In cases where an Ad Network or campaign source is not integrated and certified with Apsalar, we can often support the source with our generic Attribution Tracking Tags. Using these generic tags, non-certified Ad Networks can insert the required values into the click URL, generally using their own ad server macros.
Note: the following article and examples can be applied to Apsalar SmartTags as well. Any parameters added to a modified Attribution Tracking Tag can be appended to an Apsalar SmartTag. For more information or any questions, please reach out to support.
Here is an example of an iOS specific generic Attribution Tracking Tag with all available options:
Tags for iOS should contain one or more of the following parameters:
Tags for Android should contain one or more of the following parameters:
For example, if this were your default generic Attribution Tracking Tag:
You would alter the tag to the following for compatibility with your internal campaign:
Please note for Android campaigns: Tags without device ID information rely on the Android install_referrer method and pass referrer information through the Google Play store. Please ensure that your Android application has been properly configured for attribution tracking. See our Integrating the Android SDK Guide for more information.
Note: the following article and examples can be applied to Apsalar SmartTags as well. Any parameters added to a modified Attribution Tracking Tag can be appended to an Apsalar SmartTag. For more information or any questions, please reach out to support.
Generating a Generic Attribution Tracking Tag
To generate a generic Attribution Tracking Tag, please visit the Attribution Tracking Tag page for your Apsalar account. For more information about creating attribution tracking tags, please see our Attribution Tracking Tag and Campaign article.Modifying a Generic Attribution Tracking Tag
Below are descriptions of the parameters necessary for iOS, Android, and/or all generic Attribution Tracking Tags. Please be sure to read through all applicable sections to ensure proper configuration of your generic Attribution Tracking Tag. Only parameters with bracketed values, e.g. [ENTER VALUE HERE], may be altered. Altering any other parameter will disrupt proper attribution tracking and skew your attribution data.For all Generic Attribution Tracking Tags
These parameters are available for all generic Attribution Tracking Tags:
- s : Source site or application of the click - Recommended
- cl : Ad Network click ID to be included in a postback. - Recommended
- ip : IP address of the device - Recommended
- cr : Creative name - Optional
- wd : Ad width - Optional
- ht : Ad height - Optional
- pb_d : Optional - An HTTP encoded postback URI using defined Apsalar macros for any required passthrough parameters. The macros for these parameters are simply the indicated parameter above enclosed in curly brackets; for example, the Ad Network click ID macro is {cl}. This URI will be fired when an installation is attributed to the click. Ad Networks usually require this postback be included. Here's an example of a postback URI before encoding:
http://server.domain.com/download/tracker?aid=Apsalar&our_click_id={cl}
Here is the same postback URI encoded and included in a generic Attribution Tracking Tag:http://ad.apsalar.com/api/v1/ad?ca=Campaign_Name&an=Campaign_Name&a=Account_Name&i=com.app.name&p=Android&s=App_Name&pl=Group_Name&andi=9f6747c4a1be84bf&cid=61237&pb_d=http%3A%2F%2Fserver.domain.com%2Fdownload%2Ftracker%3Faid%3DApsalar%26our_click_id%3D%7Bcl%7D&h=230945665127af9d93568b3e226ea996ef075636
Additional Parameters For iOS Generic Attribution Tracking Tags
Here is an example of an iOS specific generic Attribution Tracking Tag with all available options:
