Industry – Kochava https://s34035.pcdn.co Kochava Thu, 19 Dec 2024 01:18:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://s34035.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/favicon-icon.png Industry – Kochava https://s34035.pcdn.co 32 32 Level Up ROAS: Get Your Gaming Growth Guide for 2025 and Beyond https://s34035.pcdn.co/blog/level-up-roas-get-your-gaming-growth-guide-for-2025-and-beyond/ Tue, 17 Dec 2024 19:33:54 +0000 https://www.kochava.com/?p=55435 The post Level Up ROAS: Get Your Gaming Growth Guide for 2025 and Beyond appeared first on Kochava.

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Mobile gaming attribution insights from Kochava + TikTok for Business

You’re at the command center of a vast digital battlefield, where next-gen tech coordinates targeting algorithms with unprecedented precision, and privacy shields transform how victories are measured. This isn’t a scene from your favorite strategy game—but the reality facing gaming marketers as 2025 approaches. With billions of players preparing to enter the arena, the quest for measurable return on ad spend (ROAS) has never been more complex—or more critical.

Enter Maximize Your ROAS: Cutting-Edge Attribution Strategies in Mobile Gaming, the new guide from industry pioneers Kochava and TikTok for Business. This strategic playbook arrives at a pivotal moment, as traditional measurement approaches face disruption from privacy initiatives and evolving user behavior. Like a masterfully crafted power-up, the guide equips gaming marketers with the tools needed to thrive in an era when cutting-edge technologies revolutionize ad targeting while increasingly complex player actions and evolving privacy initiatives transform measurement paradigms.

Level Up ROAS: Get Your Gaming Growth Guide for 2025 and Beyond

POWER STATS: Next-Level Gaming

Global Gaming Audience
3B+ projected players by 2029

Gaming Marketing Investment
$130.8B projected spend by 2025

Privacy Evolution
Nearly half of iOS users opt out of tracking

Market Context: Current Meta

As the gaming industry scales, marketers face three intensifying boss battles: explosive audience growth, mounting marketing spend, and privacy-first measurement imperatives.

Global Gaming Growth Trajectory

The gaming industry stands at a fascinating inflection point, with a projected global gaming audience surpassing 3 billion players by 2029—representing an unprecedented opportunity for innovative user acquisition strategies.

Resource Battle Headwinds

Mobile game marketing spend is projected to exceed $130.8 billion by 2025. Rising user acquisition costs combined with evolving privacy regulations and identifier deprecation have created a perfect storm for gaming marketers. The traditional attribution playbook needs a game patch.

Privacy-First Measurement

Within this realm, gaming marketers need to level up their measurement strategy to unlock comprehensive performance insights across their full stack while respecting user privacy. It is finding this mobile gaming attribution sweet spot that will define success in 2025 and beyond.

Guide Overview: Strategic Walkthrough

The Kochava + TikTok guide serves as your tactical manual for conquering the evolving world of mobile gaming attribution. Like a well-designed strategy blueprint, it emphasizes mastery of next-generation marketing mix modeling (MMM) as a complement to last-touch attribution (LTA), an advanced dual-wielding move enabling you to balance user acquisition measurement with privacy compliance. The guide demonstrates how to harness comprehensive data through state-of-the-art platforms such as AIM by Kochava, which offers privacy-durable, actionable insights, ensuring that your gaming app can survive—even achieve legendary status—amid transformative industry changes.

Key Strategy Unlocks

Gaming marketers can power up their campaigns with these strategic buffs:

The Ultimate Power-Up: Next-Gen MMM

Move beyond traditional attribution limitations into next-generation MMM that provides privacy-compliant, real-time insights into marketing effectiveness. This high-octane methodology delivers immediate actionable intelligence without relying on user-level data.

Master Your Loadout: Strategic Media Mix

Understand the true incremental value of each marketing channel, from TikTok’s powerful video engagement to the direct response capabilities of search ads. Make informed decisions about budget allocation based on comprehensive performance data—across your entire media mix.

Build Your Defense: Privacy-First Measurement

Future-proof your measurement strategy with privacy-compliant approaches that needn’t rely on individual user tracking. Stay ahead of regulatory changes while maintaining deep insight into marketing effectiveness.

Complete the Quest: Comprehensive ROAS Understanding

Gain visibility into the full customer journey, including the impact of upper-funnel activities that traditional last-touch attribution cannot capture alone. This enables more accurate assessment of channel value and optimization opportunities. Then, level up your mobile gaming attribution by combining insights from both MMM and LTA for full-funnel activation.

Strategic Channel Optimization in 2025 and Beyond

The proliferation of marketing channels demands sophisticated allocation strategies. Gaming marketers must optimize spend across an expanding universe of options:

  • Immersive video experiences: Connected TV (CTV) and digital video platforms enabling premium audience engagement
  • Social-first strategy: Social media and influencer partnerships driving authentic user acquisition
  • Renaissance of the traditional: Strategic revival of legacy media channels resonating with Gen Z audiences
  • Future-forward formats: Emerging AR/VR advertising opportunities creating new engagement paradigms

By mastering these advanced level-ups, gaming marketers can orchestrate their expanding channel mix with precision, maintaining granular visibility into incremental performance gains. This AoE (area of effect) approach naturally flows into our next critical consideration: the comprehensive measurement toolkit now required.

Measurement Strategy: Your High-Score Toolkit

In the mobile gaming attribution landscape of 2025 and beyond, comprehensive, adaptable measurement across channels is essential for survival. The guide outlines how Kochava’s next-generation MMM solution AIM (Always-On Incremental Measurement) provides a formidable unlock for assessing marketing effectiveness across all channels. Next-generation MMM is a potent weapon for understanding incrementality—revealing how much additional value each marketing channel truly delivers. The dual wield here is privacy-compliant aggregate data analysis and sophisticated modeling that illuminates the full impact of your marketing mix. This becomes crucial as gaming marketers navigate an increasingly complex landscape of channels and formats.

Download Your Strategy Guide

Ready to pierce through the fog of war in your gaming marketing measurement? Download the guide now to command a clear view of your true marketing effectiveness—and elevate your gaming campaigns to new heights!

The post Level Up ROAS: Get Your Gaming Growth Guide for 2025 and Beyond appeared first on Kochava.

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AdAttributionKit FAQ https://www.kochava.com/blog/adattributionkit-faq/ Mon, 30 Sep 2024 15:59:45 +0000 https://www.kochava.com/?p=54492 The post AdAttributionKit FAQ appeared first on Kochava.

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Getting to know Apple’s new PET (privacy-enhancing technology)

Eager to learn more about AdAttributionKit? This post covers many frequently asked questions to help you get “aakquainted” with AAK.

First, let’s kick off with a little AAK TL;DR in case you don’t have time to read every question.

AdAttributionKit

The Marketers TL;DR on AdAttributionKit

Here’s the too long; didn’t read rundown for AdAttributionKit.

