AppsFlyer + HilltopAds: A Comprehensive Guide to Campaign Tracking and Optimization

AppsFlyer is a marketing analytics platform that provides a comprehensive view of the user journey across platforms, channels, and devices. By combining app store analytics, in-app performance metrics, and robust traffic tracking services, AppsFlyer empowers marketers to navigate key growth metrics and make data-driven decisions. Whether you’re optimizing campaigns, analyzing user behavior, or measuring ROI, AppsFlyer offers the tools needed to drive product success.

This guide will show you how to seamlessly integrate AppsFlyer and HilltopAds, unlocking their full potential for smarter, more efficient campaigns. Ready to take your performance to the next level? Let’s dive in!

Setting Up AppsFlyer with HilltopAds

Step 1: Access Integrated Partners in AppsFlyer

1. Log in to your AppsFlyer account.
2. Navigate to your app’s dashboard.
3. Click on Active Integrations in the left-hand menu.

Step 2: Configure HilltopAds as a Partner

1. In the search field, type “HilltopAds” and select it from the list to open the configuration window.

Step 3: Integration Tab Settings

1. In the Integration tab, activate the Activate Partner toggle to enable the integration settings. Ensure this toggle remains active during your campaigns.
2. The HilltopAds configuration window includes four active tabs: Integration, Attribution Link, Costs, and Ad Revenue.

Step 4: Default Postbacks Settings

1. Enable Postbacks for the “Install” event to notify HilltopAds of successful installations.

Step 5: In-App Event Postbacks Settings

1. Activate this feature to map your in-app events to HilltopAds’ event identifiers.
   • Specify the attribution window during which in-app event postbacks will be sent to HilltopAds.
   • Click Add Event to include an SDK event in the list. Fill in the following parameters:
     • SDK Event Name: The name of the event as received by AppsFlyer from your app’s SDK or server-to-server events.
     • Partner Event Identifier: The unique name or ID of the event as defined by HilltopAds. Obtain this identifier from HilltopAds and enter it in the text field.
     • Sending Option: The source of users for sending postbacks to HilltopAds.
     • Send Revenue: Specify how to send the revenue value to HilltopAds.
2. Click Save Integration to apply your settings.

Step 6: Attribution Link Tab Settings

1. In the Attribution Link tab, you can create attribution links to track specific campaigns, ad groups, and individual ads for your app to be forwarded to HilltopAds.
2. Configure the following parameters:
   • Campaign (c): Use this parameter to compare different campaigns in HilltopAds.
   • Redirection URL (af_r): Set up a redirect URL to direct users to a specific website.
   • Ad ID (af_ad_id): Assign a specific identifier to the ad element.
   • Ad Name (af_ad): Name your ad elements to compare different ads within specific ad groups in HilltopAds campaigns.
   • Ad Type (af_ad_type): Specify the type of ad: text, banner, interstitial, video, playable.
   • Adset ID (af_adset_id): Set up the ad set ID.
   • Adset Name (af_adset): Name your ad sets to compare different ad sets within specific HilltopAds campaigns.
   • Campaign ID (af_c_id): Set up a specific campaign ID.
   • Channel (af_channel): Specify the media source channel through which the ad is distributed.
   • Cost Currency (af_cost_currency): Set up a three-character currency code according to ISO-4217 standards (e.g., USD, EUR, RUB).
   • Cost Model (af_cost_model): Set up the cost model; currently, AppsFlyer supports only the CPI model.
   • Site ID (af_siteid) and Sub Site ID (af_sub_siteid): Used for attributing installs to specific publishers. If you have a large number of publishers, it’s recommended to limit the number of site IDs used and utilize sub-site IDs.
   • Custom Parameters (af_sub1, af_sub2, af_sub3, af_sub4, af_sub5): Five parameters that can be used to input useful data. Note that these parameters are parsed and displayed in the raw data report, which is very convenient for data processing and filtering.
3. Set the Click Attribution Lookback Window to define the maximum time from click to install. HilltopAds will attribute only those installs that occur within this retrospective window.
4. Generate the Click Attribution Link containing all the specified parameters.

Important: Copy the «Attribution Link» and  let’s your open HilltopAds personal account.

Step 7: Cost Tab Settings

1. In the Cost tab, you can supplement attribution data with information about your advertising campaign expenses.

Important: You can connect Protect360 to both the dashboard and raw data. Enabling this option will allow HilltopAds to access and perform deeper analysis of the raw data.

Step 8: Ad Revenue Tab Settings

1. In the Ad Revenue tab, you can configure settings related to the revenue generated from ads.

Advanced HilltopAds Parameters

• {{geo}} – ISO country code;
• {{adid}} – Ad/banner identifier;
• {{zoneid}} – Traffic source identifier;
• {{campaignid}} – Campaign identifier;
• {{lang}} – Visitor language HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE e.g. en-en;
• {{category}} – Category Adult/Mainstream;
• {{cpmbid}} – CPM rate for campaign;
• {{price}} – For CPM campaigns this placeholder provides the price of 1 ad impression. For CPC campaigns it provides the price of 1 click on the ad;
• {{browsername}} – browser name.

Each postback link must contain the required parameters:

• {{token}} – Unique id of the conversion;
• {{price}} – Conversion cost;
• {{currency}} – Conversion currency;
• advertiserID – Advertiser ID.

Linking Your Campaigns

1. Log in to your HilltopAds account.
2. Go to the Manage Campaigns section and click Add Campaign.
3. Configure your campaign:
   • Choose the ad format and traffic channel.
   • Provide a name for the campaign.
   • Customize additional settings as needed.
4. Paste the Campaign URL from AppsFlyer into the Final Destination URL field.
5. Save the campaign.

Congratulations! Your AppsFlyer tracker is now fully integrated with HilltopAds, providing real-time tracking and actionable insights.

Beyond Basics

This guide covers the essentials of integrating AppsFlyer with HilltopAds, but it’s just the beginning. Explore other features of both platforms to enhance your campaigns further. If AppsFlyer doesn’t meet your needs, check out other tracker comparisons on our blog.

Stay tuned for more insights and tools to grow your affiliate marketing business. Let’s scale together!