Attribution, incrementality, and MMM: The next-gen mobile marketing measurement triad

创建于2022/09/14 • 98,599 浏览量 • 3 分钟阅读

The Future of Mobile App Marketing Measurement: A Holistic Approach

In the rapidly changing world of mobile app marketing, accurate and insightful measurement remains a cornerstone. Traditional attribution models have long been the go-to for marketers, but with the advent of privacy changes and the increasing importance of aggregated data, there's a shift towards next-generation measurement methodologies. Let's delve into the synergy between incrementality, media mix modeling (MMM), and traditional attribution, and how they are reshaping mobile app marketing measurement.

The Three Pillars of Next-Gen Measurement

To build a comprehensive measurement suite that spans short-term insights to long-term strategic planning, app marketers are incorporating three key methods into their tech stacks:

Attribution: This involves matching the source of an install or specific event to the marketing efforts or channels responsible. It provides granular, real-time data that is crucial for immediate decision-making.
Incrementality Testing with Adjust's InSight: This next-gen tool assesses the measurable impact of marketing initiatives on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as installs or in-app purchases, compared to baseline organic performance.
Media Mix Modeling (MMM): MMM uses statistical analysis to forecast the impact of marketing initiatives on a company's return on investment (ROI). It considers external factors and offline activities alongside digital marketing efforts, providing a holistic view of marketing effectiveness.

Short-Term, Mid-Term, and Long-Term Optimization

These three measurement methods interact to optimize marketing strategies across different time frames:

Attribution provides immediate, actionable insights.
Incrementality helps fine-tune strategies in the mid-term by understanding the direct impact of new campaigns.
MMM supports long-term strategic planning by guiding budget allocation decisions based on comprehensive data analysis.

Implementing the Triangulation Approach

The triangulation method leverages each measurement technique at its most effective time frame, creating a robust, multi-faceted approach to marketing measurement. Here’s how it works in practice:

Attribution: Used for short-term measurement, it provides frequent, granular data in real-time. For instance, multi-touch attribution (MTA) tracks user interactions with ads and apps across various touchpoints, assigning value to each based on its contribution to the final conversion.
Incrementality Testing: Applied to mid-term strategies, it helps marketers understand the causal relationship between marketing efforts and conversions. This involves running controlled experiments to isolate the impact of specific campaigns.
MMM: Used for long-term strategic planning, MMM incorporates external factors such as competitor campaigns and offline marketing efforts. It helps answer questions about the broader impact of marketing initiatives and informs budget decisions.

Practical Example: User Acquisition Campaign

Imagine running a user acquisition campaign with multi-touch attribution. You track a user’s journey across multiple touchpoints—seeing an ad on Instagram, clicking a display ad on Google, and finally installing the app. With MTA, you can assign value to each touchpoint.

Now, by applying the triangulation method, you also consider external influences like a competitor’s campaign or your own offline marketing efforts. Incrementality testing helps determine the actual impact of these efforts, while MMM provides a comprehensive view that includes seasonality and other external factors.

From Half-Baked to Fully Executed Marketing Strategies

Think of the triangulation method as baking. While a recipe provides the foundation, external variables like altitude and oven temperature require adjustments. In marketing, MMM considers external factors, while incrementality testing adjusts internal strategies for optimal outcomes.

In both baking and marketing, the goal is optimization—whether it’s achieving a perfectly risen cake or the most effective use of an advertising budget. By integrating these next-gen measurement methodologies, mobile marketers can navigate privacy changes, optimize their efforts, and improve ROI.

Conclusion

Adapting to new measurement methodologies is crucial for staying competitive in mobile app marketing. By embracing a triangulation approach that combines attribution, incrementality, and MMM, marketers can make more informed decisions and optimize their strategies effectively. For more details on how Adjust can help integrate these methods into your mobile marketing strategy, consider requesting a demo.