AdAttributionKit…

  • Was released with iOS 17.4 on March 5, 2024, ahead of the EU Digital Markets Act
  • Received a more formal introduction during a session at Apple’s WWDC24
  • Is built on SKAN fundamentals
  • Replaces SKAN 5
  • Is backward compatible with SKAN 4
  • Has two versions:
    • App AdAttributionKit (AAAK) for app-to-app campaigns
    • Web AdAttributionKit (WAAK) for web-to-app campaigns
  • Introduces two key new capabilities:
    • Support for alternative app stores (as required by DMA)
    • Reengagement support (with iOS 18+)
  • Will be supported by Kochava iOS SDK v9

AdAttributionKit (AAK) Frequently Asked Questions

What is AdAttributionKit?

AdAttributionKit, or AAK, is Apple’s new privacy-enhancing technology (PET) that provides a campaign attribution framework for advertisers while protecting the privacy of individual iOS users. It was introduced with iOS and iPadOS 17.4 and is built upon the fundamentals of SKAdNetwork (SKAN).

How does AdAttributionKit work?

AdAttributionKit leverages the same components as SKAN 4, including:

  • On-device attribution
  • Crowd anonymity
  • Hierarchical identifiers (coarse- and fine-grained)
  • Anonymous data postbacks with randomized delay timers

Unlike SKAN, which worked only with Apple’s native App Store, AdAttributionKit is compatible with alternative app marketplaces/third-party app stores.

AdAttributionKit also adds support for reengagement conversions starting with iOS 18. This feature was originally announced with SKAN 5 but never released. Reengagements happen when an iOS user with an app already installed taps a custom rendered ad or the Open button on a StoreKit rendered ad. AdAttributionKit only processes reengagement conversions as a result of clicks. AdAttributionKit doesn’t create reengagement postbacks from view-through ads. As such, impression-based view-through attribution isn’t supported. To learn more about reengagement conversions under AdAttributionKit, visit Apple’s developer documentation.

The following diagram provides a simple illustration of the AdAttributionKit data flow.

AdAttributionKit

To take a deeper dive into how SKAN works for versions 2 through 4, download our Ultimate Marketer’s Guide to SKAN.

Why did Apple release AdAttributionKit?

Prior to the release of AdAttributionKit, Apple had announced the 5th generation of SKAN at WWDC23. However, SKAN 5 never fully materialized. A key catalyst for the shift to AdAttributionKit was the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). This requires large digital platforms like Apple to allow third-party app stores and marketplaces. The Store Kit Ad Network (SKAdNetwork or SKAN) was built to support only Apple’s App Store. On the other hand, AdAttributionKit is designed to support alternative, third-party app stores.

Will AdAttributionKit replace SKAdNetwork?

Apple has published guidance on the interoperability of AAK and SKAN, and there are currently no announcements about SKAN being deprecated any time soon. That said, it’s clear that the future of Apple’s privacy-durable attribution for advertisers rests with AdAttributionKit. How long SKAN will be around is unknown, but it’s likely to be maintained for some time given that the industry is still running largely on SKAN 3 and just starting to prioritize SKAN 4 adoption.

The following chart shows SKAN version adoption over time. It starts near the rollout of the AppTrackingTransparency (ATT) framework with iOS 14.5 in April 2021, which propelled initial SKAN adoption. V3 dominance is beginning to decline with the adoption of v4.

When will AdAttributionKit be adopted?

While AdAttributionKit became available with iOS 17.4, industry adoption is currently minimal. Per the SKAN version adoption chart in a previous question, the industry is still largely running on SKAN 3, even though SKAN 4 was announced at WWDC22. If prior adoption trends are any indication for the pace we can expect with AAK, it’s likely to be a waiting game.

Mobile measurement partners (MMPs) like Kochava are quickly adding support for AdAttributionKit, which will allow advertisers and their developers to update their apps for support. However, publishers and ad networks must also adopt the new framework for it to properly function end-to-end on an actual campaign. This will be one of the largest dependencies. Ask your growth partners about their plans to support AdAttributionKit.

Click here to see the full list of Kochava integrated partners that support SKAN.

Will I need to update my Kochava iOS SDK to support AdAttributionKit?

Yes. AdAttributionKit relies on newer APIs which necessitate updates to the Kochava software development kit (SDK). The 9th generation of Kochava iOS SDKs, to be released later this fall, will feature full support for AAK. Many server-side controls and dashboard configurations will be backward compatible with what you have already configured in your Kochava account for SKAN, so the transition will be quite seamless.

Do I really need to use SKAN or AdAttributionKit?

If this is a question you’re pondering, we recommend reading To SKAN or Not to SKAN: That Is the Question. Aside from the catchy title, this will help you understand whether SKAN (and eventually AAK) is something you need to adopt in the near term based on your iOS growth strategy and media mix.

Over the long term, SKAN and AAK will become increasingly vital for campaign measurement on iOS, and those who do not embrace and adopt the frameworks are likely to be at a growing disadvantage. The following chart displays the attribution method/source for iOS installs beginning in January 2021. It showcases the rise of SKAN and the correlative decline of IDFA-based and probabilistic attribution (now largely dominated by owned media). As you can see, SKAN is the largest source of iOS install attribution.

Got more questions about AdAttributionKit?

Do you have other questions about AdAttributionKit that we didn’t cover? Please contact us for a deeper SKAN/AAK consultation.

If you’d like to learn more about SKAN and the transition to AAK, we recommend watching this recent webinar where Grant Simmons, VP of Kochava Foundry, joins experts from Dataseat/Verve Group and Wavemaker to unpack what marketers need to know.

To be kept up to date on future developments around SKAN and AdAttributionKit, subscribe to our newsletter.

The post AdAttributionKit FAQ appeared first on Kochava.

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The State of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Advertising https://www.kochava.com/blog/the-state-of-dooh-advertising/ Fri, 27 Sep 2024 15:00:51 +0000 https://www.kochava.com/?p=54473 The post The State of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Advertising appeared first on Kochava.

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Webinar insights from industry experts at DPAA and Advertiser Perceptions

Digital out-of-home (DOOH) has emerged as a potent medium in the fast-moving ecosystem of digital advertising, melding the impact of traditional billboards with the precision of digital targeting and programmatic capabilities. As marketers seek innovative ways to capture audience attention in an increasingly fragmented media environment, DOOH offers a compelling solution that bridges the physical and digital realms.

In a recent webinar hosted by Kochava, key thought leaders in the field convened to explore the evolving landscape of DOOH advertising. Barry Frey, President & CEO of Digital Place-Based Advertising Association (DPAA); Noah Klas, VP of Membership at DPAA; Sarah Bolton, EVP of Business Intelligence at Advertiser Perceptions; and Grant Simmons, VP of Kochava Foundry, shared their insights on the current state of DOOH, its integration with other media channels, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Their collective expertise provided attendees with a comprehensive view of how DOOH is reshaping the advertising landscape—and what marketers need to know.

