As a Facebook Mobile Measurement Partner, Singular allows app publishers to track ad download referrals from Facebook and Instagram. Once a download has been verified by Singular, you can also track subsequent user engagement of these users in your mobile app.

Singular gets attribution data from Facebook in two ways:

• Facebook's self-attributing API: Due to Facebook's data-sharing limitation, data about installs received from this API is only available in Singular aggregate reports (not in user-level data logs).
• Facebook's (Meta) Install Referrer Solution: This new measurement solution for Android app installs allows for data to be displayed both in Singular's aggregate reports and in user-level data logs. See Meta Referrer FAQ. 

Singular uses all the necessary security measures required by Facebook to ensure communications between Singular and Facebook are secure. We also comply with all of the privacy policies set forth by Facebook to protect your data.

If you've followed the setup steps but still aren't seeing Facebook attributed installs after performing your test, contact Singular's Support Team for additional help. Provide your account name, the applicable application, and your Facebook App ID in your initial email to help ensure a quick resolution.

You will need to have a developer account. Go to the Facebook App Dashboard. Find your app from your list of apps and copy the App ID.

As part of the updates related to iOS 14, Facebook announced new guidelines for using the Advertiser Tracking Enabled flag with MMPs, including how they use the ATE flag. Your integration with Singular automatically implements this flag, and it is set for users that opt-in to tracking via iOS App Tracking Transparency. No additional action is required in your Singular SDK implementation.

If you encounter this error from Facebook, it indicates that the event is expected to be a revenue-type event. To resolve this, ensure that when sending the event from your application using the Singular SDK, you include the required currency and value parameters. Additionally, in your Partner Configuration settings, make sure to enable 'Include Revenue Value' for this event.

Make sure all of the permissions on Facebook are set up to allow you to run campaigns for the Advertiser. Please include your company name in the Facebook campaign name so we can identify your campaign versus other agency campaigns or in-house advertiser campaigns that exist.

App AEM is a solution that helps advertisers reach more people and measure ad performance on their platform.

App AEM utilizes conversion data that Singular sends to Facebook through the MMP integration. This includes events associated with users that haven’t provided iOS's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) permission, in which case Facebook will limit processing of those events to Aggregated Event Measurement (AEM) only. App AEM supports app promotion (installs) and app engagement (re-engagement) campaigns for iOS 14 and above.

For more information about App AEM, see Facebook’s help center article.

To enable AEM for “App Promotion” campaigns (installs):

• An active Singular iOS Facebook partner configuration
  • Reporting in-app event postbacks to Facebook are optional but recommended to enable VO and AEO optimization. Note that AEM requires reporting both ATT opt-in and opt-out data to Meta, which is the default behavior with a Facebook partner configuration.
• A configured Singular Facebook data connector
• The AEM option will be available when creating an App Promotion campaign in Meta:
  
  
• Ensure that "MMP" is selected as the "Preferred Connection Method" in the Facebook Events Manager.

 

To enable AEM for "App Engagement" campaigns (re-engagements):

• • An iOS app that supports deep links
  • A Singular integrated app with deep link support
    • Singular SDK integration, or
      • iOS SDK 12.0.3+, or
      • iOS SDK 11.0.7+ with supportedDomains implemented for any Universal Links used in App AEM campaigns
    • Singular Server-to-Server (S2S) integration
      • Deep link support is implemented and openuri= is passed in all reported sessions
  • An active Singular iOS Facebook partner configuration with re-engagement enabled
  • Ensure that "MMP" is selected as the "Preferred Connection Method" in the Facebook Events Manager.

Singular supports reporting both installs and re-engagements (from deep links) served by App AEM campaigns.

• AEM installs are reported in aggregate only, as “Network Installs” via the Facebook Data Connector integration
• AEM re-engagements are reported in both user-level and in aggregate (tracker re-engagements), from deep links served by app engagement campaigns. Supported campaign granularity include:
  • Campaign ID
  • Sub Campaign ID
  • Creative ID

In order to avoid duplication of app events in Facebook for AEM, it is recommended that only the Singular SDK implements and passes these events to Facebook through the MMP integration. See our guide on Facebook and Singular SDK interoperability for more information.

Ensure that "MMP" is selected as the "Preferred Connection Method" in the Facebook Events Manager.

Meta’s App AEM and SKAdNetwork are two separate measurement methodologies. Meta documents expected differences when comparing the two metholodiges in their guide on the topic.

• App AEM utilizes app conversion data reported through Singular’s MMP attribution integration with Meta (this article)
• SKAdNetwork utilizes Apple’s attribution framework to attribute. For more information on Singular’s integration with Meta for SKAdNetwork, read our help center article on the topic.

"Meta Referrer" is an Android-specific measurement solution introduced by Facebook to allow advertisers access to granular user-level attribution data for Android app installs (see Facebook's data policies) from ads served on Facebook, Instagram, and Audience Network ad campaigns where the objective is app installs. It is comprised of the "Google Play Install Referrer" and "Meta Install Referrer" technologies for app install measurement.

Google Play Install Referrer

Meta Install Referrer

(Available as of October 2021) Uses the "Google Play Install Referrer" to attribute Android click-through installs for Meta app install campaigns through the Google Play store.

