Campaign Measurement - Google Analytics iOS SDK

Question

I want to track my app may be launched by referrals from ad campaigns, websites, or other apps. Therefore, I'm using Google Analytics iOS SDK. Here's guiding document https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/ios/v3/campaigns. According to this document, I'll write my own implementation code in application:handleOpenURL: method.

With Android SDK, Google Play app broadcasts an INTENT_REFERRER to our app during installation. This intent contains the value of the referrer parameter of the link used to reach your app's Google Play Store page, if one was present. So, my question is that "Are there any similar things in iOS? How to test it?".

Thanks and best regard,

Answer 1

iTunes doesn't broadcast anything similar to intent_referrer at present. If you use Google Analytics for iOS installs, GA uses Identifier for Advertiser (IDFA) for tracking. When a user taps on an advertisement from a supported network on an app, the IDFA is sent to Google. Then, when your app launches, the IDFA is sent again and compared to list of IDFAs that Google stored from previous taps. That way they can give attribution.

It's obviously not as clean as intent_referrer, but it's the best one can do at present. You can also try fingerprinting etc with Appsflyer, MobileAppTracking etc, but I don't know how accurate those are. I've heard they're not very accurate, but they're better than nothing.

Apple announced adding support for campaign tracking in iTunes Connect. But, we haven't heard about it for a very long time now. So, I won't hold my breath. Hope this helps!