Setting the Stage: The Evolving DOOH Landscape

Frey kicked off the discussion by highlighting the transformative technologies reshaping DOOH, painting a picture of an industry in the midst of a technological revolution. His opening remarks set the tone for a deep dive into the current state and future potential of DOOH advertising.

  • DOOH is emerging as a powerhouse in the advertising world, offering unique strengths in brand safety, addressability, and sustainability.
  • The global reach and effectiveness of DOOH are surpassing traditional media outlets, marking a significant shift in the advertising landscape.
  • QR codes and cutting-edge technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and 3D displays are reinventing the DOOH experience for consumers.

The session then unfolded to reveal several key insights:

1. DOOH Is Gaining Momentum in Advertising Strategies

Bolton shared compelling findings from the recent DPAA 2024 Omnichannel Decision Makers Study, for which her company, Advertiser Perceptions, led research efforts.

  • A striking 80% of advertisers plan to incorporate DOOH into their campaign recommendations within the next year.
  • 70% now view DOOH as an integral part of a video everywhere strategy, effectively extending TV and video planning into the out-of-home space.
  • Improved advertiser education is driving this surge in DOOH adoption, highlighting the importance of industry knowledge in fostering innovation.

These points underscore the growing recognition of DOOH’s potential to reach audiences in powerful, contextually relevant ways, bridging the gap between traditional out-of-home advertising and digital marketing strategies.

2. The Blurring Lines Between Media Channels

Simmons highlighted crucial trends that he and his Kochava Foundry team are noting in the DOOH advertising landscape:

  • Video content is increasingly permeating all media channels, with DOOH becoming an essential component of this holistic approach.
  • Traditional boundaries between social media, digital advertising, and out-of-home are becoming increasingly indistinct.
  • This convergence necessitates the development of integrated video teams capable of creating cohesive campaigns across multiple platforms and channels.
  • Within this new landscape, programmatic DOOH is emerging as a key advantage, offering flexibility and targeted reach.
  • The medium is measurable from both a brand and performance point of view.

This integrated dance among digital media presents both challenges and opportunities for advertisers, requiring a more cohesive approach to campaign planning and execution across diverse media channels.

Video strategy is extending through all the media channels. And the lines between social and out-of-home are getting blurred.

Grant SimmonsVP, Kochava Foundry

3. Leveraging DOOH for Customer Acquisition

The webinar revealed promising insights into the effectiveness of DOOH for customer and user acquisition:

  • Unlike some digital ad formats, DOOH ads often demonstrate improved conversion rates with higher exposure frequency—and a longer window of customer touchpoint influence.
  • This makes DOOH a potentially powerful tool for customer acquisition when integrated into a comprehensive video strategy.
  • Advertisers can leverage this trend by strategically increasing ad frequency in high-traffic DOOH locations to maximize conversion potential. The propensity to convert increases with DOOH, unlike other mediums where saturation can cause ad fatigue.

These findings suggest that DOOH is positioned to play a crucial role throughout the marketing funnel, both in building brand awareness and driving conversions over time.

Want access to the full webinar presentation? Contact us.

4. Navigating Challenges in the DOOH Landscape

The speakers went on to identify several key challenges facing the DOOH industry:

  • Measurement is perceived as a significant hurdle, with advertisers struggling to accurately track performance and compare results with other media sources. However, DOOH is in fact eminently measurable. (Explore Kochava DOOH measurement capabilities here.)
  • Ad fraud is an ongoing concern. While third-party verification offers some protection, the industry must remain vigilant and develop robust safeguards.
  • Creative development for DOOH requires a unique approach, necessitating close collaboration among brands, agencies, and media owners.

The experts emphasized that these hurdles can be overcome, unlocking significant potential in the DOOH space, particularly as marketers become more savvy at leveraging available measurement technologies and creative strategies.

5. Future Trends Shaping DOOH

Looking ahead, the panel identified several key trends poised to shape the future of DOOH:

  • A growing emphasis on advertiser education to fully unlock the channel’s potential
  • Increased integration of DOOH into cross-channel planning and buying
  • Technological advancements that open new avenues for creative and engaging ad experiences, including interactive displays and AI-driven content adaptation

These all point to a future wherein DOOH becomes an increasingly sophisticated, data-driven, and integral part of the advertising ecosystem, offering unprecedented opportunities for brands to connect with audiences in meaningful ways.

Improved advertiser education is one of the biggest drivers of digital out-of-home becoming more of a go-to media type, because the various capabilities and newer digital enablement and innovations of the channel are all relatively new to market—and that is exactly why we’re here today.

Sarah BoltonEVP of Business Intelligence, Advertiser Perceptions

Catch the Full Webinar on Demand

The complete on-demand webinar, New DOOH Opportunities for Performance Marketers: Results From DPAA Omnichannel Decision Makers Study, is available now! As the lines between digital and physical advertising continue to blur, DOOH is positioned to play an increasingly important role in comprehensive marketing strategies. For marketers looking to stay ahead of the curve, understanding and leveraging DOOH is crucial.

To address the growing need for effective DOOH measurement, Kochava is shaping the future of this dynamic field through innovative solutions including outcomes-based reporting, MediaLift® for calculating incremental lift, and always-on near real-time reporting. These tools enable marketers to measure DOOH campaigns against meaningful outcomes, from app installs to store visitations and more. For a deeper dive into DOOH, readers are encouraged to explore this companion piece about the evolution of DOOH as well as the full DPAA 2024 Omnichannel Decision Makers Study.

As the DOOH landscape keeps evolving, staying informed about the latest trends, measurement methodologies, and industry partnerships is essential for marketers aiming to maximize the impact of their out-of-home advertising efforts. Whether you’re a seasoned DOOH veteran or just beginning to explore this exciting medium, the insights shared in this webinar provide valuable guidance for leveraging DOOH in your marketing mix.

Want more content like this? Subscribe to our newsletter.

The post The State of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Advertising appeared first on Kochava.

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New Streaming Services Choose Kochava for CTV Measurement & Attribution https://www.kochava.com/blog/new-streaming-services-choose-kochava-for-ctv-measurement-attribution/ Fri, 23 Aug 2024 18:15:58 +0000 https://www.kochava.com/?p=54149 The post New Streaming Services Choose Kochava for CTV Measurement & Attribution appeared first on Kochava.

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Kochava serves more top streaming services than all other measurement providers combined

Two major streaming services recently selected Kochava as their connected TV (CTV) measurement and attribution provider. Both services offer unified streaming experiences across free ad-supported streaming (FAST) TV and subscription video on demand (SVOD) content lineups with total combined monthly subscribers of over 60 million.

The addition of these new accounts adds to an already-impressive lineup of major streaming services and over-the-top (OTT) apps that have chosen Kochava to power measurement strategies across CTV and mobile. Of the leading streaming services based on subscribers at EOY 2023, Kochava currently serves 6 of the top 10—a testament to its leadership in advancing measurability for the CTV ecosystem.