(Available as of November 2023) In addition to supporting the same measurement scenarios as the Google Play Install Referrer, the Meta Install Referrer also supports measurement flows that are unsupported by Google Play Install Referrer: most view-through attribution scenarios (Advantage+ App Campaigns and Manual App Promotion Campaigns with Broad Targeting) non-Google app stores support non-same session click-through attribution "Non-same session" referes to when a user clicks on an ad and gets redirected to the app store, but doesn't immediately click "Download/Install". User returns to app store page later to click "Download/Install".

As of November 2023, Singular's integration with Meta supports both the "Google Install Referrer" and "Meta Install Referrer", under what Singular refers to as "Meta Referrer" measurement.

Singular prioritizes the Meta Referrer data to measure attributions to prioritize the availability of user-level data for advertiser. For a given Android app install, Singular will prioritize the following attribution methods as follows:

1. (Meta Referrer) Meta Install Referrer
2. (Meta Referrer) Google Install Referrer
3. Meta self-attributing API

Singular uses the self-attributing claim if any Meta Referrer data is not available or loses due to last-touch methodology to a Facebook self-attributed conversion. Doing so maximizes both the user-level attribution data while ensuring accurate aggregate measurement of Facebook campaigns.

Singular's "Meta Referrer" measurement consists of two install referrer technologies used by Facebook when serving Android app install ads through Facebook, Instagram, or Audience Network.

Google Play Install Referrer

Meta Install Referrer

When a user clicks on an advertiser's app app install ad on Facebook's app (e.g. Facebook or Instagram) or Audience Network, Facebook encrypts and logs the relevant ad campaign metadata (Meta referrer) and appends it to the referrer parameter in the Play Store URL. The Play Store URL redirects the user to the Play Store app product page, and the appended Meta referrer is saved by the store. Once the resulting install completes and the user first opens the app, Singular's SDK reads the Google Play install referrer from the Play Install Referrer API to retrieve the Meta referrer from the Google Play install referrer data. The Meta referrer is then decrypted by Singular's servers for install attribution.

When a user views or clicks on an advertiser's app install ad on Facebook's app (e.g., Facebook or Instagram) or Audience Network, Facebook's app encrypts and logs the relevant ad campaign metadata (Meta referrer) in the Facebook app's local storage layer on-device. Once the resulting install completes and the user first opens the app, Singular's SDK reads the Meta referrer from the Meta install referrer data retrieved from the local storage layer on device. The Meta referrer is then decrypted by Singular's servers for install attribution.

Both technologies are used concurrently and alongside Singular's self-attributing integration with Meta, to arrive at a single attribution decision. See "How does Singular attribute installs between the self-attributed data and "Meta Referrer?"

Meta Referrer uses both "Google Play Install Referrer" and "Meta Install Referrer" for measurement. It is recommended to implement both to maximize data availability in cases where one or the other is not available.

Singular SDK and S2S Integration Requirements

	Google Play Install Referrer	Meta Install Referrer
Singular SDK	Ensure Singular Android SDK is implemented and Google Play Services dependencies are added	Singular Native Android SDK version 12.3.0 or above (Unity 4.2.0+, React Native 3.3.0+, Unreal 2.2.0+) Add your app's "Facebook App ID" in the Singular SDK configuration prior to SDK initialization. See "Where can I find an app's Facebook App ID?"
Singular S2S API	Report Google Play Install Referrer to Singular's S2S API	Report Meta Install Referrer to Singular's S2S API

 

Partner Configuration Requirements

• Configure the Facebook partner configuration and provide the Facebook Facebook "Install Referrer Decryption Key" according to step 2.4.

Some possible reasons for discrepancies between the two measurement methods provided by Facebook are:

• Meta Referrer is supported for limit-ad-tracked users on Android 12+, where the Google Advertising ID is not available. Facebook self-attribution is only available when the Google advertising ID is available.
• Meta Referrer is supported for app installs only.
• Meta Referrer is only available clicks and view that occurred on that device. Facebook self-attribution supports cross-device claims for Facebook users with multiple devices.
• Meta Referrer is not supported for campaigns redirecting to landing pages
• Meta Referrer supports view-through attributions, but only for broad targeting or Advantage+ App campaigns
• If only Google Install Referrer is used, if Meta Install Referrer is not enabled:
  • Google Install Referrer only measures app installs, specifically for campaigns leading to the Play Store. Google Install referrer is not supported for user interaction with relevant ads that did not lead directly to the Play Store
  • The Google Install Referrer supports only click-through attributions, while Facebook self-attribution supports both click-through and view-through
  • The Google Install Referrer uses the referrer value immediately preceding an app download. Repeat clicks on the same ad, after download, but before first app open, will not result in an updated referrer value. Facebook’s self-attribution logic may return with the more recent touchpoint after download, but before first app open
  • Google Install Referrer only supports Google Play Store, it is not supported for third party app stores.

Broad targeting is required to receive view-through install data via the Meta Referrer. You can find the supported campaign configuration below:

• Age: The default setting, "18-65+" is applied
• Gender: The default setting, "All genders", is applied.
• Location: Regions, country groups (e.g. Asia) or specific countries are applied as the location. 
• Detailed Targeting: If detailed targeting such as demographics, interests or behaviors are applied, opting into Advantage detailed targeting is required.
  
• Custom Audiences: If Custom Audiences are applied, opting into Advantage custom audience is required
  
  
  
  

Meta Referrer attribution is only available on Android devices.

To find your decryption key, follow these below steps:

1. In the Facebook Developers Portal, go to My Apps and select the relevant app.
2. Go to Basic settings and scroll down to the Android App Store section.
3. Under Package Names, find the key labeled Install Referrer Decryption Key.