SKAdNetwork (SKAN)
SKAdNetwork (SKAN) is Apple's privacy-preserving framework for attributing mobile app installs and conversions without exposing individual user data, central to iOS affiliate and performance tracking after Apple's privacy changes.
Introduced alongside App Tracking Transparency (ATT), SKAN lets ad networks and partners measure campaign results using aggregated, delayed, privacy-safe reports rather than user-level identifiers. This limits granularity but preserves user privacy.
For affiliate and partner programs that promote iOS apps, SKAN shapes how installs and in-app events attribute. Because it is coarser than traditional tracking, many programs pair SKAN with web and server-to-server tracking to reconstruct a fuller picture of partner performance.
See also
- S2S / Postback Tracking
Server-to-server (S2S) postback tracking records conversions by sending an event directly from the merchant's backend to the affiliate platform, without relying on browser cookies.
- First-Party vs Third-Party Cookies
First-party cookies are set by the website a user is visiting, while third-party cookies are set by other domains such as ad or tracking networks; browsers increasingly block third-party cookies, pushing affiliate tracking toward first-party and server-side methods.
- Attribution
Attribution is the process of determining which affiliate or marketing touchpoint should receive credit — and the commission — for a conversion.
- Conversion
A conversion is the qualifying action — such as a sale, signup, lead, or subscription — that triggers an affiliate commission.
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