Streaming platform users chart

Source: Forbes Home

Six of the top 10 streaming services (by total subscribers) choose Kochava for their connected TV measurement & attribution needs

As presented in 42matters’ State of Connected TV App Stores 2024 Report, Kochava customers can be counted among the 10 highest-rated streaming apps in every CTV platform app store, including:

  • Roku
  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Apple TV
  • Google TV
  • Samsung TV

The world of CTV and streaming will continue its meteoric rise, with more than 88% of US households forecast to own connected TVs by 2027 according to eMarketer.

Streaming services are fighting a tight battle to drive growth and retain their subscribers amid an increasingly competitive field. Accurate measurement and attribution data are paramount for driving an effective and efficient growth strategy. This is why Kochava has witnessed record client growth within the media & entertainment and streaming services verticals.

Connected TV households chart

Key Reasons Streaming Services Choose Kochava

Marketers and developers at major streaming services who have selected Kochava consistently cite three key factors behind their decision:

1. Unified Measurement Support in a Fragmented Ecosystem

Streaming services are expected to provide apps for taking in content across a fragmented ecosystem of smart TVs, OTT set boxes, gaming consoles, and mobile. Capturing the full picture of user engagement across all connected devices is key to formulating a holistic strategy for user acquisition, engagement, and retention.

Streaming services leveraging Kochava have access to a vast library of software development kits (SDKs) that provide turnkey app measurement support across devices and platforms.

Kochava supports measurement across a great many devices, smart TVs, and CTV platforms, including:

  • Apple TV
  • Android TV
  • Fire TV
  • LG
  • Roku
  • Samsung
  • VIZIO
  • Windows Xbox
  • and more…

Do you suffer from a measurement gap on certain platforms where your streaming service is available? Contact us to learn how we can help.

2. Largest Footprint of CTV Growth Partners

Streaming services drive growth across an omnichannel media mix spanning mobile, social, web, and CTV. The ability to activate and measure campaigns with the partners you rely on is essential for optimizing user acquisition and return on ad spend (ROAS).

Kochava hosts the largest partner footprint of CTV & OTT media partners—a go-to source of growth potential for streaming services. Advertisers can tap into certified integrations across platform-direct, publisher-direct, and programmatic CTV partners to drive growth and engagement. These partners include Roku, VIZIO, Fire TV, LG Ads, Samsung Ads, MNTN, SKY, and more.

3. Accurate Same-Screen & Cross-Screen Attribution

Today’s consumer is active across multiple devices. A streaming service running ads on CTV has to consider that a user could convert either on the same screen or a different screen (i.e., mobile or web). Kochava helps streaming services refine their measurement strategy to account for the nuances of same-screen and cross-screen attribution—factoring in all possible user conversion paths.

We strive to help advertisers measure what matters. For streaming services large and small, that’s capturing viewer engagement signals across all connected devices where consumers stream their content. Connecting those touchpoints to marketing initiatives gives advertisers the data-driven insights to succeed.

Jason HicksGM of Kochava for Advertisers

Get in Touch

Are you a streaming service looking to improve your measurement and attribution strategy on connected TV and beyond? Learn more about our CTV solutions here, or request to connect with our experts.

Stay in the loop. Subscribe to our newsletter.

The post New Streaming Services Choose Kochava for CTV Measurement & Attribution appeared first on Kochava.

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Google’s Great Third-Party Cookie ‘Deprecation’ Deprecation https://www.kochava.com/blog/googles-great-third-party-cookie-deprecation-deprecation/ Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:30:04 +0000 https://www.kochava.com/?p=53938 The post Google’s Great Third-Party Cookie ‘Deprecation’ Deprecation appeared first on Kochava.

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Users get to self-regulate their own cookie jar

Have you ever seen one of those baking shows when the contestant mistakes salt for sugar, leaving judges with a bitter taste in their mouths as they toss ornately decorated cookies aside while spitting out crumbs? After all that hard work, the contestant can only blush with embarrassment and shake their head in disappointment. One can’t help but wonder what internal meetings and discussions were like at Google as they arrived at a final decision (announced on July 22) to deprecate their third-party cookie deprecation plan. For the many at Google who have worked on this initiative for years, the decision must’ve left a bitter taste. The same could be said for any organization that invested countless hours and resources integrating and testing Google Privacy Sandbox for web. To be clear, Google Privacy Sandbox isn’t being tossed aside, meaning all of the work to date isn’t in vain. However, Google is charting a new course on the future of third-party cookies.

There’s certainly no shortage of coverage about Google’s new path for Privacy Sandbox on the web. Kochava CEO Charles Manning discussed the shift with Ronan Shields and Seb Joseph at Digiday—his remarks landing as quote of the week in Digiday’s July 30 Marketing Briefing.

DIGIDAY LOGO
Chocolate chip cookies placed on an open laptop

Both companies [Google and Apple] are avoiding direct responsibility for the decision of whether an identifier is present by making ‘consent’ the fulcrum of user choice and availability of the third-party cookie.

Charles Manning, CEO of mobile measurement business Kochava, when asked about Google’s latest cookie shift and how it compares to Apple’s moves

So… what happenedand why now?

Why Deprecate the Deprecation?

It’s clear that pressures were mounting on Google. No one ever said it would be easy to fill the void third-party cookies would leave behind. While third-party cookies have already been deprecated in Safari, Firefox, and other browsers, Chrome holds significant worldwide market share, and the advertising ecosystem that exists in its shadow is immense.

IAB Tech Lab’s fit gap analysis for Privacy Sandbox APIs provided a less-than-positive assessment earlier this year, drawing into serious question whether Sandbox was up to the task. Numerous podcasters have openly discussed the wrecking ball coming for open web publishers that relied on advertising for revenue and the unavoidable market cap wipeout that would ensue. Multiple analyses showed that Chrome users without cookies were monetizing far worse than users with cookies. The future of the open web and advertising was in doubt, with many surmising that premium ad dollars would all shift to the logged-in web, with a much smaller total addressable market (which may still happen at some level regardless).

We recognize this transition requires significant work by many participants and will have an impact on publishers, advertisers, and everyone involved in online advertising.

Anthony Chavez
VP, Privacy Sandbox, Google

Another major catalyst in the decision was almost certainly concerns arising from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), among other regulators and institutions. Further, Google was already embroiled in anticompetitive lawsuits with the US Department of Justice and multiple US states. The landmark decision in that case broke on August 5, with a ruling against Google from US District Judge Amit Mehta. How this ruling and the resulting remedy may impact Google’s next steps remains to be seen.

Bottom line: Google’s willingness to be open and collaborative with developers, publishers, advertisers, and regulators—and to make this shift in light of the momentum already behind deprecation—is something many are grateful for. The industry as a whole has more time and breathing room to find its way forward.

