Data Collection Methods

Last updated January 10, 2024

Airbridge draws upon an extensive set of data to help you measure ad performance. This dataset primarily consists of three types of information: touchpoints, conversions, and identifiers.

Read on to learn how Airbridge collects touchpoint and conversion data. For more details on the identifiers, refer to this article.

Reconstructing the User Journey

Airbridge collects touchpoint and conversion data, ideally associated with the same device identifier, to reconstruct the user journey. Then, it uses the information to determine the winning touchpoint.

A user journey consists of a series of user interactions with advertisements and the resulting business outcomes. The ad interactions are referred to as touchpoints, and the business outcomes as conversions.

A touchpoint is any interaction between a user and an advertisement. Impressions and clicks are the two essential examples of touchpoints.

Each player in the mobile marketing ecosystem has its own definition of touchpoints. For example, one ad channel might only count an impression when an ad plays for at least 10 seconds, whereas another might consider 3 seconds sufficient.

Some touchpoints are uniquely defined and supported by ad channels. Examples include the "Engaged View" supported by Meta ads and Google Ads, as well as the "Engaged View-through" supported by TikTok For Business.

A conversion is a desired business outcome resulting from advertisements. It generally takes place within your app or website. App installs, purchases, and subscriptions are some common examples of conversions.

Airbridge categorizes conversions into Target Events and Subsequent Events. Target Events include App Install, Deeplink Open, and Deeplink Pageview. Subsequent Events are conversions that are not Target Events and that take place within a defined timeframe after a Target Event.

Collecting touchpoint data

Airbridge uses various methods to collect touchpoint data from ad channels, including self-attributing networks (SANs) such as Meta Business and Google Ads. As shown in the table below, the reporting method varies depending on the data source.

`#{"width":"140px"}`	`#{"width":"180px"}` Tracking Links	`#{"width":"180px"}` SANs' APIs	`#{"width":"180px"}` Airbridge Web SDK
Data Collector	Airbridge	SANs’ APIs	Airbridge
Data Source	Integrated Channels except for SANs; Custom Channels	SANs’ APIs	Your website
Reporting Process	Touchpoint data from ad channels is sent to the Airbridge server.	When notified of a Target Event by Airbridge, SANs report back details of any relevant clicks or impressions via API.	Touchpoint data from your website is sent to the Airbridge server.
Pre-Setup	Use Airbridge to create tracking links for both Integrated and Custom Channels	Activate the SAN integration with Airbridge	Integrate the Airbridge Web SDK to your website

Airbridge also parses UTM parameters and maps query string parameters to URLs to collect touchpoint data. These make it easier for you to migrate tracking links created via platforms other than Airbridge.

Collecting conversion data

Airbridge uses various methods to collect conversion data from your app and website. As shown in the table below, the reporting method varies depending on the data source.

`#{"width":"140px"}`	`#{"width":"180px"}` Airbridge App SDK	`#{"width":"180px"}` Airbridge Web SDK	`#{"width":"180px"}` Server-to-Server Event API
Data Collector	Airbridge	Airbridge	Your app and/or web server
Data Source	Your Airbridge-integrated app	Your Airbridge-integrated website	Your Event API-enabled app and/or website
Collected Event	In-app events	In-web events	Events difficult to collect in the app or on the web (e.g., subscription renewal)
Used in Airbridge for	Mobile app attribution (as Target Events and Subsequent Events)	Web attribution	Mobile app and web attribution
Pre-Setup	Integrate the Airbridge App SDK to your app	Integrate the Airbridge Web SDK to your website	Configure events to be tracked and recorded

For more details on the events you can measure with Airbridge, refer to this article.

Was this helpful?

Any questions or suggestions?

`#{"width":"140px"}`	`#{"width":"180px"}` Tracking Links	`#{"width":"180px"}` SANs' APIs	`#{"width":"180px"}` Airbridge Web SDK
Data Collector	Airbridge	SANs’ APIs	Airbridge
Data Source	Integrated Channels except for SANs; Custom Channels	SANs’ APIs	Your website
Reporting Process	Touchpoint data from ad channels is sent to the Airbridge server.	When notified of a Target Event by Airbridge, SANs report back details of any relevant clicks or impressions via API.	Touchpoint data from your website is sent to the Airbridge server.
Pre-Setup	Use Airbridge to create tracking links for both Integrated and Custom Channels	Activate the SAN integration with Airbridge	Integrate the Airbridge Web SDK to your website

`#{"width":"140px"}`	`#{"width":"180px"}` Airbridge App SDK	`#{"width":"180px"}` Airbridge Web SDK	`#{"width":"180px"}` Server-to-Server Event API
Data Collector	Airbridge	Airbridge	Your app and/or web server
Data Source	Your Airbridge-integrated app	Your Airbridge-integrated website	Your Event API-enabled app and/or website
Collected Event	In-app events	In-web events	Events difficult to collect in the app or on the web (e.g., subscription renewal)
Used in Airbridge for	Mobile app attribution (as Target Events and Subsequent Events)	Web attribution	Mobile app and web attribution
Pre-Setup	Integrate the Airbridge App SDK to your app	Integrate the Airbridge Web SDK to your website	Configure events to be tracked and recorded

Data Collection Methods

Reconstructing the User Journey

User journey

Touchpoints

Conversions

Collecting touchpoint data

Collecting conversion data

Data Collection Methodsself.__wrap_n!=1&&self.__wrap_b("_R_4ilubt5upfcqbsnjb_",0.5)

Reconstructing the User Journey

User journey

Touchpoints

Conversions

Collecting touchpoint data

Collecting conversion data

Data Collection Methods