API Attribution

How API Attribution Works with Affise MMP

Affise MMP’s API attribution is designed to handle integration scenarios where SDK implementation is not possible. The process generally follows these steps:

1. Application Setup – You add your mobile app to the Affise MMP platform and obtain an Attribution API-key.

2. Click Tracking – Your ad partners send click data to Affise MMP via tracking links that include unique identifiers (e.g., click_id, campaign_id).

3. Server-Side Event Postback – When a user installs the app or completes an in-app event, your server sends a POST request to Affise MMP’s API endpoint with the relevant user and event data.

4. Attribution Decision – Affise MMP matches the event data with the corresponding click data to determine whether the install or event was organic or non-organic (attributed to a specific campaign).

5. Data Export – You can retrieve raw data (clicks, installs, events, conversions) via the Affise MMP API for further analysis in your analytics systems.

Affise MMP provides dedicated API endpoints for different purposes:

Key Benefits of API Attribution

1. Greater Accuracy

Server-to-server communication eliminates the variability of client-side data collection, ensuring that attribution data is reliably delivered.

2. Privacy Compliance

API attribution aligns with evolving privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA) and platform restrictions (Apple ATT, SKAdNetwork) by minimizing client-side data collection and supporting privacy-centric frameworks.

3. No SDK Required

API attribution works without embedding an SDK in your app—ideal for web-to-app conversions, server-side event tracking, or scenarios where SDK integration is technically or operationally challenging.

4. Full Data Control

With server-side API attribution, you maintain full control over what data is sent and when, enabling advanced fraud protection and custom business logic.

5. Flexibility and Scalability

Affise MMP’s API attribution integrates with major ad networks, DSPs, and analytics platforms, supporting both deterministic and probabilistic attribution models.

When to Use API Attribution (No SDK)

Affise MMP offers API attribution to cover integration scenarios where it is not possible to integrate the SDK. Common use cases include:

• Web-to-App Conversions – Tracking users who convert from a web campaign to a mobile app install.

• Server-Side Event Tracking – Sending in-app events from your backend servers when SDK integration is not feasible.

• Third-Party Integrations – Connecting with ad networks or partners that prefer server-to-server data exchange.

• Legacy or Custom Apps – Working with applications where SDK integration is technically impossible.

• Privacy-Sensitive Environments – Minimizing client-side data collection to comply with strict privacy policies.

How to Set Up API Attribution in Affise MMP

Setting up API attribution in Affise MMP is straightforward:

1. Add Your Application – Navigate to Attribution > Applications and add your app. You will need to specify the SDK secret key and App ID.

2. Obtain Your API Key – Go to Attribution > Tools to find your API keys. You can add up to three API keys for integrations.

3. Configure Attribution Settings – In the application settings, you can:

   • Enable probabilistic attribution for privacy-compliant tracking.

   • Set lookback windows for click and view-through attribution.

   • Configure postback URLs for sending conversion data to partners.

4. Implement Server-Side Postbacks – Use the Affise MMP API to send install and event data from your servers. The API expects a POST request with a JSON payload containing:

   • uuid – Unique identifier for each postback

   • created_time – Timestamp of the event in milliseconds

   • affise_app_id – Your application ID in Affise

   • affise_pkg_app_name – Package name in the app store

   • affise_app_token – Postback signature for authentication

   • affise_device_id – User’s unique device identifier

   • Additional parameters like referrer, first_open_time, etc.

5. Test and Validate – Before going live, test click tracking, install attribution, postback delivery, and in-app event reporting.

API Attribution vs. SDK Attribution