What’s Next for Third-Party Cookies & Google Privacy Sandbox?

Google is taking a partial page out of Apple’s AppTrackingTransparency (ATT) playbook—“elevating user choice.” While details aren’t yet “fully baked” (see what I did there?), Google plans to introduce new options in Chrome that give the consumer a choice as to how cross-site targeting and measurement apply to their browsing experience.

Woman working on laptop while holding a cookie

What exactly that prompt looks like, how prominent it is, and other details remain to be seen. Will the user have to make only one choice that applies to their total browsing activity across all sites? Will a day come when each publisher site has to prompt users individually, similar to how iOS apps do? Will it be opt out by default, or opt in? All these nuances will certainly impact what percentage of the billions of Chrome users worldwide can still be monetized through advertising levers using third-party cookie-like functionality.

What’s clear is that Google, like Apple, wants to distance itself from being the final arbiter over certain decisions—leaving the say in the hands of the consumer. A continued source of debate will be around how much power even this approach puts into the hands of Google and Apple as gatekeepers and to what extent the march toward privacy benefits owned-and-operated walled gardens at the sacrifice of smaller players.

In the meantime, Google will continue investing in Privacy Sandbox for web, seeking to further optimize it for both privacy and utility.

What This Means for Mobile Advertisers and Kochava

Kochava operates largely in the world of mobile app marketing, where third-party cookies do not play a major role in measurement and attribution. Nonetheless, a big question is how this shift on Google Privacy Sandbox for web impacts Google’s plans for Sandbox on Android.

Just as third-party cookie deprecation is being abandoned, will Google also ditch any plans for deprecation of the Google Ad ID (GAID), its mobile advertising device identifier? Will it follow in the footsteps of Apple and provide an app-level prompting mechanism that puts the final choice into the hands of the consumer? If so, the future may see a small universe of opted-in users on iOS with their identifier for advertisers (IDFA) intact and the same on Android with GAIDs. If the prompting and opt-in rates observed on iOS since April 2021 are any indication, the world of opted-in users will be a small one indeed.

I’m excited to see the continued support for third-party cookies and hope to see mobile ad identifiers follow a similar development path. I believe that by keeping these identifiers around, the industry will continue investing in privacy-enhancing technologies instead of being forced to fall back on less-transparent patterns of tracking due to aggressive timelines or limited visibility into campaign effectiveness.

It will be interesting to see how upfront the opt-in or opt-out controls are—with GDPR and other regulations, this experience is becoming the norm.

Ethan Lewis

CTO, Kochava

Stay Tuned

As I’ve been watching the 2024 Paris Olympics on Peacock, I’ve seen Apple’s latest privacy-focused commercial no fewer than five times. While it doesn’t mention Chrome by name, columnists have noted that it’s clear who it’s about. Apple wants to put a target on Google’s back related to privacy. For its part, Google is committed to charting a course with both consumers and adtech players in mind.

To stay up to date on all things adtech, subscribe to our newsletter.

Want to learn more about Google Privacy Sandbox for Android? Watch our on-demand Google Privacy Sandbox Webinars Part 1 and Part 2.

The post Google’s Great Third-Party Cookie ‘Deprecation’ Deprecation appeared first on Kochava.

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The Evolution of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Advertising https://www.kochava.com/blog/the-evolution-of-digital-out-of-home-advertising/ Mon, 12 Aug 2024 17:36:23 +0000 https://www.kochava.com/?p=53841 The post The Evolution of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Advertising appeared first on Kochava.

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Perspectives, measurement, and future trend insights with DPAA

Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising continues to rapidly transform the advertising landscape, melding the physical and digital realms and creating dynamic, engaging experiences. Imagine walking through a bustling urban square, where dazzling LED billboards capture your attention while adapting content in real-time to meet the interests of the surrounding throngs. Picture digital screens in your local grocery store that display colorful ad specials—and also interact with you, offering personalized promotions based on your shopping preferences. This is an exciting frontier of advertising, where the boundaries between digital and physical blur, creating immersive moments that captivate consumers on the go.

Behind the flashy screens and eye-catching visuals, DOOH now leverages advanced technologies such as programmatic buying, real-time measurement & analytics, and geotargeting to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time. Its evolution is driven by the increasing digital enablement of out-of-home media, transforming static billboards into dynamic canvases with kaleidoscopic content creating an array of impactful and measurable touchpoints.

DOOH is not only merging with cross-channel strategies, but also being empowered by programmatic buying and data-enabled targeting—all while embracing digital enablement and real-time data.

Grant SimmonsVP of Kochava Foundry

DPAA + Kochava

Digital Place-Based Advertising Association (DPAA) recently partnered with Kochava on its research study through Advertiser Perceptions to release the DPAA 2024 Omnichannel Decision Makers Study. The results reveal that DOOH is increasingly recognized as an essential component of the advertising ecosystem, with 79% of study respondents planning to recommend DOOH as part of their media plans over the next 12 months. Of marketers already using DOOH, 96% plan to maintain or increase spend. All told, US advertisers are projected to spend $3.1 billion on DOOH in 2024, a 28% increase from the previous year.

Digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising stats

The significance of DOOH in modern advertising is immense: It offers unrivaled opportunities for brands to reach huge numbers of consumers in high-traffic urban spaces, retail environments, transit hubs, and beyond. Let’s unpack how this rapidly growing and rapidly innovating medium is revolutionizing advertising, drawing on key insights from DPAA and Kochava.

First, What Is DOOH?

Digital out-of-home advertising refers to digital media displayed in public spaces, such as digital billboards, screens in transit stations or stores, and interactive kiosks. Unlike traditional out-of-home (OOH) advertising, generally consisting of static images, DOOH utilizes digital technology to display dynamic content that can be updated in real-time, enabling advertisers to deliver relevant and timely messages to their target audiences.

DOOH operates through a network of digital screens managed by tech platforms that control the display, distribution, and timing of ads. These platforms enable programmatic buying, wherein advertisers bid for ad space in real-time based on specific audience criteria, while targeting capabilities ensure that ads effectively reach their optimal audience.

OOH to DOOH: Static to Dynamic

Traditional OOH advertising has long been a marketing staple—think highway billboards or ad content on the side of trains intended to capture the attention of passersby. However eye-catching, the static nature of these ads limits their ability to engage audiences kinetically. DOOH by definition leans into the digital component, allowing for compelling content that can be displayed and updated in real-time.

DOOH Display Innovations

Advancements in DOOH technology in recent years have made the advertising landscape more dynamic, engaging, and interactive. Fundamental to DOOH display is the ability to rotate ads in the same physical space, with digital screens cycling through multiple advertisements. This maximizes infrastructure utilization and increases revenue potential without the need for additional physical installations. Digital screens are more eco-friendly compared to printed billboards, reducing the need for physical materials and waste.

