What you should know about SKAN 4.0

As understanding complex systems can sometimes feel like untangling a sailing rope knot; navigating through Apple's SKAdNetwork 4.0 might seem daunting.?

Today, we're going to simplify it.

Apple’s SKAdNetwork 4.0: What's the Big Deal?

Introduced on October 24th, 2022, the SKAdNetwork 4.0 update by Apple offers enhanced flexibility for advertisers. The addition of hierarchical source identifiers in SKAdNetwork 4.0 ensures each type of ad gets its tailored tracking for more efficiency.

Understanding SKAN 4.0 is akin to "getting an upgraded toolbox." It's not just about adding tools but refining them.

SKAdNetwork 4.0 allows for custom campaign structures. This customization ensures campaigns not only run effectively but also reach their optimal potential. Plus, variable testing capabilities mean you can fine-tune your strategies by examining specific components.

Balancing Ad Insights with User Privacy through Source Identifiers?

SKAdNetwork 4.0 brings in a system where source identifiers have a specific number of digits attached that links to the number of app installations. It's not just for show – it's about user privacy. But if a campaign doesn't hit a certain threshold of downloads, some data remains hidden to uphold user privacy. It's Apple's way of ensuring a balance between advertiser insight and user confidentiality.

Conversion Values in SKAN 4.0: Getting More Specific

Conversion values essentially help us advertisers gauge the actions users take after being exposed to an ad. Whether it's downloading an app, making an in-app purchase – these values provide a quantitative measure of campaign success.

With the rollout of SKAdNetwork 4.0, Apple introduced a nuanced perspective on conversion values. There are now two distinct types:

• Coarse-Grained Conversion: Representing a newer form of conversion values, coarse-grained conversions result in three specific outcomes: "low," "medium," or "high." These categories stem from the type of action a user completes and how we, the advertisers, have mapped these actions.

• Fine-Grained Conversion: This is the traditional understanding of conversion values. Fine-grained values are a 6-bit structure that allows up to 64 unique combinations, ranging from 0 to 63. These values are typically set up to capture specific user behaviors, giving advertisers granular data to refine and optimize their campaigns

Another highlight of SKAdNetwork 4.0 is the capacity to send multiple postbacks based on specific conversion windows. Imagine making an online purchase. Your first email confirms the order (initial engagement), the second confirms shipment (transactional activity), and maybe a third one asks for a review after you've received the product (long-term engagement). Similarly, these postbacks provide a layered understanding of user interaction, guiding us, the marketers, to optimize our strategies.

Traditionally, postbacks were singular notifications sent from one server to another, indicating a completed transaction or action. They served as a confirmation mechanism. But with the increasing complexity of user interactions and the need for more granular data, a single postback soon became limiting.

How you can leverage Multiple Postbacks

Multiple postbacks allow for the transmission of several data points or events back to the advertiser or server, not just one. This means that instead of getting a single piece of feedback about a user's action, we now receive further data about various interactions.

For instance, after a user clicks on an ad, they might download an app, make an in-app purchase, and then complete a game level. Each of these actions can trigger its postback, providing a holistic view of the user's journey

What are the advantages of Multiple Postbacks?

• Granularity of Data: With multiple postbacks, we can dive deeper into user behaviors, understanding the sequential steps users take after interacting with an ad.
• Improved ROI Measurement: By capturing multiple interactions, it becomes easier to measure the return on investment for specific campaigns, as we can attribute value to multiple stages of the user's journey.
• Optimization Opportunities: With a clearer picture of the user journey, we can partially pinpoint where drop-offs occur or where engagement peaks, providing valuable insights for campaign optimization.

Long story short

We've demystified SKAdNetwork 4.0. This exploration highlighted how we can ensure user privacy, and understand conversions better. The multiple postbacks feature of SKAdNetwork 4.0 presents an opportunity to deepen our understanding of user engagement.

Ready to ride this new wave of mobile advertising? If you are not ready, my team at Admiral Media is ready to guide you through ??