View-through attribution (VTA), also known as impression attribution, has revolutionized the mobile advertising world. VTA lets advertisers and app marketers not only see clicks that immediately preceded a successful app installation, but also any impressions which played a key role in the attribution lifecycle (particularly those that led up to a conversion).
If you are an advertiser and are integrated with AppsFlyer as an attribution partner, this article is for you!
As you may already know, AppsFlyer has long supported VTA for User Acquisition campaigns. With the latest updates, they are now supporting VTA for retargeting as well, which allows separately enabling VTA for user acquisition and retargeting campaigns (Note: In order for impressions to be used for attribution, an advertising ID is required). We will discuss the benefits of this update later in this article but first let’s define some terms.
Two Types of Retargeting
Retargeting is an umbrella term that includes two separate strategies: reattribution and re-engagement.
- Reattribution = Reinstall (from a retargeting campaign)
Reattribution is equal to reinstall and refers to the users who have already uninstalled the app, but reinstall it after seeing an ad.
- Re-engagement = Reopen (following a retargeting engagement)
Re-engagement, on the other hand, is similar to reopen. It refers to users who still have the app, haven’t used it for a period of time, and become active users again after seeing an ad.
AppsFlyer Dashboard Overview
Below is an overview of the AppsFlyer dashboard (Note: Partners must be integrated as a retargeting partner for these options to appear in your integration dashboard).
- Install attribution
If this is toggled ON, the advertiser is allowing VTA for reattribution (reinstall).
- Re-engagement attribution
If this is toggled ON, the advertiser is allowing VTA for re-engagement (reopen).
Reattribution vs Re-engagement
We analyzed the performance of two retargeting campaigns. For the first app, VTA was only enabled for reattribution. For the second app, VTA was only enabled for re-engagement.
The analysis revealed that when VTA for re-engagement is enabled, there is about a 78% uplift in reactivation volume versus less than 2% if only reattribution is enabled. Essentially, VTA for re-engagement is more vital for retargeting campaigns than VTA for reattribution, but by enabling both you can maximize the performance of the campaign.
In terms of Return on Investment (ROI), there were approximately 2.5 to 3 times higher numbers for App 2 than App 1, mostly due to VTA differences. However, remember that traffic and campaign optimization are also factors with ROI.
Don’t Underestimate Re-engagement
Our other analysis shows that about 85% of click-attributed data for retargeting traffic is due to re-engagement and the remaining 15% from reattribution. When it comes to VTA data, we’ve observed around a 95:5 ratio in favor of re-engagement. This shows that it’s vital for a retargeting campaign to employ both reattribution and re-engagement, whether click or impression attributed.
VTA Activation Value
Enabling VTA for retargeting (both reattribution and re-engagement) allows measurement of campaign performance, empowering more data-driven decisions as well as illuminating the true benefit and effectiveness of ad spend. Want to learn how you can take advantage of VTA for your retargeting campaigns? Get in touch with us.
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