Digital out-of-home (DOOH) example of across-screen creative

Effects such as innovative lighting installations near DOOH billboards enhance the visual impact by synchronizing with billboard content to create a more striking experience. Full-motion digital billboards feature shifting, personalized creative content, particularly effective for dynamic industries like film. Limitless potential applications are inspiring brands and agencies to develop campaigns specially for full-motion DOOH.

Another attention-grabbing novelty comes from across-space synchronization, in which objects animate over multiple consecutive screens, creating an immersive and cohesive storytelling experience.

Programmatic DOOH & Digital Enablement

The integration of DOOH into cross-channel strategies goes hand in hand with the growing adoption of programmatic buying, enabling advertisers to optimize campaigns in real-time and measure outcomes with greater accuracy. Programmatic DOOH has definitively moved the needle, enabling media buyers to set specific audience and environment criteria such as demographic, time of day, or weather conditions. When these conditions align, the ad automatically displays. This makes the buying process more efficient and ensures that ads are shown to the best audience at the best time.

While awareness of DOOH’s digital enablement is growing among media buyers, it still lags behind reality. Just over half of respondents to the DPAA + Kochava study recognized DOOH as being digitally enabled for everything from data-driven targeting to planning and transacting. In particular, only 51% rated measurement and insights as 4 or 5 out of 5 in their assessment of DOOH’s being fully digitally enabled.

Importance of Measurement and ROI

As DOOH advertising continues to expand its footprint in the advertising landscape, the necessity for robust measurement and attribution solutions becomes increasingly key. Advertisers cannot be satisfied with merely knowing that their ads are being displayed; they require reliable and sophisticated methods to quantify the impact of DOOH investments and how these campaigns contribute to overall marketing success.

Respondents to the question What are your concerns, if any, when considering DOOH in your media plans? reported measurement-related concerns as their top two. Although the percentage of respondents citing these concerns has decreased markedly since 2021, it is still substantial.

Contrary to the outdated perception that DOOH lacks sophisticated measurement capabilities, the reality is that advanced tools and methodologies are capable of providing reliable and detailed insights, and marketers are gradually coming to recognize this. Advertisers can utilize effective measurement solutions to assess the impact of their DOOH investments, enabling them to justify ad spend, optimize campaign performance, and integrate DOOH seamlessly into broader marketing strategies.

Key Measurement and Attribution Solutions

A variety of solutions including third-party verification, marketing mix modeling (MMM), and multi-touch attribution (MTA) enable advertisers to gain a comprehensive understanding of their DOOH performance and make informed decisions. Ultimately, these solutions will ensure that DOOH fully takes its place as an invaluable and integral medium of the modern marketing mix.

Third-Party Verification
Third-party verification is essential for ensuring that ad impressions are viewable and accurately measured. This involves independent verification services that confirm that an ad was actually seen by the intended audience. Third-party verification helps eliminate discrepancies and offers advertisers confidence that their ads are delivered as promised. This level of transparency is crucial for building trust and ensuring that advertising budgets are being used effectively.

Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM)
MMM is a holistic statistical analysis methodology used to assess the relative impact of myriad marketing elements on sales and other performance metrics. For DOOH, MMM can validate the business impact of campaigns by parsing how the various components of the marketing mix all contribute to overall performance. This enables advertisers to understand the ROI of their DOOH investments in the context of an entire marketing strategy. By incorporating DOOH into MMM, advertisers can make informed, inclusive decisions about budget allocation and campaign optimization.

Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA)
MTA tracks the consumer journey across multiple touchpoints to attribute specific actions to DOOH exposure. Unlike traditional attribution models that may consider only the last touchpoint before a conversion, MTA provides a more comprehensive view of how different interactions contribute to the final outcome. This is particularly important for DOOH, whose memorable visual impact often serves as the initial touchpoint driving awareness and engagement. By understanding the role of DOOH in the broader consumer journey, advertisers can better assess its effectiveness and systematize campaigns accordingly.

Kochava works with ClearChannel Outdoor, Adomni, Intersection, and many other outdoor advertising companies to power outcomes measurement for DOOH campaigns. Learn more here.

Key Benefits of DOOH Advertising

DOOH offers a wide range of advantages that make it a powerful tool in the modern marketing arsenal. Technological innovations offer unprecedented opportunities to create highly engaging and targeted campaigns. Advertisers can exploit DOOH’s flexibility and real-time adaptation to adjust campaigns nimbly in response to current events, consumer feedback, or even inventory levels.

Data-driven targeting enables marketers to pinpoint audiences based on specific geography, times of day, or topical events. Leveraging technologies such as QR codes, social media hashtags, and augmented reality, DOOH offers the possibility of seamless integration with mobile and online platforms, creating an immersive cross-channel consumer experience. This amplifies the reach of a campaign while engaging consumers in an interactive, memorable way.

For consumers, these advancements mean more enjoyable and relevant advertising experiences. In addition to commercial content, digital screens provide timely, practical information such as weather or transit alerts. Such utilities make DOOH a valuable info source as well as an entertaining advertising medium.

Integration With Broader Marketing Strategies

Integration of DOOH measurement and attribution solutions with broader marketing strategies is paramount. In the DPAA + Kochava study, complementing a digital plan was cited as the top reason media buyers include DOOH in their media plans.

Linking DOOH data with other channels, such as connected (CTV) and mobile, enables advertisers to take in a comprehensive view of their marketing efforts, allowing for more accurate measurement of cross-channel performance and revealing synergies among various marketing strategies. For example, an advertiser might use DOOH to drive awareness, then retarget those exposed to the ad with personalized messages on their mobile or CTV devices. By understanding how DOOH fits into the broader marketing ecosystem, advertisers can maximize the impact of their campaigns and achieve better overall results.

Future Trends for DOOH

As the DOOH advertising landscape continues to evolve, several key factors are poised to shape its future, showcasing the transformative potential of DOOH as it integrates cutting-edge technology and sustainability practices to create more engaging and responsible advertising solutions.

Future DOOH displays will become increasingly intelligent, leveraging location-based marketing to present highly relevant advertising based on where the viewer is. These ads may synchronize with mobile devices, ensuring a seamless and contextually relevant experience. Marketers will devise campaigns that transition smoothly from DOOH to mobile to web, creating a cohesive experience across multiple platforms.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will play a crucial role in dynamically personalizing ad content based on real-time factors. Moreover, AI will offer precise modeled metrics on ad views, including detailed consumer characteristics, enabling advertisers to optimize campaigns effectively and calculate ROI more accurately. Machine learning algorithms promise to facilitate real-time programmatic auctions of DOOH ad spaces, making the buying process even more efficient and tailored to specific audience segments.

Virtual and augmented reality technologies will introduce new layers of interaction and engagement in DOOH advertising. Brands may leverage virtual reality (VR) to offer fully immersive, 360-degree ad experiences within public spaces, captivating audiences and providing a deeper level of engagement. Augmented reality (AR) filters on DOOH displays could enable consumers to visualize products in a real-world setting via their smartphones, enhancing the consumer’s connection to brands and/or products. Both technologies will lead to the creation of on-the-spot, interactive product demonstrations or hands-on experiences.

