What is Attribution?

Attribution is the process of identifying which marketing action (like an ad click or impression) led to a user installing an app or completing another valuable action.

In mobile growth, it’s what answers the question:

“Where did this user come from?”

For example, if a user sees a TikTok ad, clicks it, and installs your app, attribution is the logic that connects that install back to the TikTok campaign. This link is what lets marketers understand which channels, creatives, and strategies are driving results.

How does it work?

Attribution platforms collect signals from multiple sources:

• Click or impression data from ad networks

• In-app events from your SDK or backend

• System frameworks like SKAdNetwork or the Android Install Referrer

They then apply logic to match an install or event to the most likely source. Depending on the platform and privacy settings, attribution can be:

• Deterministic (based on unique identifiers like IDFA or email)

• Probabilistic (based on device signals like IP, OS version, and timestamp)

• SKAN-based (using aggregated postbacks without any user IDs)

The result is a structured report showing which campaign drove each user or conversion, often in near real time.

Why it matters

Attribution is foundational for any performance-driven app. It allows teams to:

• Evaluate which campaigns are bringing in high-value users

• Calculate ROAS, CAC, and LTV by channel

• Make informed decisions about where to spend and where to stop

Without attribution, app growth becomes a matter of guesswork. With it, you can tie actions to outcomes and scale what works.