Leverage user feedback and surveys to gain qualitative insights into the app’s strengths and weaknesses. This information helps prioritize improvements and tailor the user experience to meet user expectations.

Strategies for Improving Engagement and Monetization

Now that we have discussed the importance of benchmark analysis,  let’s explore strategies to improve app engagement and monetization:

1. Personalization and User Segmentation: Implement personalized experiences based on user preferences, behavior, and demographics. Tailor content, recommendations, and offers to enhance engagement and increase conversion rates.
2. Push Notifications and In-App Messaging: Use push notifications and in-app messaging strategically to re-engage users, deliver relevant updates, and encourage app interactions. Strike a balance to avoid user fatigue and opt-outs.
3. Gamification and Reward Systems: Incorporate gamification elements, such as challenges, achievements, and rewards, to incentivize user engagement. Encourage users to explore different features, complete tasks, and unlock exclusive benefits.
4. Optimizing User Acquisition Campaigns: Continuously analyze and optimize user acquisition campaigns based on performance data—experiment with different channels, targeting options, and creative assets to improve acquisition efficiency.
5. A/B Testing and Continuous Optimization: Conduct A/B tests to compare app variations, features, or monetization strategies. Iterate and optimize based on user behavior, preferences, and performance metrics.

Let’s look at some examples

Successful app engagement improvements

When it comes to improving app engagement and monetization metrics, there are a plethora of ways to go about it. One such method is through gamification and reward systems, as demonstrated by Snapchat. Snapchat significantly increased user engagement by introducing game-like elements and incentivizing user participation.

Lessons learned from unsuccessful attempts

On the other hand, there are also examples of apps that have tried and failed to improve their engagement and monetization metrics. One such app is Peach, a social media platform that failed to retain users due to a lack of compelling features. This highlights the importance of having a clear strategy and well-defined features to keep users.

Innovations in-app engagement strategies

As technology continues to evolve, so do the strategies for app engagement. One of the most exciting developments is using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to create immersive user experiences. By offering users a new level of interactivity and engagement, AR and VR have the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with apps.

Final Thoughts 

Measuring app engagement and understanding key benchmarks is vital for success in the rapidly evolving landscape of mobile apps. By tracking metrics related to user engagement, monetization, and user acquisition, developers can gain valuable insights, make data-driven decisions, and continuously optimize their strategies.

App engagement is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process of monitoring, analyzing, and adapting to user needs and industry trends. Developers can create compelling experiences that drive user acquisition, retention, and revenue by improving app engagement and aligning monetization strategies. Embrace the power of app engagement benchmarks to unlock the full potential of your mobile application.

The post App Engagement Benchmarks: Measuring Success in Mobile User Acquisition first appeared on AppSamurai.

What’s SKAN (SKAdnetwork)?

SKAdNetwork (SKAN) is a privacy-preserving framework for mobile app install attribution that Apple introduced in 2018. SKAdNetwork is designed to protect user privacy by providing aggregated data to advertisers and publishers while preventing the sharing of individual user data.

SKAdNetwork uses an API to allow ad networks and publishers to register with the SKAdNetwork and generate unique identifiers to track app installs. When a user clicks on an ad and installs the app, the SKAdNetwork sends a postback to the ad network or publisher with the attribution data.

This attribution data includes the campaign ID, the creative ID, the app ID, and the conversion value, which can be used to measure the ad campaign’s success.

The SKAdNetwork framework was introduced in response to growing concerns about user privacy and data collection. It provides a more secure and privacy-friendly alternative to traditional mobile app install attribution methods, such as device IDs or cookies, which can potentially be used to track individual users across multiple apps and services.

SKAdNetwork has become increasingly important for mobile app advertisers and publishers, as Apple’s iOS 14 update requires apps to use the SKAdNetwork for attribution and limits other tracking methods. This means advertisers and publishers must use SKAdNetwork to accurately track their campaigns and measure their performance on iOS devices.

Image Credit: https://www.bandt.com.au/skan-4-0-is-set-to-impact-your-mobile-marketing-heres-how-inmobi-plans-to-help/

The 4 Key Updates in SKAN 4.0 & Their Benefits

SKAN 4.0, an update to the network, was released on October 24th, 2022, and has brought many vital updates that present new options for ad networks and app developers. It’s true that with the updates came to some confusion around how to use them effectively, but ad networks and advertisers are working on creating a plan to utilize the new features. 

→Multiple postbacks: Unlike SKAN 3, which only had one postback, SKAN 4.0 offers three postbacks spread over time (up to 35 days). This structure provides more extensive insights to app developers about user activity and drops null rates.

Postback 1: 0-2 days

Postback 2: 3-7 days

Postback 3: 8-35 days

Overall, the multiple postback system gives advertisers a broader perspective on their users’ engagement, enabling them to craft better optimization and reporting plans. 

→Locking conversion values: With SKAN 4.0 comes a new concept called ‘lockWindow.’ This allows app developers to lock conversion values (stopping the measurement of user activity) and receive the postback as soon as possible. With this, you can:

• Adjust the postback windows mentioned above
• Receive postbacks sooner
• Optimize your campaigns accordingly.

→Privacy thresholds out, crowd anonymity and source identifier are in: SKAN 4.0 removes the privacy thresholds of SKAN 3, giving marketers more data in their postbacks. Before SKAN 4.0, you would receive a null postback from users who didn’t meet the privacy threshold. With SKAN 4.0, the privacy threshold is now divided into four tiers of crowd anonymity (0, 1, 2, and 3), which Apple assigns to each install. Crowd anonymity helps determine how much data is returned from SKAdNetwork. It replaces the campaign ID with a source identifier, and a full postback may drop one or more of the following fields based on the tier the install is assigned: Fine-grain conversion value, source ID, and source app ID.

In SKAN 3, campaign IDs were limited to 2 digits; now, source identifiers can contain up to four digits. According to insights from AppsFlyer, this update can be used for internal optimization and other reporting breakdown based on what the advertiser needs. 

→Support for Web Conversion Value: With SKAdNetwork 4.0, web-to-app measurement is now enabled for advertisers. Though only available for Safari, it’s known that almost 90% of iPhone users choose Safari as their default web browser, so the coverage is essential. With the update, it’s now possible to attribute web advertising that directs users to the product’s App Store page, allowing advertisers to practice cross-channel attribution. 

How to adjust to the transition?

For app owners, it’s crucial to understand what SKAN 4.0 means for your product’s growth. Knowing what factors are vital for you and when to measure them is also significant. Though it may take a while to align with the new updates fully and craft a mobile marketing strategy accordingly,, you can start planning how to make the most out of SKAN 4.0 in terms of measuring performance.  So, ask yourself these questions:

• What data do I need from the three postbacks?
• How fresh do I want my data to be for optimization purposes? (using lockWindow)
• How can I optimize the measurement for each postback?

As for now, ad networks and publishers are the ones who need to make the change to allow you to leverage the SKAN 4.0 updates. Another point is that more users need to update their mobile devices to iOS 16.1 and above so that ad networks can feel comfortable moving their traffic to SKAN 4.0. This will be a gradual process in which you must stay updated with the latest developments. 

Adjusting iOS strategies based on SKAN updates can be challenging occasionally, but it’s important to note that the mobile industry is dynamic. Challenges bear new opportunities too! 

The post SKAN 4.0: What You Need to Know first appeared on AppSamurai.