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KEY HIGHLIGHTS

🛠️ We’re able to run campaigns & optimize for events without Firebase

🌼 Way more ‘modeled’ events

🎚️ No hard cap on 8 campaigns

🧮 No tROAS. Only tCPA, tCPI

🗺️ No such thing as conversion value mapping or setup

🔌 No way to plug in MMPs – at least right now

🔥 Reporting is a huge mess

⌛ 5 day delay in reporting

FULL TRANSCRIPT BELOW

It’s been just over a month since Apple pulled the trigger on iOS 14.5. ATT adoption is still not close to 100% – and in this episode we wanted to highlight the key changes that we are seeing with Google Ads/UAC.

1. We’re able to run campaigns & optimize for events without Firebase.

While Google’s earlier guidance seemed to have been that you will need Firebase to run campaigns on iOS 14, we’re seeing that that isnt necessary – at least as of today. Google doesnt have dedicated iOS 14 campaigns either – and iOS campaigns are able to continue to track and optimize for events that are imported from your MMP – at least as of now.

2. Way more ‘modeled’ events.

Google has been clear that most of the events that are actually reported will be ‘modeled’ – based on their machine learning models applied to their first party data – and based on performance of consented users within apps that have AdMob SDK(considering Google’s owned and operated apps have decided not to show the ATT prompt). 

Again, this isnt a completely new development, considering that search campaigns on iOS have been modeled for some time now(which we talked about in our episode from March 2020 titled: ““Welp! I don’t see my Google UAC installs in my MMP.”

3. No hard cap on 8 campaigns.

Google’s original guidance was that we’d be able to run no more than 8 campaigns – however we see we are able to run more than 8 campaigns right now. To be honest, performance is such a mess that we’ve hardly needed to make use of this provision right now – but this is useful to keep in mind, especially if you’re a global advertiser across many geos.

4. No tROAS. Only tCPA, tCPI.

There’s no tROAS bidding available – only tCPA and tCPI, which frankly isnt as huge a loss as it might seem, considering not very many folks were able to use tROAS thus far.

5. No such thing as conversion value mapping or setup.

This has been a big surprise for our team. There has been no clear or obvious way to map conversion values via SKAdNetwork – or to optimize for these metrics. Looking at Google’s official guidance,

You can easily implement SKAdnetwork solution by upgrading to the latest version of Google Analytics for Firebase. This will automatically register your apps for SKAdnetwork attribution and help you measure “first open” conversions for consented users.

What about other post install events for non-consented users? There’s the implication that the data will be ‘modeled’ but it isnt clear as to exactly how. However we are able to see these post install events in the Google dashboard right now.

6. No way to plug in MMPs – at least right now.

As of now, there seems to be no way to use an MMP to pass conversion values to Google for optimization – or to receive performance data back for reporting. Google’s guidance says:

Alternatively, you can use another SDK that supports SKAdnetwork or implement Apple’s SKAdnetwork API yourself. 

It’s silent about exactly how you would do this.

At another point, Google’s guidance says:

App Attribution Partners(AAPs) will have access to the same information of SKAdNetwork conversions and App campaign conversions. However, AAPs will not receive attribution claims on modeled conversions, so you will see differences between App campaigns, SKAdNetwork, and AAP reporting.

There is no timeline right now – so a lot of this remains very opaque.

7. Reporting is a huge mess.

There is an SKAdNetwork report that you can access within the Google ads dashboard – by going to reports -> other -> SKAdNetwork Conversions. 

However, this report appears bereft of much meaning or usefulness – at least as of right now. We can see metrics that Google calls SKAdNetwork conversions and SKAdNetwork conversion value segment – BUT it’s unclear exactly what these metrics are since Google doesnt even let us explicitly define SKAdNetwork conversion schemas, and it doesnt let us plug into MMPs to do so. Additionally, the SKAdNetwork conversion value segment is not defined anywhere.

Right now, given the challenges with the SKAdNetwork reporting, we are recommending using the main Google Ads dashboard – to track Google’s modeled conversions – at least until we have more clarity around SKAdNetwork reporting.

8. 5 day delay in reporting.

Google has said to expect a 5 day delay in reporting of data. This is surprising because Facebook and other platforms advise on a 3 day delay – and frustrating because of Google’s opacity around how and why this is.

**

In summary, here are the big changes and challenges:

1. We’re able to run campaigns & optimize for events without Firebase.
2. There’s no hard cap on 8 campaigns.
3. Way more ‘modeled’ events.
4. There’s no tROAS bidding. Only tCPA & tCPI.
5. No such thing as conversion value mapping or setup.
6. No way to plug in MMPs – at least right now.
7. Reporting is a huge mess.
8. There’s a delay of up to 5 days in reporting.

Overall what is clear is that performance, even the modeled numbers arent great for folks we speak to and work with. 

We’re hopeful that things will change – and that this mess will resolve itself. We’ll keep our ears close to the ground – please stay tuned!

A REQUEST BEFORE YOU GO

I have a very important favor to ask, which as those of you who know me know I don’t do often. If you get any pleasure or inspiration from this episode, could you PLEASE leave a review on your favorite podcasting platform – be it iTunes, Overcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast fix. This podcast is very much a labor of love – and each episode takes many many hours to put together. When you write a review, it will not only be a great deal of encouragement to us, but it will also support getting the word out about the Mobile User Acquisition Show.

Constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement are welcome, whether on podcasting platforms – or by email to shamanth at rocketshiphq.com. We read all reviews & I want to make this podcast better.

Thank you – and I look forward to seeing you with the next episode!