The development and adoption of low-energy, including solar-powered, displays will significantly reduce electricity costs and appeal to environmentally conscious consumers and brands. An increasing number of vendors will manufacture displays using recyclable or biodegradable materials, furthering the industry’s commitment to sustainability.

DPAA + Kochava White Paper

The DPAA 2024 Omnichannel Decision Makers Study, featuring research from Advertiser Perceptions, offers many valuable insights into the current state and future trends of DOOH advertising. These attest to the growing importance of the medium, as well as the opportunities for marketers eager to explore its full potential and stay on the cutting edge of the rapidly evolving advertising ecosystem.

The study notes a marked uptick in advertiser awareness and understanding of DOOH, with 42% of respondents reporting a moderate increase in their knowledge over the past year. Such heightened awareness is a positive sign for the DOOH industry, suggesting that advertisers are more open to exploring and leveraging DOOH within their broader media strategies.

Moreover, DOOH is considered an extension of TV and video planning by 41% of decision makers. Video Everywhere is widely used as a synonym for DOOH as the genre evolves, as evidenced by the title of DPAA’s annual summit.

Want to Read the Full Report?

The full report and white paper are available to all DPAA members here. If you’re an existing Kochava customer and have not already received your copy of the white paper via email, please contact your client success manager or email Support@Kochava.com.

If you’re an advertiser, an agency, or a DOOH company and need help with measurement, get in touch with the Kochava team here.

The post The Evolution of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Advertising appeared first on Kochava.

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From Couch to Cart: Shoppable TV and T-Commerce https://www.kochava.com/blog/from-couch-to-cart-shoppable-tv-and-t-commerce/ Thu, 11 Jul 2024 16:48:48 +0000 https://www.kochava.com/?p=53629 The post From Couch to Cart: Shoppable TV and T-Commerce appeared first on Kochava.

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CTV’s evolution from passive entertainment to dynamic shopping platform

Among digital marketers, there’s always an air of excitement surrounding the subject of Connected TV (CTV)—every sofa could be a potential storefront. The TV is swiftly transforming living rooms from a passive in-home entertainment environment into an interactive, shoppable TV experience. Unlike the traditional QVC model, which is limited to a specific channel dedicated to shopping, CTV is evolving to create seamless purchase moments across various content platforms. The hours we used to spend simply watching TV are morphing into influential encounters with shoppable ads and interactive content.

Let’s take a look at three watershed moments of this shift.

#1 Contextual Marketing Meets CTV

Contextual marketing, which tailors advertising or content based on the user’s current environment or activity, is increasingly driven by advanced technologies adept at understanding digital content. Integration of these technologies into CTV affords new strategies for over-the-top (OTT) advertising. Dynamic ad insertion (DAI) and contextual intelligence designed for CTV look to shift beyond mere ad placements, or just getting ads in front of eyeballs. The end goal is to integrate ads seamlessly into the content consumers are consuming—in real-time.

“We are not just about the ad experience but about making an impression. The chance to reach niche audiences through CTV channels should come with minimal interruption, thus underlining the necessity to think innovatively and outside the box.”

Ken Weiner
CTO, GumGum

At its core, DAI integrates advertisements directly into the content stream, ensuring a cohesive and engaging viewing experience that doesn’t detract from the content or emotional moment. By leveraging advanced targeting capabilities, advertisers can deliver ads that resonate with the intended audience, leading to higher levels of engagement and interaction while reducing ad fatigue.

For example, imagine streaming a travel documentary on a CTV platform. With contextually enabled DAI, advertisers can dynamically insert ads for travel-related products or services—such as airline tickets or vacation packages—into the program, creating a fluid, relevant advertising experience for the moment the viewer is in.

Dynamic ad insertion (DAI) is a server-side video ad technology. Coupled with contextual intelligence, it can deliver targeted ads to viewers based on the context of the content they’re consuming at the moment.

Dynamic ad insertion (DAI) illustration

#2 QR Code Explosion and Rise of Shoppable TV

Ad spots (albeit video or native display) featuring a quick response (QR) code are now commonplace. This wasn’t always the case. This shift is another milestone along the journey from TV as a passive to more interactive medium. Widespread acceptance of advertising that integrates itself into the viewing experience and offers direct response touchpoints is crucial when treading into the territory of shoppable TV. This streamlines the shopping experience, making the path from desire to possession a truly linear affair.

Consumer interest in this technology signals not only a shift in shopping behavior, but also untapped potential for TV advertisers and marketers. By syncing advertising content with the users’ needs and expectations, companies foster a deeper connection between their brand and consumers. QR codes can guide viewers to shop or engage with the advertised products on their mobile device instantly—without disrupting the main viewing experience.

Advanced measurement

A quick response (QR) code is a type of scannable barcode that contains information (e.g., website URL, app store URL, or app deep link) stored within a pixel array.

Yet, this new wave of tech advancement doesn’t come without its share of challenges. QR codes aren’t always easily scanned within the short time they’re displayed on screen, and advertisers grapple with measuring the effectiveness of shoppable ads and QR codes. Successfully navigating this requires the integration of various measurement technologies and a shift toward thinking like a tech company and accurately marrying advertising content with user preferences.

#3 Evolution of TV Operating Systems

Smart TV platforms are increasingly investing in the evolution of their operating systems (OS), making them conduits for finely tuned, user-focused experiences. Enhanced performance efficiencies and improved ad delivery tactics aim to serve marketing messages that don’t intrude but rather enhance or complement the viewer’s experience.

Such optimization is the future of T-commerce, and select companies are already investing in this direction. For example, enter Telly, a dual-screen television. Telly TVs include a 55-inch theater display with a Harman Kardon soundbar connected to a bottom smart screen display—perfect for serving ads that resonate or complement the content on the top screen. Further, the Telly remote is integrated with smart pay technology, enabling consumers to link a payment method and make purchases from their remote without needing a second device like a phone or laptop. While a pizza commercial is running on the main screen, for example, an ad can run on the soundbar allowing the viewer to order their favorite pizza with a click of the remote. This fluid experience eliminates friction for the user, increasing the propensity to convert in the moment.

This heralds a paradigm shift in how consumers engage with content. It enables the simultaneous consumption of diverse media and relevant ads, thereby redefining the boundaries of TV advertising while minimizing a disruptive ad experience for the viewer. Optimization puts consumers back at the center of exchange in TV advertising.

