How to track iOS install from Google Ads?
I am using Google Ads to promote my app. I have integrated Firebase, and in Google Ads I can see how many conversions brought through Google Ads.
My question is, can it be identified by code in the app, whether the current installation is downloaded by clicking Google Ads.
If a user now sees the advertisement and clicks on it, he will be directed to the App Store via the Google Analytics link "click.google-analytics....redirect=... ". Afterwards I would like to see in the AppDelegate if it comes over such a link. Can I take this from the URL, for example? Or is that not possible because it is routed through the App Store?
func application(_ app: UIApplication, open url: URL, options: [UIApplication.OpenURLOptionsKey: Any] = [:]) -> Bool { // Get CampaignName or some identifier from the Google Ad return true }
It's a very deep and complicated story to track these parameters, especially if you're using an app promotion campaign.
If you want to do this yourself, here's an idea: you can spin up a redirect link that attributes your installs, then redirects users to the App Store (think: deeplink). If you also research on how to use device parameters (like IDFA) for tracking, then you can augment your tracking algorithm with that. You can also research the Google Ads API and integrate it with your app and the backend that you've spun up.
Keep in mind though that Apple is cracking down on tracking (with App Tracking Transparency and other such measures), and fingerprinting is a gray area which will lead you into trouble if you're caught doing it by Apple. There is a lot of legal matter in this topic (and be sure to update your app's privacy policy while you're at it).
This whole complexity is the reason why companies like Facebook got so successful (for their advanced tracking algorithms) and why some companies are willing to share some of their tracking algorithm magic with you (most of their services are paid) - there is, for example, Appsflyer and Tenjin just to name a few - they claim to track and attribute users that you acquire through Google Ads and more.
(Not trying to sponsor or endorse anyone here, but you can see how this whole "user acquisition" and "product growth" thing is an entire industry with crazy supply and demand. Do your research for "mobile app ad attribution" and you may find more!)
It falls on Apple to track this data. I would start here.
That page has instructions on how to manually find this data. If you need your program to access this data, I would start here with the apple developer API page for sales/trends data.