Click Tracking vs Conversion Tracking: A Developer’s Guide to Mobile Attribution

Click Tracking

Click tracking records every time a user taps on an offer inside your offerwall. When a user clicks, the tracking engine: generates a unique click_id, records the timestamp, records the offer_id and user_id, and stores the user’s device info for later matching. This click_id becomes the foundation for conversion matching.

Conversion Tracking

Conversion tracking records when a user actually completes the required action — installing an app, completing a survey, making a purchase. The advertiser reports the conversion to the tracking engine, which matches it to the original click_id. If the match is successful (and passes fraud checks), a postback is sent to your server.

The Flow

User clicks offer → click_id generated → User completes action → Advertiser reports conversion → Tracking engine matches to click_id → Postback sent to your server (with click_id) → Your server credits the user

Why Both Matter

Click tracking tells you what users are interested in. Conversion tracking tells you what actually generated revenue. Without click tracking, you can’t attribute conversions. Without conversion tracking, you don’t know which clicks turned into revenue.

Attribution Windows

Different offer types have different attribution windows: app installs (1-7 days), surveys (immediate to 24 hours), game milestones (up to 30 days). Your tracking system must handle these varied windows.