Minimum set of analytical tools when launching a new app
When a new application is launching, an important aspect is user behavior analytics. First, this data allows you to optimize the application itself, screens, funnels, and elements, to be convenient for users’ interaction.
In addition, without users, the application itself does not make sense, and attracting traffic is the next step after creating the application. And most often, this is paid or conditionally paid traffic that we can manage.
Analytical tools most often solve two main blocks of tasks:
— User behavior within the application
— Evaluation of the effectiveness of advertising campaigns
In this article, I don’t compare all the tools on the market. I talk about those that we use in our work.
User behavior analysis for app
When we launched the application, it seemed to us that users were comfortable using it. But this may be a misconception. Or, if we want to add some new functionality to the application, we need to understand how users perceive it. Most often, if the application brings money, there is a specific funnel, from opening the application to the fact of purchase.
Firebase
https://firebase.google.com/docs/analytics
Firebase is a shareware tool that integrates with Google Analytics and Google BigQuery (to get raw data). It is a market standard.
Allows you to solve many tasks related to analyzing user behavior within the application, building funnels, segment intersections, and analyzing user cohorts.
It also has a report builder and the ability to run simple a/b tests. Also, Firebase has many tools to help develop a mobile application and hosting.
In addition, a simple way to get raw data allows you to build your custom analytics or automation based on the Google Cloud Platform.
In my opinion, you should install this tool in the app.
Amplitude
Amplitude is a user behavior analytics tool with more functionality than Firebase in terms of reporting.
Many product analysts use the capabilities of Amplitude to solve problems in behavior analysis. There is real-time analytics, the ability to build complex funnels, and user segmentation. ML algorithms are used to generate insights and recommendations.
But unlike Firebase, getting raw data is much more complex. In addition, the tool is somewhat complicated, and it will take time to learn it.
Flurry solutions from Yahoo and Mixpanel deserve attention, but they repeat the above in terms of functionality.
Mobile app traffic analysis
If analyzing behavior is relatively simple and many tools provide approximately the same functionality, analyzing traffic is much more difficult. It relates to devices on IOS.
In the case of websites, the attribution task is relatively simple. After clicking on an advertisement, if there are UTM tags or click ID, the data on them is immediately stored in the website analytics. That allows you to build accurate attribution simply.
The situation is different for mobile applications. First, users have to use an App Store. The App Store gives very little information about the sources of install traffic, and this information is aggregated. We receive the fact of installation, but subsequent actions, such as registration or purchase, don’t receive.
Secondly, due to IOS updates in 2021, we can only get accurate data for Apple devices if the user agrees.
Adjust/ Appsflyer
These tools are similar in functionality. Both allow you to connect to advertising systems such as Google Ads/Facebook Ads, Facebook Ads, Twitter, and TikTok and send the installation and useful actions back.
It is possible to create deep links for all other traffic sources and the ability to save raw data.
We prefer an Adjust. It is more convenient to work, but both do their job well.
Firebase dynamic link
Firebase itself integrates nicely with Google Ads and has a deep link. This technology, based on fingerprint, allows you to link the transition to the App Store and the installation of the application and track the user’s subsequent actions.
We often use it to track push/email campaigns and build links with the website, referral systems, and traffic sources that do not natively integrate with Adjust/Appsflyer.
And this tool is free.
https://firebase.google.com/docs/dynamic-links
Facebook analytics
In case you use Facebook Ads, installation of Facebook SDK is mandatory. Due to this, Facebook advertising accounts can track installations and other user actions in the application.
https://www.facebook.com/business/help/673327316061433
Apple frameworks
In connection with the IOS update, you must install the following frameworks to collect analytics:
— SKAdNetwork
Allows advertising systems to receive aggregated data about installing a mobile application.
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/storekit/skadnetwork
— App Tracking Transparency
The framework allows you to access the IDFA ID (important for getting insights).
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apptrackingtransparency
Please feel free to ask a question!
