AppsFlyer Integration for Partners

This guide explains how to set up AppsFlyer mobile attribution with Tracknow, so installs and in-app events can be attributed to the correct affiliate, campaign, and click.

AppsFlyer is a Mobile Measurement Partner, MMP, used by mobile apps to track installs, in-app events, and attribution data. This data can be sent to Tracknow using AppsFlyer attribution links and postbacks.

Overview

This article is intended for partners who want to:

Work with AppsFlyer for the first time
Migrate an advertiser to AppsFlyer
Track mobile app installs through Tracknow
Track in-app events such as registrations, purchases, deposits, subscriptions, or custom events
Receive AppsFlyer postbacks in Tracknow

The basic tracking flow is:

The user clicks a Tracknow affiliate tracking link.
Tracknow redirects the user to the AppsFlyer attribution link.
AppsFlyer tracks the app install or in-app event.
AppsFlyer sends a postback to Tracknow.
Tracknow attributes the conversion to the correct affiliate and campaign.

Integrating with AppsFlyer

Initiating a New AppsFlyer Integration

To start a new AppsFlyer integration, the advertiser must invite you, the partner, to integrate with AppsFlyer.

This step is handled inside the advertiser’s AppsFlyer account.

The advertiser should follow AppsFlyer’s official partner integration instructions and invite your partner account in AppsFlyer before traffic starts running.

Reference: AppsFlyer Help Center

This is required so AppsFlyer can recognize you as the partner and allow attribution links, install postbacks, and in-app event postbacks to be configured correctly.

Updating an Existing AppsFlyer Integration

If you need to update an existing AppsFlyer integration, send an email request to:

integrations@appsflyer.com

Most integration update requests are usually completed within 2 business days.

Creating the Campaign in Tracknow

In Tracknow, create a campaign for the mobile app.

Go to:

Admin Panel → Campaigns → Add Campaign

Recommended setup:

Field

Recommended Value

Campaign Type

Mobile App

Tracking Type

Redirect

Conversion Method

Server Postback

Default Landing Page

AppsFlyer Attribution Link

Goals

Install, Registration, Purchase, First Deposit, or custom events

The campaign default landing page should be the AppsFlyer attribution link with Tracknow macros included.

Creating the Default Landing Page Using an AppsFlyer Attribution Link

You will need the following values from AppsFlyer:

AppsFlyer App ID
Your AppsFlyer Partner ID, PID
Required tracking parameters

Example AppsFlyer attribution link:

https://app.appsflyer.com/[APP_ID]?pid=[APPSFLYER_PID]&af_siteid={ref_id}&af_channel={click_id}&clickid={click_id}&af_c_id={campaign_id}&af_sub_siteid={sub1}

https://app.appsflyer.com/yourappid?pid=tracknow8n_int&af_siteid={ref_id}&c=1&af_channel={click_id}&af_sub_siteid={sub1}&af_c_id={campaign_id}&af_click_lookback=7d&clickid={click_id}

Replace the values below:

Value

Description

[APP_ID]

The AppsFlyer App ID

[APPSFLYER_PID]

Your AppsFlyer Partner ID

{click_id}

Tracknow unique click ID macro

{affiliate_id}

Tracknow affiliate ID macro

{campaign_id}

Tracknow campaign ID macro

{sub1}

Tracknow sub1

Example:

https://app.appsflyer.com/com.example.app?pid=yourpartner_int&clickid={click_id}&af_siteid={affiliate_id}&af_c_id={campaign_id}

The clickid parameter is required because AppsFlyer must return the Tracknow click ID in the postback.

For the full list of AppsFlyer attribution link parameters, see AppsFlyer’s official documentation:

AppsFlyer attribution link parameters

Recommended AppsFlyer Attribution Parameters

AppsFlyer Parameter

Tracknow Macro

Description

pid

Your AppsFlyer Partner ID

Identifies you as the partner in AppsFlyer

clickid

{click_id}

Unique Tracknow click ID

af_siteid

{ref_id}

Affiliate ID in Tracknow

af_sub_siteid

{sub1}

Optional sub ID

af_c_id

{campaign_id}

Campaign ID in Tracknow

Integrating Install and In-App Event Postbacks

AppsFlyer should send install and in-app event postbacks to Tracknow using your Tracknow postback URL.

