SKAdNetwork Integration

SKAdNetwork (SKAN) is Apple's privacy-preserving attribution framework for iOS. Clippr supports SKAN for measuring ad campaign effectiveness without user-level tracking.

What is SKAdNetwork?

SKAdNetwork allows advertisers to measure conversions while preserving user privacy:

• No user identifiers shared
• Aggregated, anonymized data
• Apple-verified install attribution
• Delayed postbacks (24-48 hours)

How It Works

1. User sees ad in an app (source app)
2. User clicks ad → Installs your app (advertised app)
3. App notifies SKAdNetwork of conversion value
4. Apple sends postback to ad network (after delay)
5. Clippr receives and stores postback

Clippr SKAN Features

• Postback reception: Receive and store SKAN postbacks
• Conversion value schema: Configure 6-bit conversion values
• Coarse conversion values: Support for iOS 16.1+ coarse values
• Dashboard analytics: View SKAN data alongside other metrics

Setup

1. Register Your App

Your app must be registered with Apple and have a valid App Store ID configured in Clippr.

2. Configure Info.plist

Add the SKAdNetwork identifiers for your ad networks:

<key>SKAdNetworkItems</key>
<array>
    <dict>
        <key>SKAdNetworkIdentifier</key>
        <string>cstr6suwn9.skadnetwork</string>
    </dict>
    <!-- Add more ad network IDs -->
</array>

3. Update Conversion Values

When users complete valuable actions, update the conversion value:

import StoreKit

// User completed sign up (value = 1)
SKAdNetwork.updatePostbackConversionValue(1) { error in
    if let error = error {
        print("Failed to update conversion value: \(error)")
    }
}

// User made purchase (value = 5)
SKAdNetwork.updatePostbackConversionValue(5) { error in
    // Handle error
}

Conversion Value Schema

Configure what each conversion value means in the dashboard:

6-bit Values (0-63)

Coarse Values (iOS 16.1+)

Viewing SKAN Data

In the dashboard:

1. Go to your app
2. Click SKAdNetwork
3. View:
   • Postback volume
   • Conversion value distribution
   • Redownload vs. new install ratio

Postback Data

Each SKAN postback contains:

Best Practices

1. Plan Your Conversion Value Schema

Map business events to values strategically:

0: Install
1-10: Engagement milestones
11-30: Revenue tiers ($1-$10, $10-$50, etc.)
31-63: Custom high-value events

2. Update Values Incrementally

Only update to higher values:

// Good - values increase over time
updatePostbackConversionValue(1) // Sign up
updatePostbackConversionValue(5) // First purchase
updatePostbackConversionValue(10) // $50 revenue

// Bad - decreasing values are ignored
updatePostbackConversionValue(10)
updatePostbackConversionValue(5) // This is ignored

3. Consider Timer Windows

SKAN has timer windows that affect when postbacks are sent:

• First 24 hours: Can update value
• After 24 hours: Value is locked
• iOS 16.1+: Multiple postback windows

4. Test in Development

Use the SKAdNetwork testing tools:

• Xcode's StoreKit Configuration
• TestFlight for real postbacks
• Apple's SKAN testing profile

Limitations

• Delayed data: Postbacks arrive 24-48+ hours after install
• Limited values: Only 64 possible conversion values
• No user-level data: Cannot link to specific users
• Crowd anonymity: Low-volume campaigns may not receive postbacks

SKAN 4.0 Features

iOS 16.1+ supports SKAN 4.0:

• Multiple postbacks: Up to 3 postbacks over time
• Coarse values: Low/medium/high for smaller campaigns
• Source identifier: 4-digit campaign identifier
• Lock window: Extended conversion windows

Troubleshooting

Not Receiving Postbacks

1. Verify App Store ID is correct
2. Check SKAdNetwork identifiers in Info.plist
3. Ensure you're calling updatePostbackConversionValue
4. Wait 24-48 hours (postbacks are delayed)

Conversion Values Not Updating

1. Can only increase values, not decrease
2. Window may have expired (24+ hours)
3. Check for errors in the callback

Next Steps

• iOS SDK - Implement the iOS SDK
• Analytics - View SKAN data in dashboard