What is a Postback?

A postback is a server-to-server message that sends attribution or conversion data from a mobile measurement partner (MMP) to an ad network or other advertising partner after a user completes a tracked action, such as an app install or in-app event.

In mobile marketing, postbacks help advertisers and ad networks measure campaign performance, track conversions, and optimize advertising campaigns based on attributed user actions.

When triggered, the install postback enables the media source to know which one received credit for producing an app installation. Advertisers can use the configuration options in postback methods to send limited data notifications to non-winning partners while promoting transparency in campaigns.

These postbacks from the media source alert the source to user actions that occur after installation, such as level completions and subscription purchases.

What Does Postback Mean?

It means sending information about a tracked user action from one system to another. In mobile attribution, a postback typically communicates information about an attributed install or an in-app event from an MMP to an advertising partner.

For example, when a user installs an app after interacting with an advertisement, the MMP can attribute the install and send a postback to the relevant advertising partner.

Types of Postbacks in Mobile Marketing

Install Postbacks

An install postback is sent after an app installation has been attributed to an advertising partner. It communicates attribution information to the relevant media source, helping the partner measure conversions and evaluate campaign performance.

In-App Event Postbacks

An in-app event postback communicates information about a user action that occurs after an app installation. Common examples include registrations, purchases, subscriptions, and other tracked in-app events. These postbacks help advertising partners measure post-install conversions and optimize campaigns.

How Does a Postback Work?

A typical mobile attribution postback flow involves the user, the app, an MMP, and an advertising partner. The process generally works as follows:

1. A user clicks or interacts with an advertisement and is directed to the app store.
2. The user installs and opens the app.
3. The app sends an install signal to the MMP.
4. The MMP attributes the install to a media source based on the available attribution data.
5. The MMP sends a postback to the relevant advertising partner with the applicable attribution or conversion information.
6. If the user completes tracked in-app events, additional postbacks can communicate those events to the relevant partner.

Postback Mechanism in SKAdNetwork

The postback mechanism operating in Apple’s SKAdNetwork system differs from the way standard postbacks work. In SKAN:

• Postbacks do not transmit personal user data to protect privacy standards.
• Conversion data is posted to the server in a single process while combining both installation metrics and application event metrics.
• The random post-install delay must remain longer than 24 hours to circumvent prompt user identification.

What Is an MMP Postback?

An MMP postback is a server-to-server notification sent by a mobile measurement partner (MMP) to an advertising partner after the MMP records or attributes an install or other tracked conversion event.

These allow advertising partners to receive relevant attribution and event information without requiring the MMP and advertising partner to directly access the same underlying user-level data.

Why Are Postbacks Important?

Postbacks function essentially for advertising campaign improvement while fighting fraud, alongside serving for precise billing accuracy. Here are three key benefits:

1. These enable advertisers to collect performance data, which they use to improve their advertising spend effectiveness.
2. The CPI and CPA billing models need precise invoicing, which is enabled through postbacks.
3. Postback install signals allow advertisers to develop remarketing audiences by retaining privacy through the concealment of personally identifiable information (PII).

Postbacks in Android vs. iOS (ATT Framework)

The introduction of the iOS 14.5 App Tracking Transparency framework by Apple has resulted in postback operations being divided into two distinct categories:

1. Android & iOS (consenting users): Traditional postback mechanisms with detailed event tracking.
2. iOS (non-consenting users – SKAdNetwork): Single, aggregated postbacks with limited event data.

For example, if a user sees a game advertisement will lead to a winning media source receiving the install postback, which includes attribution data. The media source obtains superior campaign optimization by generating multiple event postbacks during user completion of in-game events such as item purchases.

SKAdNetwork sends just one conversion value postback, which forces advertisers to precisely track events throughout the attribution window.

Advanced Postback Configurations

Advertisers run their postback settings to determine what information gets transmitted to their partners. Some advanced configurations include:

Multi-Touch Attribution Postbacks: Data on several advertising interactions that preceded conversions can be obtained using multi-touch attribution postbacks.

Delayed Postbacks: The security measure of delayed postbacks operates as a fraud detection tool through its mechanism of postponing postback data transmission.

Custom Conversion Mapping: Assigns different weightage to various in-app events for better ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) measurement.

Postback Use Cases in Mobile Advertising

Campaign Performance Measurement

Postbacks help advertisers and advertising partners measure installs, conversions, and other tracked in-app events associated with campaigns.

Campaign Optimization

Event and conversion information received through postbacks can be used to evaluate campaign performance and support optimization decisions.

Conversion Reporting

Postbacks allow relevant conversion information to be communicated between an MMP and advertising partners for reporting and measurement.

Fraud Monitoring

Postback data can be analyzed alongside other attribution signals to identify discrepancies and potentially suspicious traffic or conversion patterns.

Common Postback Challenges

Postbacks maintain their core importance but bring disadvantages through datasets that do not match up accurately and present security challenges together with fraud vulnerabilities. Several methods exist to optimize operations as follows:

Privacy Restrictions

Privacy frameworks can limit the amount of user-level attribution information available to advertisers and advertising partners.

Postback Delays

Delays in receiving or processing postbacks can affect how quickly campaign performance information becomes available for optimization.

Attribution Discrepancies

Differences in attribution rules, event definitions, reporting windows, or data processing can result in discrepancies between platforms.

Fraud and Data Quality

Invalid traffic, fraudulent activity, or inconsistent event data can affect the accuracy and reliability of postback-based reporting.

Postback Best Practices

1. Use secure server-to-server communication.
2. Keep event and conversion definitions consistent across platforms.
3. Monitor attribution and reporting discrepancies regularly.
4. Validate postback data and partner integrations.
5. Follow applicable privacy and platform requirements.
6. Use fraud detection and traffic-quality controls where available.

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