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SKAdNetwork 4.0 FAQ

By September 1, 2022News & Updates 10 Min Read

What effects will v4.0 have on mobile advertising?

Every mobile marketer knows that SKAdNetwork has proven challenging, but that doesn’t mean it’s indomitable. 

Since its debut at WWDC 2022, SKAdNetwork 4.0 promises triple the conversion postbacks, more data insights, and chances to improve marketing performance. Adapting to the new changes will be tricky for even the most experienced marketers – know our team is here to help. We have compiled some of the most frequently asked questions to keep you in the know on what you should be thinking about.

For additional information, watch our free on-demand webinar with Kochava experts.

SKAdNetwork Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General Questions about SKAdNetwork 4.0

 

Question: “With SKAdNetwork 4.0, will I be able to get the postbacks for first-time users all the time or is it still linked to privacy thresholds?”

Conversion data will still be tied to crowd anonymity being met. Having said that, we think there are now multiple levels of crowd anonymity that will lead to greater data and visibility of your consumers’ activities.

Question: “What updates can be expected for privacy thresholding?”

Privacy thresholding will be a multi-tier crowd anonymity scale (low, medium, high) starting with SKAdNetwork 4.0. The exact threshold count per tier is unknown. 

Question: “How is crowd anonymity defined? What are low, medium, and high? 

Apple has not defined the thresholds for their “crowd anonymity” cutoff amounts between low, medium, and high. If their undefined “null” values in SKAdNetwork 3.0 and below indicate the future, Apple may never make those thresholds public. 

Question: “How will this update affect campaign IDs?”

A 4-digit Source Identifier will take the place of Campaign ID, which is being deprecated. There is always access to the last two digits. The third and fourth digits will be released based on crowd anonymity. Due to the increased capability, Apple has changed the term “campaign ID” to “source ID.”

Question: “Is the new SKAdNetwork 4.0 update allowing more campaigns per title?

No. Because of crowd anonymity levels, the additional digits included in the source id don’t always come through in a postback. Unless you are comfortable not matching your campaign ID until you reach either medium or high anonymity tiers, it’s not a viable option to increase the number of campaigns past 100 concurrent campaigns.

That said, the expansion of their ‘sourceId’ reporting will result in more insight into campaign and cohort performance.

Question: “Will the conversion value postback model be updated with SKAdNetwork 4.0?”

Yes. SKAdNetwork 4.0 will permit advertisers to receive up to three postbacks instead of the previous one. The period for each following postback will increase from 0-2 days for the first postback to 3-7 days for the second and 8-35 days for the third. 

Question: “What are the differences between the current conversion value and the coarse value for media optimization?”

The introduction of the coarse-grained conversion value will be an additional attribute of the user’s activity. While not as insightful as the “fine-grained value,” it is another directional feedback point for marketing optimization. Bottom line, the coarse conversion values are better than the current (likely) null values that offer no insight into the user action(s).

Question: “Will web-to-app attribution be probabilistic or deterministic?” 

With SKAdNetwork 4.0, Apple has expanded its attribution coverage to web-to-app and will deterministically derive web-to-app attribution while remaining subject to the same anonymized, delayed protocols in app-to-app conversion flows.

Question: “Will Apple enforce rules against fingerprinting?”

It is generally agreed that enforcement is nuanced. If Apple chooses, the more likely route could reduce the match and targeting integrity of IP-based logic through the expansion of IP relay.  We expect them to do so at some point. Once they do, platforms that use fingerprinting for identity resolution will immediately lose the iOS-targeted inventory currently available to advertisers targeting audiences. Again and to be clear, fingerprinting is against Apple policies, and we are committed to providing solutions in-line with Apple’s policies, not workarounds.

Question: “What ad platforms, in the event of fingerprinting enforcement, will benefit more from 4.0 than 3.0?”

The short answer is “all” – the v4.0 enhancements will benefit every product that has embraced SKAdNetwork utilization. Fingerprinting in conjunction with SKAdNetwork is strictly forbidden per Apple policy.

Questions about Kochava Support for SKAdNetwork 4.0

Question: “Will a Kochava SDK update be required for iOS apps wanting to use SKAdNetwork 4.0?” 

Yes. A software development kit (SDK) update will be required across any mobile measurement partner (MMP) that handles updating the conversion value. This is because Apple has consolidated the SKAdNetwork APIs in v4.0. Kochava will make all the necessary updates – meaning a code-free implementation for your developers. Once the new version of the Kochava iOS SDK is available, we will notify all clients.

Question: “What will change from current data reporting?”

Our initial product updates to support SKAdNetwork 4.0 will primarily focus on ensuring you continue receiving all data, whether it is v4.0 or a previous SKAdNetwork version. As we see the v4.0 data and validate some key assumptions, we will begin to zero in on the correct data visualization and delivery methods that best connect with your marketing goals and KPIs. 

Question: “Will 3.0 metrics be recorded in 4.0 if we upgrade our Kochava SDK, but the ad network has not updated its backend?”

We anticipate that the v4.0 migration/adoption curve will be lengthy and provide some difficulties in terms of data consumption. As long as the Apple threshold was reached (null otherwise), we anticipate obtaining a “campaign ID” result rather than a “source ID” value if the supply side has not at least integrated. The new “coarse” conversion values will automatically be used if you have updated our latest Kochava iOS SDK supporting SKAdNetwork 4.0.

Question: Will there be any enhancements or improvements in Kochava’s SKAdNetwork tracking dashboard?” 

Yes. Kochava sees v4.0 as an opportunity to reevaluate our offering and enhance what we already deliver to customers. Our initial actions aim to ensure we collect every v4.0 record as soon as it starts flowing. This will require a lightweight release to the SDK and UI, followed by enhancements that better utilize and display SKAdNetwork data and insights.

Question: “Can the ad networks alter the data an MMP receives based on their internal modeling?”

An MMP can’t recognize when what is sent by the ad network is different than what Apple sent. So yes, values can be altered, albeit we are unaware of any integrated partners modifying the postbacks. 

For this reason, we encourage advertisers to identify Kochava to receive a copy of the SKAdNetwork postback – functionality Apple introduced in iOS15 and planned to expand in iOS16. 

Question: “Will Kochava release any guidance/prep checklist for S2S clients?”

We plan to, yes! Additionally, the Kochava support team is happy to provide custom consultations. 

Couldn’t find the answer you were looking for?

If you’re not currently a customer, contact us. If you already use Kochava, please contact your Client Success Manager or email support@kochava.com for questions.

Want to learn more about SKAdNetwork 4.0? Check out our free on-demand webinar and blog!