To Understand Apple's iPhone/iPad tracking, look also to its iAds
By: Jeff Chester | Apr 21 2011
As Apple confronts its own iSpy moment, it's important to connect the digital data collection dots. Apple is heavily involved in mobile advertising, through its iAd network product. Apple acquired leading mobile ad network Quattro and then unveiled iAds. Apple informs advertisers they can obtain a range of user information, including:
Gain understanding beyond impressions.
iAd campaign reporting goes far beyond the standard measurements of exposure and clicks. You get in-depth information throughout the course of your campaign, including average time spent, pages viewed and unique visitor metrics.
We continually optimize your iAd targeting so that your ad performs for your goals throughout your campaign. In addition, a complete wrap-up report provides key insights into user engagement, performance and best practices based on overall network results. By understanding how users are engaging with your ad, you can learn new things about your audience to hone your marketing strategy.
Standard Metrics
- Impressions
- Taps and tap-through-rate
- Unique visits
- Average time spent
- Views and views per visit
- Interactions (videos viewed, games played etc.)
- Conversions and downloads
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Last year Apple received a patent for a new targeting system for its mobile devices, as well. They also sent an email to developers, according to Econsultancy (via Tech Crunch), about its " ViP (Verification of iTunes Purchase) program:
"The VIP program is aimed at app developers who use iPhone ads to drive downloads and purchases of their own apps. It will tie the ad directly into purchasing data from iTunes, letting app developers measure the conversion rate of ad impressions to downloads. As the slide indicates [below], this tracking is made possible with a “proprietary direct link from the ad to App Store” and once a “user downloads your app, they won’t ever see your ad again."
The FTC and Congress must do a better job protecting our mobile and location privacy.