You must send AppsFlyer your custom Tracknow tracking domain in place of REPLACEME-tracking.tracknow.info.

Global Install Postback

Install postback URL & In-app event postback URL:

https://REPLACEME-tracking.tracknow.info/postback

Tracknow Parameter

AppsFlyer Macro

Description

click_id

{Click ID}

Unique Tracknow click ID returned by AppsFlyer

goal

{Event name}

Tracknow goal name or event identifier

amount

{Event revenue}

Event Order Amount

country

{Country code}

Event Country Code

Global In-App Event Postback

For in-app events, AppsFlyer should send the event name or mapped event ID to Tracknow.

In-app event postback example:

https://REPLACEME-tracking.tracknow.info/postback?click_id={Click ID}&goal={Event name}

The mapped-iae macro returns the mapped AppsFlyer in-app event value.

Tracknow Parameter

AppsFlyer Macro

Description

click_id

{Click ID}

Unique Tracknow click ID

goal

{Event name}

AppsFlyer mapped in-app event value

campaign_id

{Campaign ID}

Example event name mapping:

AppsFlyer Event

Tracknow Goal

af_complete_registration

registration

af_purchase

purchase

af_subscribe

subscription

first_deposit

kyc_approved

Make sure the value sent by AppsFlyer matches the goal configured in Tracknow.

Advanced Additions for AppsFlyer Attribution Links

Additional Postbacks

If you are an existing AppsFlyer partner and you are migrating from another platform to Tracknow, add the following parameter to your AppsFlyer attribution links:

&af_additional_postback=1

Example:

https://app.appsflyer.com/com.example.app?pid=yourpartner_int&clickid={click_id}&af_siteid={affiliate_id}&af_c_id={campaign_id}&af_cost_model=CPA&af_additional_postback=1

Use this when more than one postback URL should fire for the same transaction.

Disable Install Postback

If you only want to receive postbacks for AppsFlyer events and do not want to receive install postbacks, add:

&af_installpostback=false

Example:

https://app.appsflyer.com/com.example.app?pid=yourpartner_int&clickid={click_id}&af_siteid={ref_id}&af_c_id={campaign_id}&af_installpostback=false

Use this only when installs should not be tracked in Tracknow.

AppsFlyer Event Troubleshooting

There are four main parts to confirm when checking whether the AppsFlyer integration is set up correctly.

1. Event Creation in Tracknow

Confirm that the required goals or events exist in Tracknow.

Examples:

Install
Registration
Purchase
First Deposit
Subscription
KYC Approved
Custom in-app event

The goal name in Tracknow should match the value sent from AppsFlyer in the postback.

2. Default Landing Page

Confirm that the Tracknow campaign default landing page is the AppsFlyer attribution link.

Example:

https://app.appsflyer.com/[APP_ID]?af_siteid={ref_id}&af_sub_siteid={sub2}&pid=[APPSFLYER_PID]&clickid={click_id}&af_c_id={campaign_id}

Common AppsFlyer parameters:

AppsFlyer Parameter

Tracknow Macro

Definition

af_siteid

{ref_id}

ID of the affiliate in Tracknow

af_sub_siteid

{sub1}

Sub ID from the affiliate tracking URL

pid

Your AppsFlyer Partner ID

Partner ID from AppsFlyer

clickid

{click_id}

Unique Tracknow click ID

af_c_id

{campaign_id}

Campaign ID from Tracknow

3. AppsFlyer In-App Event Postback

If you do not have access to the AppsFlyer event postback screen, ask the advertiser to confirm the setup with a screenshot.

The Partner Event Identifier should correspond with the Tracknow goal value that should be recorded for the conversion.

Example:

https://REPLACEME-tracking.tracknow.info/postback?click_id={Click ID}&goal={Event name}

4. Tracknow Postback

Confirm that AppsFlyer is sending the correct postback to Tracknow.

