Measurement and attribution
What is a postback in mobile marketing?
Short answer
A postback is a server-to-server message that reports an app install or an in-app event, such as a purchase, to an ad network or to your own server. When it goes to your own server, it’s usually called a webhook. Postbacks are often signed, so the receiver can check they are genuine.
How it fits together
An ad network adds a click ID to its link. When the install or event happens, the measurement tool sends a postback with that click ID back to the network, which learns which of its ads worked and can adjust its bidding. MMPs use postbacks to tell ad networks which installs they drove. The message itself is usually a small HTTP request with a few fields, such as the click ID, the event name and a timestamp.
Receiving them safely
Check the signature on every postback before you trust it. Ignore repeats of an event you’ve already recorded, and answer quickly so the sender doesn’t retry. Keep the raw payload, because questions about a number usually come weeks later.
On Appy, postbacks and webhooks are part of the Enterprise plan.
Related terms
- Mobile attribution
Mobile attribution is working out which ad, campaign or link brought an app install or an in-app action, such as a sign-up or a purchase. It can be deterministic, based on a click ID, the install referrer or the link that opened the app, or probabilistic, based on statistical matching.
- Install referrer
The install referrer is the referrer value from a Google Play link, which Google Play passes to your app after installation through the Play Install Referrer API. The app reads it once on first run, and it stays available for 90 days. It gives deterministic install attribution on Android; the App Store has no equivalent.
One link for every phone
Create a free smart link and QR code that sends iPhones to the App Store, Android phones to Google Play and desktops to your website.