What is an install?
What is an app install?
An app install takes place when a user downloads an app and successfully opens it for the first time on their device. Installs are a core part of the acquisition cycle.
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Why are installs important?
Installs are essential in mobile marketing measurement for several reasons. The directly reflect user acquisition efforts, app performance, and overall business growth. First, installs help advertisers identify traffic sources that deliver high-quality users. Accurate install attribution ensures budgets are allocated to effective channels, improving cost per install (CPI) campaigns and boosting app visibility in the App Store and Google Play Store. Measuring installs also helps advertisers pinpoint the timing of campaign success and streamline payment management for publishers and advertisers.
Second, installs provide insights into the health of an app. In particular, the volume of organic installs is a valuable indicator of an app’s overall appeal and market success. Apps with higher organic install rates typically benefit from better retention rates and engagement levels.
Finally, keeping an accurate count of install numbers is critical for preventing mobile ad fraud. Fraudulent tactics like fake installs and device emulation can distort performance metrics and waste advertising budgets. Using fraud prevention tools helps block suspicious activity and protect campaigns.
Organic installs vs. paid installs
Understanding the difference between organic and paid installs is key to improving user acquisition strategies and ensuring sustainable app growth.
What is an organic install?
An organic install happens when a user downloads an app without directly responding to a mobile advertising campaign or any paid promotion. These users typically find the app through app store searches, word-of-mouth recommendations, and thanks to app store optimization (ASO) efforts.
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Why are organic installs important?
Organic installs often lead to high-value users who are more likely to engage with the app over time. These users retain better and tend to have more sessions, especially on Android devices. Organic installs are crucial for improving retention rates, user engagement, and long-term revenue. Driving organic installs is also cost-effective. While no install is completely free, organic installs can significantly reduce CPI costs compared to paid installs.
How does an app get organic installs?
Generating valuable organic installs requires a combination of strategies:
- App store optimization (ASO): Improve visibility by optimizing keywords, visuals, and descriptions to ensure the app appears in relevant searches.
- Word-of-mouth marketing: Encourage users to share the app with others. This can be achieved through referral programs and creating media buzz.
- Localization: Launch the app in different regions by adapting content to local languages and preferences to reach a wider audience.
Paid installs
Paid installs come from performance marketing campaigns such as ads, social media promotions, and influencer partnerships. These campaigns drive users directly to the app store to download the app.
While paid installs can quickly increase app visibility and store rankings, they don't always result in high-quality users. Measuring the quality of paid installs is essential to maximize return on ad spend (ROAS).
What are fake installs?
A fake install is a mobile ad fraud tactic where fraudsters use device emulation software to create installs in virtual environments. The primary goal is to fraudulently claim advertising revenue by faking user activity. These fake installs harm advertisers, publishers, and networks, taking money away from legitimate campaigns.
Why are fake installs important to identify?
Beyond wasted ad spend, fake installs introduce misleading data into the marketing funnel. They register as inactive users post-install, skewing engagement metrics and leading advertisers to invest in channels with fraudulent activity. If not detected, fake installs can damage retention rates, conversion metrics, and overall campaign performance.
How to attribute app installs
Attributing app installs is essential for understanding the effectiveness of user acquisition campaigns and maximizing return on investment (ROI). By linking installs to specific marketing channels, marketers can refine strategies to acquire high-value users and reduce wasted ad spend.
Key methods of app install attribution
- Attribution tools: These tools connect an install to its source, such as an ad, social media post, or referral link, enabling marketers to see which channels drive results.
- Deep linking: This method directs users to specific in-app content after downloading, improving the user experience and helping identify the source of the install.
- SDK (Software development kit) integration: By integrating an SDK into an app, marketers can access real-time data on installs, sessions, and user behavior to gain insights into user journeys.
Installs and Adjust
A high number of installs, combined with healthy user engagement, indicates strong app performance. However, focusing solely on install counts can be misleading. Developers with large budgets can easily boost install numbers through paid campaigns.. Using installs as the primary success metric may overlook critical factors like user engagement, retention, and lifetime value (LTV).
Adjust’s attribution connects installs to their sources—whether from ads, social media posts, or referral links—offering marketers insights and unbiased measurement of campaign performance and user behavior. Additionally, with our deep linking solution, Adjust ensures users are directed to specific in-app content after downloading, enhancing the user experience and improving conversion rates.
Adjust’s fraud prevention detects and blocks fake installs from sources like device farms or emulated environments, ensuring businesses only pay for genuine user interactions.
Schedule a demo with Adjust today and discover how to accurately attribute your app installs and improve campaign performance.
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