The truth about tracking

mFortune’s Affiliate Manager, Victor Stinga discusses tracking challenges and solutions across the three main mobile platforms: Java, Android and iOS

Tracking is invaluable to affiliates when promoting brands, but the technicalities and accuracy of mobile tracking is shrouded in mystery. Despite the rapid rise in popularity of mobile casino games, many affiliates remain cautious; fearing they won’t be able to reliably track leads and potential revenue from mobile games. Concerns include tracking transparency, accurate player tagging and cookie expiration. Solutions to these, and many other issues are now being overcome, thanks to ongoing developments. While online tracking is relatively simple, mobile is made more complicated by the fragmentation across Android, iOS, RIM and feature phones, as well as the various types of native and HTML5 apps. As cookies can’t be used to track native apps, it’s commonly (and incorrectly) believed that mobile tracking is entirely impossible. However, cookies do work on HTML 5 apps and there are also alternative tracking solutions available for native apps.

How mobile tracking works 

Tracking cookies can be used on a web page, before downloading an app, and can be set to expire after a given period. In the past, affiliates have expressed concern about the clearing of cookies but modern mobile browsers are now set to save cookies until the user manually deletes them, as is the case with online browsers. Once an app has been downloaded, it’s linked to the referring affiliate. Whenever the player chooses to open an account, the app will remain linked to this affiliate, even if there’s a delay between app download and account opening – a huge bonus for affiliates. If a player revisits the website from the same mobile browser or device (or online browser or computer), tracking identification can be saved or overwritten, depending on the individual affiliate programme terms, unless the app has already been downloaded. If a player decides to change their mobile device (or switch online browser or computer), the player is treated as a new visitor and can be tagged to another affiliate, unless they already have account linked to an affiliate. As mentioned earlier, the fragmentation of the mobile market is reflected in a variety of mobile tracking solutions. Although each platform has a unique way of tracking apps, the end result is very similar.

Java tracking

Feature phones, including Blackberrys, are Java-based devices. With the exception of the newer Blackberry models, the browser used is basic and only suitable for native apps. To be tracked, every downloaded app needs to be assigned a unique identification; this identification can then also be linked to the traffic source. One method is to request that a new player inserts their mobile phone number before downloading – the phone number being the unique identification required, and is then linked to the account when the new player registers. A drawback of this method is that it takes players slightly longer to reach the game playing stage, but it does have a 100% tracking success rate.

Android tracking

Android is the dominant mobile operating system and, thankfully, provides an easy way to track apps. It’s worth noting that the Java tracking system can also be used for Android apps. However, a few years ago, a better solution was introduced: the URL used for the download is parsed to the app, and later accessed in order to link the account to the referral. This solution is very straightforward, as players can download an app just by clicking a button. Android also supports HTML5 apps, which can be easily tracked by using cookies.

iOS tracking 

In addition to its sleek native apps, iOS offers a seamless user-experience capability within HTML 5 apps. A player can simply add an app to their homescreen and play it in full-screen view, without browser borders. The quality canbe such that it’s almost impossible to differentiate between an HTML 5 app and a native app. When it comes to tracking, these HTML 5 apps can be tracked by cookies alone. Native apps on iOS are, unfortunately, more problematic when it comes to tracking. Currently there isn’t a definitive solution to tracking native iOS apps with 100% accuracy. Therefore, HTML 5 apps are widely considered to be the best option for affiliates, in terms of reliable tracking data.