Mobile Measurement Platform: Definition and Benefits in App Tracking
Anyone working in app digital marketing knows how complex tracking performance has become since the introduction of iOS 14.5 and the latest privacy regulations. More often than not, teams find themselves in a sort of “no man’s land,” with IT departments, marketing teams, and tracking agencies struggling to coordinate effectively.
This is exactly where Mobile Measurement Platforms (MMPs) come into play: independent analytics tools that finally give you clarity on how and where to invest your advertising budget, allowing you to make strategic decisions with confidence.
What Are MMPs, Really?
A Mobile Measurement Platform is a tool built to accurately track the performance of mobile apps.
Think of it like this: you bake two different cakes for a family lunch. At the end of the day, you want to know which one everyone liked more, right? If you counted how many people chose each slice and listened to their feedback, you’d easily figure out which one to make next time. MMPs do the same thing for app campaigns—they show you which ads are bringing in the most users and driving the best results, so you can spend your budget where it actually makes a difference.
Core Components of MMPs
Mobile Measurement Platforms are built around four key components that make precise, in-depth analysis possible:
- Install Tracking: Using trackable links or monitoring codes, MMPs accurately identify the channel and campaign that led to an app install.
- Attribution: They pinpoint which ad campaigns actually drive conversions, ensuring every marketing dollar is credited to the right source.
- User Behavior Analysis: They log all in-app interactions—like sessions, duration, and conversions—giving you a clear picture of user habits.
- Unified Reporting: MMPs deliver comprehensive, easy-to-read reports, so even non-technical teams can quickly make sense of the data.
Why You Need an MMP
Without a Mobile Measurement Platform, you risk running into a series of challenges: fragmented data across multiple platforms, unclear attribution, and a blurry view of your ROI.
Many rely on Firebase Analytics, but while it’s a useful tool, it doesn’t cover all the bases—especially when it comes to accurately tracking the performance of your app advertising campaigns.
By adopting an MMP, you can:
- Optimize your ad campaigns by focusing on the most profitable channels.
- Gain deeper insights into user behavior and tailor the in-app experience accordingly.
- Boost your return on investment (ROI) by cutting waste and making more data-driven, precise strategic decisions.
Two Real-World Examples of MMPs in Action
GOSU and Airbridge (Gaming Sector): GOSU, a major mobile game publisher, faced significant challenges in accurately tracking traffic sources and preventing ad fraud. After switching to the Airbridge MMP, the company saw impressive results:
- 25% increase in revenue
- 35% reduction in advertising costs
- 45% growth in high-quality traffic
These improvements were made possible by leveraging Airbridge’s Funnel Report and advanced fraud prevention features, which helped GOSU optimize its campaigns and significantly improve traffic quality.
Offerwise and Singular: Offerwise, a global market research platform, migrated from Branch to Singular to gain better visibility into post-install data. With Singular, the company achieved:
- Tracking of over 10 in-app events, including registrations and survey completions
- 8 custom dashboards for data visualization and analysis
- A 10% diversification in marketing efforts, with tracking of both organic and non-paid campaigns
These enhancements enabled Offerwise to optimize its marketing and user acquisition strategies, gaining a more complete view of the user journey.
Which Platform Should You Choose?
In the world of MMPs, there are several solutions available—each with its own unique features. The main players on the market are AppsFlyer, Adjust, Branch, and Singular.
- AppsFlyer: Great for integrating with a wide range of third-party tools and offers advanced fraud protection systems. However, it comes with a relatively high price tag.
- Adjust: Highly focused on privacy-related challenges (such as SKAdNetwork support), though it may require a steeper learning curve to fully leverage its capabilities.
- Branch: Particularly strong in deep linking technologies and web-to-app integration, though its fraud prevention features aren’t as robust as those of other platforms.
- Singular: Combines app analytics with business intelligence tools. It’s a premium solution, but its advanced analytics features justify the cost.
To choose the platform that best fits your needs, consider a few key factors: your available budget, ease of integration with your current systems, the reliability of its fraud prevention tools, attribution accuracy, support for privacy compliance, and the clarity and quality of the reporting features. Evaluating these aspects will help you make a more informed decision aligned with your strategic goals.
Feature
AppsFlyer
Adjust
Branch
✅ Comprehensive, supports SKAdNetwork, multi-touch, and probabilistic models
✅ Comprehensive, with SKAdNetwork and multi-touch support
✅ Focused on deep linking and cross-platform attribution
✅ Full coverage, strong focus on SKAdNetwork and predictive models
Deep Linking
✅ Supported, but less advanced than Branch
✅ Supported, but not a core feature
✅ Market leader in deep linking and deferred deep linking
✅ Supported, with customizable features
Fraud Protection
✅ Advanced (Protect360), but may involve additional costs
✅ Built-in, with real-time protection
✅ Included for ad clients, but with limited capabilities
✅ Included in all plans, with no extra charges
✅ 12,000+ integrated partners, including Meta and Google Ads
✅ Broad support, with direct integrations with Meta and Google Ads
✅ Wide range of integrations, focused on marketing and analytics tools
✅ 1,000+ integrations, focused on cost aggregation and cross-channel data
✅ Raw data access via API, some features may require extra payment
✅ Unlimited raw data access included in plans
✅ Data access available, but with limited functionality
✅ Full raw data and API access included in all plans
💰 Mid-to-high pricing; some advanced features may have additional costs
💰 Competitive pricing; some advanced features may incur extra fees
💰 Flexible pricing; among the most affordable options, but with limited features
💰 Flexible pricing; based on ad spend or conversions, many features included
✅ Excellent, with dedicated onboarding and rich documentation
✅ Good, with dedicated support and online resources
⚠️ Limited support; some reports of challenges getting personalized assistance
✅ Excellent, with a 95% customer satisfaction rate (CSAT)
✅ GDPR and CCPA compliant, with advanced privacy tools
✅ GDPR and CCPA compliant, with secure infrastructure
✅ GDPR and CCPA compliant, with privacy management tools
✅ GDPR and CCPA compliant, focused on data transparency and control
✅ Advanced dashboards, though some features may require extra setup
✅ Intuitive dashboards with detailed analytics
⚠️ Less intuitive dashboards; some limitations in reporting capabilities
✅ Customizable dashboards with deep analysis and flexible reporting
Challenges and Common Misconceptions About MMPs
When evaluating a Mobile Measurement Platform, it’s important to keep a few critical—and often misunderstood—points in mind:
- More data doesn’t always mean better decisions: Collecting large volumes of data doesn’t automatically lead to smarter choices. In fact, too much information—if not properly filtered and interpreted—can create confusion rather than clarity. It’s essential to define which metrics truly matter and understand how to read them, so you don’t get lost in irrelevant or misleading data.
- Privacy and Compliance: Using an MMP means committing to strict compliance with regulations like GDPR. But it’s not just about avoiding fines—it’s about building a transparent and trustworthy relationship with users by respecting their right to privacy and data security. A good MMP also helps manage these aspects efficiently, keeping you in full control of your compliance strategy.
The Future of Mobile Measurement Platforms
MMPs are set to become even more essential in the digital landscape. As user tracking becomes increasingly fragmented and complex, adopting a Mobile Measurement Platform is what allows you to finally connect the dots—making sense of insights that would otherwise remain scattered across different channels.
Instead of relying on guesswork or partial solutions, a solid MMP creates a clear and consistent picture, enabling fast, data-driven marketing decisions.
In short, Mobile Measurement Platforms aren’t just analytics tools—they’re strategic partners that actively support marketing decisions and help businesses thrive in an ever more competitive and complex digital world.