http://ad.apsalar.com/api/v1/ad?a=SampleUser&i=com.apsalar.SampleApp&ca=Sample+Campaign+2&an=SampleCampaignSource&p=iOS&pl=SampleGroup&udid=[ENTER RAW UDID]&udi5=[ENTER MD5 UDID]&idfa=[ENTER RAW IDFA]&odin=[ENTER ODIN1]&mac1=[ENTER SHA1 MAC IN UPPERCASE WITH COLONS]&udi1=[ENTER SHA1 UDID]&ifa1=[ENTER SHA1 IDFA]&pb_d=[ENTER ENCODED HTTP POSTBACK HERE]&s=[ENTER PUBLISHER SOURCE APP NAME]&cl=[AD NETWORK CLICK ID]h=b784faeb71959020a73047940919caa914bf4916
Tags for iOS should contain one or more of the following parameters:
- idfa : Unhashed iOS Advertiser Identifier - Recommended
- ifa1 : SHA-1 of the iOS Advertiser Identifier - Recommended
- mac1 : SHA-1 of the MAC address - Recommended
- mac5 : MD5 of the MAC address - Recommended
- odin : MD5 of the binary of the MAC address - Recommended
- udid : Unhashed UDID
- udi1 : SHA-1 of the UDID
- udi5 : MD5 of the UDID
http://ad.apsalar.com/api/v1/ad?ca=Campaign_Name&an=Campaign_Name&a=Account_Name&i=com.app.name&p=iOS&s=Source_App_Name&pl=Group_Name&h=230945665127af9d93568b3e226ea996ef075636&udid=a81409ff1254b81c55cb7742e43173fa63f937c2&idfa=765D6E32-04F2-45B5-9D7F-6AAFA64F5B52
Additional Parameters For Android Generic Attribution Tracking Tags
Here's an example of an Android generic Attribution Tracking Tag:
http://ad.apsalar.com/api/v1/ad?a=SampleUser&i=com.apsalar.SampleApp&ca=Sample+Campaign&an=SampleCampaignSource&p=Android&pl=1&andi=[ENTER RAW ANDROID_ID]&and1=[ENTER SHA1 ANDROID_ID]&pb_d=[ENTER ENCODED HTTP POSTBACK HERE]&s=[ENTER PUBLISHER SOURCE APP NAME]&cl=[ENTER AD NETWORK CLICK ID]&h=57977bee2f98a0a77e8c2430e77bdfcfdc43834d
Tags for Android should contain one or more of the following parameters:
- aifa : unhashed Google Advertising ID - Recommended
- aif1 : SHA-1 of Google Advertising ID - Recommended
http://ad.apsalar.com/api/v1/ad?ca=Campaign_Name&an=Campaign_Name&a=Account_Name&i=com.app.name&p=Android&s=App_Name&pl=Group_Name&h=230945665127af9d93568b3e226ea996ef075636&aifa=42b83977-b797-4321-8a95-8d7621dc9a75
Modifying a Generic Attribution Tracking Tag For an Internal Campaign
Attribution Tracking Tags can be created that will use Apsalar's fingerprinting solution to track attributions from the designated campaign source when the source does not have the structure in place to support device information. To modify a generic Attribution Tracking Tag for this type of solution, all customizable parameters must be removed.For example, if this were your default generic Attribution Tracking Tag:
http://ad.apsalar.com/api/v1/ad?a=SampleUser&i=com.apsalar.SampleApp&ca=Sample+Campaign+2&an=SampleCampaignSource&p=iOS&pl=SampleGroup&udid=[ENTER RAW UDID]&udi5=[ENTER MD5 UDID]&idfa=[ENTER RAW IDFA]&odin=[ENTER ODIN1]&mac1=[ENTER SHA1 MAC IN UPPERCASE WITH COLONS]&udi1=[ENTER SHA1 UDID]&ifa1=[ENTER SHA1 IDFA]&pb_d=[ENTER ENCODED HTTP POSTBACK HERE]&s=[ENTER PUBLISHER SOURCE APP NAME]&cl=[AD NETWORK CLICK ID]h=b784faeb71959020a73047940919caa914bf4916
You would alter the tag to the following for compatibility with your internal campaign:
http://ad.apsalar.com/api/v1/ad?a=SampleUser&i=com.apsalar.SampleApp&ca=Sample+Campaign+2&an=SampleCampaignSource&p=iOS&pl=SampleGroup&h=b784faeb71959020a73047940919caa914bf4916
Please note for Android campaigns: Tags without device ID information rely on the Android install_referrer method and pass referrer information through the Google Play store. Please ensure that your Android application has been properly configured for attribution tracking. See our Integrating the Android SDK Guide for more information.
Testing Modified Generic Attribution Tracking Tags
To test modified Attribution Tracking Tags, complete these steps with an iOS or Android test device connected to WiFi or 3G:- From the test device, click the tracking tag. This can be done by emailing the link to the the device and clicking from the email client.
- Download and then launch the application.
- Validate a click and download have been registered in the Referral Traffic Report, found in the User Acquisition Report.