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From Web to App: How to Measure Cross-Platform Advertising in the iOS 14 Age

Although iOS 14 has significantly impacted many advertisers’ ability to understand an ad campaign’s efficacy in driving conversions, macro-level industry changes have been hurting performance and data flow tracking for years before that, starting in 2018 with GDPR.



And while tracking has gotten more challenging for everyone, some advertisers have been impacted more than others.

The chart below showcases that while all advertisers have seen impediments to their measurement success, web advertisers have seen the least amount of friction to understanding the efficacy of their advertising efforts.

Tracking Impact Start on web,
Convert on web
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Start on web,
Convert in-app
Campaign Targeting Can target all users regardless of device or OS Must target iOS 14 users separately N/A
# of Campaigns Allowed Unlimited Limited N/A
Tracking Impact Start on web,
Convert on web
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Start on web,
Convert in-app
Reporting Delays Up to 3 days Up to 3 days Little visibility
Reporting Conversion Time When conversion occurs When Apple reports back Little visibility
Conversion Results Statistical modeling where necessary Aggregated and shared by Apple Little visibility
Reporting Breakdowns Age, gender, region, placement Not trackable No visibility
Attribution Windows Available 1-Day View, 1/7/28-Day Click Not trackable No visibility
Campaign Targeting
Start on web,
Convert on web
Can target all users regardless of device or OS
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Must target iOS 14 users separately
Start on web,
Convert in-app
N/A
# of Campaigns Allowed
Start on web,
Convert on web
Unlimited
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Limited
Start on web,
Convert in-app
N/A
Tracking Impact
Start on web,
Convert on web
Start on web,
Convert on web
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Start on web,
Convert in-app
Start on web,
Convert in-app
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Must target iOS 14 users separately
Start on web,
Convert in-app
N/A
Reporting Delays
Start on web,
Convert on web
Up to 3 days
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Up to 3 days
Start on web,
Convert in-app
Little visibility
Reporting Conversion Time
Start on web,
Convert on web
When conversion occurs
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
When Apple reports back
Start on web,
Convert in-app
Little visibility
Conversion Results
Start on web,
Convert on web
Statistical modeling where necessary
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Aggregated and shared by Apple
Start on web,
Convert in-app
Little visibility
Reporting Breakdowns
Start on web,
Convert on web
Age, gender, region, placement
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Not trackable
Start on web,
Convert in-app
No visibility
Attribution Windows Available
Start on web,
Convert on web
1-Day View, 1/7/28-Day Click
Start in-app,
Convert in-app
Not trackable
Start on web,
Convert in-app
No visibility

Web-only advertisers can still target all device users regardless of operating system, run as many campaigns as they want and have a broader lookback window on when their conversions occurred and demographically who converted.

App-only advertisers, must now target iOS users separately and are primarily only given data based on when and how Apple dictates they should receive that.

Contrast that with cross-platform advertisers who have both web and app experiences. In a new world, where tracking doesn’t happen at the user level advertisers who have both web and app experiences are limited in the true efficacy of their advertising initiatives.

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For example, let’s say you have a video streaming service and you’re trying to get people to subscribe through your website. But what if a potential subscriber leaves your website, goes to the App Store, and signs up for your service there instead of on your website?

Prior to iOS 14, it was easy for ad platforms like Meta to attribute that ad click to your website driving an in-app conversion.

However, post-iOS 14, there is no way to actually attribute that sale back to an ad.

At best, you can use tools like Google Analytics 4 or Amplitude to get partial cross-platform tracking, but this will only be able to measure users who are logged in on both web and app or users who directly clicked from your website into an app experience.

You can also lean into mobile measurement partners to help understand the consumer journey alongside an analytics tool like Google Analytics 4.

However, even with these solutions, measurement and attribution for cross-platform advertisers can be extremely difficult.

In fact, advertisers have had to go back to older methods to figure out if they’re succeeding. These methods range from simpler ones like last click attribution and post-conversion surveys, to more advanced ones like multi-touch attribution based on Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM), and lift based on in-platform/traffic and geography.

Unfortunately, there is no all in-one-silver bullet solution (or close to it).

Benefits and Limitations Attribution MMM Lift
Real Time Optimization
User Level Attribution Limited
Tactical Performance Insights Large effects only
Incremental Accuracy Unreliable Limited
Strategic Budget Decisions Unreliable
Accounts for Product Changes If planned ahead
Incorporates External Factors Can exclude effects
Works Across All Channels
Real Time Optimization
Attribution
MMM
Lift
User Level Attribution
Attribution
MMM
Lift Limited
Tactical Performance Insights
Attribution
MMM Large effects only
Lift
Incremental Accuracy
Attribution Unreliable
MMM Limited
Lift
Strategic Budget Decisions
Attribution Unreliable
MMM
Lift
Incorporates External Factors
Attribution
MMM
Lift If planned ahead
Tactical Performance Insights
Attribution
MMM
Lift Can Exclude Effects
Works Across All Channels
Attribution
MMM
Lift
    • Attribution: Quick and readily available measurement but lacks actionability without incremental measurement, and is significantly affected by signal change.
    • MMM: Can measure across channels since it’s not affected by signal change, but it’s not as precise as some experimental methods like lift.
    • Lift: Can precisely measure the increase in sales that ads cause, but it’s usually specific to a channel.

Instead of looking at these solutions separately, advertisers can use all three to get a complete picture of their marketing strategy. This integrated approach can help businesses track all parts of their marketing strategy in a comprehensive and connected way.

Advertisers have to navigate a rapidly changing landscape. It’s becoming increasingly challenging to measure the effectiveness of campaigns, especially with the changes brought by iOS 14 and GDPR. 

However, this doesn’t mean you’re left without options. By integrating multiple measurement strategies, businesses can still gather invaluable insights and pivot their tactics accordingly. 

To help you in this journey, we have compiled a comprehensive eBook on measurement. It’s designed to help you understand and overcome these hurdles and position your campaigns for success. Get ahead of the game by downloading our free Digital Marketing Attribution and Measurement Roadmap guide today and equip yourself with the knowledge you need to navigate the complex world of modern advertising.

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