Install example:

https://REPLACEME-tracking.tracknow.info/postback?click_id={Click ID}&order_id={Postback ID}&goal=install

In-app event example:

hhttps://REPLACEME-tracking.tracknow.info/postback?click_id={Click ID}&order_id={Postback ID}&goal={Event name}

Revenue event example:

https://REPLACEME-tracking.tracknow.info/postback?click_id={Click ID}&goal=purchase&amount={Event revenue}&order_id={Postback ID}

Advanced Privacy

The Advanced Privacy postback mechanism may apply when all of the following are true:

The user’s device is running iOS 14.5+
Apple’s App Tracking Transparency, ATT, applies
Advanced Privacy is enabled in AppsFlyer

Advanced Privacy postbacks may be clickless. This means Tracknow may need fallback values such as affiliate ID and campaign ID to attribute the conversion correctly.

To support this, include the same fallback values in both the AppsFlyer attribution link and the AppsFlyer postback URL.

Attribution Link Example

https://app.appsflyer.com/com.example.app?pid=yourpartner_int&clickid={click_id}&af_siteid={ref_id}&af_c_id={campaign_id}

Advanced Privacy Postback Example

https://REPLACEME-tracking.tracknow.info/postback?click_id={Click ID}&ref_id={af_siteid}&campaign_id={af_c_id}&goal=install

Fallback parameters:

Tracknow Parameter

AppsFlyer Macro

click_id

{click_id}

ref_id

{af_siteid}

campaign_id

{af_c_id}

If no click ID is available, Tracknow may rely on the available fallback values, depending on the campaign configuration.

For complete details, review the AppsFlyer resources:

Sample Setup

Tracknow Default Landing Page

https://app.appsflyer.com/[APP_ID]?pid=[APPSFLYER_PID]&clickid={click_id}&af_siteid={ref_id}&af_c_id={campaign_id}

Install Postback

https://YOUR_TRACKNOW_DOMAIN/postback?click_id=$$click(clickid)&goal=install

In-App Event Postback

https://REPLACEME-tracking.tracknow.info/postback?click_id={Click ID}&goal={Event name}

Purchase Event with Revenue

https://REPLACEME-tracking.tracknow.info/postback?click_id={Click ID}&goal=purchase&amount={Event revenue}

Testing the Integration

Before launching live traffic, test the full flow.

Recommended test flow:

Confirm the advertiser invited you as a partner in AppsFlyer.
Confirm the AppsFlyer attribution link includes the Tracknow macros.
Add the AppsFlyer attribution link as the campaign default landing page in Tracknow.
Generate a Tracknow affiliate tracking link.
Click the Tracknow tracking link.
Confirm the redirect reaches AppsFlyer.
Complete the app install or in-app event.
Confirm the event appears in AppsFlyer.
Confirm the postback is received in Tracknow.
Confirm the conversion is attributed to the correct affiliate and campaign.

Troubleshooting

The conversion was not received in Tracknow

Check the following:

The advertiser invited you as a partner in AppsFlyer.
The AppsFlyer postback URL is active.
The postback URL uses the correct Tracknow domain.
The AppsFlyer event is enabled for postbacks.
The event name matches the Tracknow goal.
The campaign is active in Tracknow.
The affiliate is approved for the campaign.

The conversion was received but was not assigned to an affiliate

This usually means the click ID was missing or incorrect.

Check that the AppsFlyer attribution link includes:

clickid={click_id}

And that the AppsFlyer postback sends it back as:

click_id={Click ID}

In-app events are not tracked

Check the following:

The in-app event exists in AppsFlyer.
The event is enabled for postbacks.
The AppsFlyer event is mapped to the correct Tracknow goal.
The postback includes the event name or mapped event ID.

Example:

goal={Event name}

Revenue is missing

Check that the postback includes the AppsFlyer revenue and currency macros:

amount={Event revenue}

Also confirm that the AppsFlyer event contains revenue data.

Important Notes

The advertiser must invite you as a partner in AppsFlyer before the integration can be completed.
To update an existing AppsFlyer integration, contact integrations@appsflyer.com.
The clickid parameter is required for accurate click-based attribution.
Goal names in Tracknow should match the event values sent from AppsFlyer.
If revenue is required, AppsFlyer must send both amount and currency.
During migration, additional postback settings may be required.
Always test the full tracking flow before launching live traffic.

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Last updated 21 days ago