Tracking User Acquisition Channels Without an MMP

Jake C. · 2024-12-13T07:23:23.439Z

We want to track the acquisition channels of users who install our app for the first time and complete the sign-up process. However, since we are not currently using an MMP (Mobile Measurement Partner), we are exploring alternative methods to track acquisition channels without relying on an MMP.

To track acquisition channels for first-time app installs and sign-ups without using a Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP), you have a few options with Mixpanel. Here's what you can do: 1. For Android: Google provides a Play Install Referrer Library that allows you to track where your installations came from. You can use the getInstallReferrer() method to retrieve the referrer URL string, parse it, and send that data to Mixpanel as properties in events Traffic Attribution: Analyze your marketing channels.2. For iOS: Unfortunately, the Apple App Store strips attribution data when users enter the store. However, you can implement a workaround by tracking UTM parameters: - Implement last-touch UTM tracking on your website or landing pages that lead to the App Store. This will allow you to capture the most recent acquisition channel before the user reaches the App Store. - When the user opens the app for the first time and completes the sign-up process, send these UTM parameters as properties along with your "Sign Up" event to Mixpanel. You can use code similar to the following to implement last-touch UTM tracking Last-Touch UTM tracking:

     var campaign_keywords = 'utm_source utm_medium utm_campaign utm_content utm_term'.split(' ')
     , kw = ''
     , last_params = {};LBKS     for (var i = 0; i < campaign_keywords.length; ++i) {
       kw = getQueryParam(document.URL, campaign_keywords[i]);
       if (kw.length) {
         last_params[campaign_keywords[i] + ' [last touch]'] = kw;
       }
     }LBKS     mixpanel.people.set(last_params);
     mixpanel.register(last_params);
   }LBKS   campaignParams();
   
```LBKSLBKS3. Server-side tracking: 
   Implement server-side tracking to ensure you capture all events accurately. This is especially important as client-side tracking can lose between 15% and 30% of events due to adblockers and browser restrictions <https://docs.mixpanel.com/docs/what-to-track|What to Track>.LBKS4. Custom implementation: 
   You can create a custom solution by generating a unique identifier for each marketing campaign or channel. When a user clicks on a campaign link, store this identifier in a cookie or local storage. When the user opens the app and signs up, retrieve this identifier and send it along with the "Sign Up" event to Mixpanel.LBKSRemember to include relevant properties with your "Sign Up" event, such as: 
- Source (e.g., Referral, Organic, Paid)
- Country
- OS (e.g., iOS, Android)LBKSBy implementing these methods, you can track acquisition channels for first-time app installs and sign-ups without relying on an MMP. However, keep in mind that this approach may not be as comprehensive as using a dedicated MMP, especially for more advanced attribution scenarios.

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