If you use Google Ads to promote Android or iOS mobile apps, you can use conversion tracking to help you learn how effectively your ads lead to app installs and in-app activity. This article explains the different types of mobile conversions and how to track them.
Types of mobile app conversions you can track
You can track a variety of conversions for both Android and iOS apps:
- App installs: Conversion tracking can measure how effectively your ads are leading people to install your mobile apps. There are a couple of different ways to track this:
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Downloads from Google Play: For Android apps, you can track when someone who clicked your ad downloads your app from the Google Play store. Conversions are tracked automatically from Google Play, and you don't need to add tracking code to your app.
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First opens: For both Android and iOS apps, you can track the first time someone who clicked your ad opens your app after installing it. You can use this option if you use Firebase, or if you use a third-party app analytics provider.
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In-app actions, such as purchases: If you're using Google Ads to drive purchases or other actions within your app, use conversion tracking to measure your campaigns' effectiveness. You can automatically track in-app purchases for Android apps that use in-app billing, or you can track custom in-app actions through Firebase, by adding code to your app, or by using a third-party app analytics provider.
Reporting for App campaigns on iOS and Android
To offer a more complete report of iOS and Android app campaign conversions, we may use privacy-safe data from models based on users who have previously signed into Google services. These models predict iOS and Android app conversions that we're unable to observe directly. This allows us to provide complete reporting on iOS and Android app campaign behavior that combines observed and modeled conversions.
Instructions
How to set up mobile app conversion tracking
Here are a few different ways you can track mobile app conversions:
- Track mobile app conversions with Firebase: Track first opens, in-app purchases, or custom events by importing events from Firebase.
- Import mobile app conversions from a third-party app analytics provider: Track first opens and in-app actions by linking your Google Ads account with a third-party analytics tool.
How to view conversions
"All conversions" and "view-through conversions"
- In your Google Ads account, click the Campaigns icon
.
- Click the Campaigns drop down in the section menu.
- Click Campaigns or Ad groups.
- Click the “Columns” icon
at the top right of the campaigns list.
- Click Modify columns.
- Click the down arrow for “Conversions” to find all metric options from conversions.
- Check the boxes beside “View-through conv.” and “All conv. (by conv. time)”
- Click Apply.
- Now when you view campaigns or ad groups, you'll find all conversions and view-through conversions as metrics columns.
at the top right of the campaigns list.For select accounts: "Engaged-view conversions", "clicks", and "engagements" (use these to measure conversions for video ads in your app campaigns)
- In your Google Ads account, click the Campaigns icon
- Click the Campaigns drop down in the section menu.
- Click Campaigns or Ad groups.
- Click the “Segments” icon
at the top right of the campaigns list.
- Select “Conversions”
- From the “Conversions” menu, select “Ad interaction type”
- You’ll be able to view the number of conversions that resulted from “Clicks”, “Engaged views”, and “Engagements”.
at the top right of the campaigns list.Target CPA bidding for apps
Because these campaigns are optimized to count app downloads, there isn’t a waiting period for Target CPA. As soon as you've set up conversion tracking, you can use Target CPA bidding to help get more installs at your cost-per-install goal.
Video ad conversion tracking for apps
Conversion tracking is unique for video ads. An Engaged-view conversion is counted when someone watches at least 10 seconds of your video ad on YouTube or the Display Network. Conversion reporting for videos includes click-through conversions and Engaged-view conversion windows. App download conversions are counted only if the install happens within 2 days of the engagement. For people who click on your ad, conversions are counted if they install your app within 30 days.
Billing for your video ad will vary depending on where it’s shown. If it’s on YouTube, you’ll be billed for each impression. If it’s on the Display Network, you’ll be billed for each engagement.
Security and privacy for website tracking
Google's security standards are strict. Google Ads only collects data on pages where you have deployed the associated tags.
Ensure you're providing users with clear and comprehensive information about the data you collect on your websites, and getting consent for that collection where legally required.