Additionally, smart TV platforms are creating entirely new home-screen experiences and content hubs around major sporting events (Superbowl, Olympics), awards shows (Emmys, VMAs), and other tentpole events. Tailored content enables consumers to quickly find and watch all content related to the event, at the same time enabling advertisers to reach consumers with focused ad experiences that resonate within the context of the event. This signifies a shift toward actually engaging the engaged. But it’s not just about fostering interactivity for interactivity’s sake. The long-term goal is to generate conversions and drive outcomes, and the key tool for facilitating this conversion journey is an incredible operating system capable of delivering evocative moments. The call to action is clear for TV manufacturers: The demand for smarter devices is on the rise. TVs should not just be passive screens but rather active engagement hubs where advertising and commerce converge.

Yes, Performance Measurement on CTV Is Possible

As CTV advertising continues to evolve, the importance of accurate performance measurement becomes increasingly clear. Analytics and attribution are essential for offering marketers a view into consumer behavior and the effectiveness of their marketing. Kochava offers comprehensive measurement options for CTV, providing advertisers with advanced analytics and insights to track and optimize campaign performance.

To learn more, check out our marketer’s guide to CTV here.

The post From Couch to Cart: Shoppable TV and T-Commerce appeared first on Kochava.

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iOS 17.4 Bug May Lead to Decreased ATT Opt-In Rates https://www.kochava.com/blog/ios-17-4-bug-may-lead-to-decreased-att-opt-in-rates/ Fri, 12 Apr 2024 17:00:26 +0000 https://www.kochava.com/?p=52864 The post iOS 17.4 Bug May Lead to Decreased ATT Opt-In Rates appeared first on Kochava.

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Bug fix included in iOS 17.5 beta

iOS 17.4 bugDuring recent testing, our team encountered a critical issue affecting app performance on iOS devices running versions 17.4.0 and 17.4.1. The issue is related to Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework and opt-in status reporting. 

Here’s what you need to know:

Apple is aware of the bug and included a fix in iOS 17.5 beta

Apple is aware of the issue, and it appears they included a fix in iOS 17.5 beta, released on April 4. The full production release of iOS 17.5 is expected in late April or early May. 

See Apple’s resolved issues notice in their iOS & iPadOS 17.5 Beta 3 Release Notes.

What does the bug do?

The bug causes the ATT framework to prematurely return a “denied” status, irrespective of a user’s eventual response to the ATT prompt. This means that even if a user chooses Allow Tracking, the ATT status provided to the app and its SDKs may still be returned as though they selected Ask App Not to Track.

How does this bug impact you?

If your app is not prompting users for consent to track via the ATT framework, then this bug will not affect your iOS app. 

If your app is prompting users for consent to track via the ATT framework, then the inaccurate reporting of ATT status may cause a drop in your ATT opt-in rates for users on iOS 17.4 and the corresponding collection of the identifier for advertisers (IDFA). In turn, this may reduce the volume of IDFA-attributable conversions as well as those matched via other consented attribution methods. We recommend monitoring your iOS attribution reports to gauge any impact of the bug on paid campaign performance and coordinating with your media partners on any contingency plans.

IMPORTANT
SKAdNetwork (SKAN) attribution and reporting are not impacted.

iPhone with iOS privacy settings notification

Quantifying the impact

How much has this bug affected ATT opt-in rates among apps that prompt? 

Prior to version 17.4.0, we observed that the overall average ATT opt-in rate was around 45%. Isolating traffic running on iOS 17.4.0 and 17.4.1, we observe an average ATT opt-in rate of approximately 25%. These opt-in rates will vary depending on app category and region.

Stay tuned for updates

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to learn about new updates. 

If you have specific questions or need help reviewing your ATT opt-in rates in analytics, please contact your client success manager or email Support@Kochava.com. Our team is here to support you and help minimize disruption to your app’s performance.

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Apple Privacy Manifest Prep Checklist https://www.kochava.com/blog/apple-privacy-manifest-prep-checklist/ Mon, 08 Apr 2024 18:05:03 +0000 https://www.kochava.com/?p=52789 The post Apple Privacy Manifest Prep Checklist appeared first on Kochava.

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Steps to take with your next iOS app update after May 1, 2024

Per a February 29 post from Apple, beginning May 1, 2024, developers submitting an app update that leverages commonly used third-party software development kits (SDKs) identified by Apple will be required to update versions of these SDKs to include a privacy manifest and signature.

iPhone with iOS17 logo

While the Kochava SDK has not been added to the list of SDKs requiring privacy manifests starting May 1, we recommend that our clients be aware of and start planning for what we believe will become a requirement for all mobile measurement partner (MMP) SDKs in the near future.

Please consult this helpful checklist:

#1 Understand the Impacts of Privacy Manifests

The upcoming change to Apple’s requirements is important for developers utilizing any SDKs, including Kochava iOS SDKs. The introduction of privacy manifests marks a significant shift in how developers manage third-party SDKs within their iOS apps. The core takeaway is the accountability placed on developers for all code within their apps, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing data collection practices. Privacy manifests empower developers to retain SDK functionality while adhering to privacy standards—requiring user consent for data tracking via the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework.

Please find a prior blog post here that provides additional details around the launch of Apple’s privacy manifests.

#2 Pay Special Attention to Tracking Domains

A critical aspect of implementing privacy manifests involves declaring tracking domains. This process entails identifying and declaring any domains that track users through data collected by the app. When a domain is declared, any traffic from the app to the domain is blocked if the user has not been prompted and opted in through the ATT framework. As such, incorrect implementation could unintentionally restrict essential functionalities. For this reason, it’s crucial to work closely with Kochava, and any of your other SDK providers, to ensure correct implementation.

#3 Using a Kochava SDK? Here’s What You Need to Know

Our team has released iOS SDK version 8, which adds a specific tracking module to fully support privacy manifests and the required SDK signature. Tracking domains are automatically built into v8’s privacy manifest file, meaning that developers do not have to declare these domains manually.

Please consult this support documentation, which covers the process for migrating to iOS SDK version 8.

iPhone with iOS privacy settings notification

Do you need to upgrade to iOS SDK version 8?

Yes

If you’re prompting iOS users through the ATT framework to gather the IDFA and permission to track, you need to upgrade to iOS SDK version 8.

Apple requires that if you’re gathering the IDFA via an SDK, there must be a privacy manifest with at least one blocked domain, which is included in our optional tracking module’s privacy manifest.

No

If you’re not prompting iOS users through the ATT framework to gather the IDFA and permission to track, you do not need to upgrade to iOS SDK version 8.

You can continue using prior iOS SDKs and relying on first-party measurement for owned media, the AdServices framework for Apple Search Ads, and SKAN for attribution of paid media with other third-party ad networks.

What happens if you choose the wrong path?
If you choose the incorrect path, Apple will simply reject your app submission, and you will know you need a privacy manifest. Your app will not suddenly be removed from the App Store. Contact your client success manager or Support@Kochava.com for guidance along the way.

Important

The rollout of Apple’s privacy manifests continues to evolve, and their list of SDKs is likely to change over time. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and keep in close touch with our support team to stay up to date on new developments that may require action on your part.

The post Apple Privacy Manifest Prep Checklist appeared first on Kochava.

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