How do you track in app actions?

 

Track app conversions with Google Play

Use conversion data from Google Play to see how effectively your ads lead to Android app installs and in-app activity.

This article explains how to track Android installs and in-app actions directly from Google Play, with a third-party analytics tool, or by adding code to your app. To track your conversions by importing them from Firebase, see these instructions instead. For more about mobile app conversion tracking in general, see About mobile app conversion tracking.

Before you start

Here's what you'll need before you can set up Android app conversion tracking:

• A Google Ads account: Don't have one yet? Sign up at https://ads.google.com.
• An Android app: This is the app that you want to track installs or in-app actions for.
• Ability to set up conversion data: For app installs (first open) or in-app actions, either you or your app developer will need to be able to edit your app's code or use a third-party analytics tool. This is not required for app installs (from Google Play).
• A Google Play account linked: For automatic in-app purchase conversions only, you need to have linked a Google Play developer account with your Google Ads account. (If you use cross-account conversion tracking to track conversions with a manager account, you need to link Google Play to the manager account. If you don’t track conversions with a manager account, link your individual account.

Instructions

How to track Android app installs (from Google Play)

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. Click the tools icon  in the upper right corner of your account.
3. Under the section labelled “Measurement” click Conversions.
4. Click the plus button .
5. Select App from the list of conversion types.
6. Select Google Play.
7. Select Installs, and click Continue.
8. Enter the name of the Android app install that you'd like to track. This will help you to recognise the action later when it shows up in conversion reports.
9. Enter a value for each install (usually the price of the app), or select "Don't use a value" if you'd prefer not to count one.
10. Look up the name of your app, and select your app from the drop-down.
11. (Optional) Click Include these conversion in your "Conversions" column. Opting into this setting – usually selected by default – will include data for this conversion action in your "Conversions" reporting column. Data in the "Conversions" column is used by automated bid strategies like Target return on ad spend, Enhanced cost per click or Target CPA. So, if you use an automated bid strategy to optimise for conversions, and you don't want to include this particular conversion action in your bid strategy, you can untick the box. Otherwise, leave the default setting.
12. Unticking "Include in 'Conversions" for all your app install conversion actions will cause cost per install bidding to stop working properly. We recommend leaving it ticked for one install conversion action per app.
13. Click Create and continue.
14. Click Done.

 

Note: Tracking app installs from stores other than Google Play

To track app installs from stores other than Google Play, create an Android app installs (first open) conversion action. For these conversions we recommend tracking with Firebase.

Previously, conversions from third-party stores were also tracked through Android app download conversion actions, now called Android app installs (from Google Play). If you have already installed the tracking code for one of these conversion actions, then your code will continue to count conversions, but you can no longer install new tracking code. Either way, we recommend creating a new Android app install (first open) conversion action to track these conversions. This is because app installs from third-party stores are recorded on the first open, while installs from Google Play are recorded on the download. Separating these two types will help to keep your conversion data consistent.

Opt out of automatic conversion tracking

Google Ads will automatically track app installs from the Google Play store as conversions. If you'd prefer not to automatically count these conversions, then you can opt out:

1. Go to the Tools tab, and click Conversions.
2. Click the green dot icon on the row of the "Android app installs (other)" conversion action, and select Removed from the drop-down.

How to track Android in-app purchases automatically from Google Play

For Android apps that use in-app billing, you can automatically track when someone who clicked your ad makes an in-app purchase. You don’t need to add code to your app. The value of the purchase will be reported automatically as the conversion value.

If you’re using conversion tracking for apps with in-app subscriptions, only the first purchase will be recorded as a conversion, and only the first payment value will be recorded.

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. Click the tools icon  in the upper right corner of your account.
3. Under the section labelled “Measurement” click Conversions.
4. Click the plus button .
5. Select App from the list of conversion types.
6. Select Google Play.
7. Select In-app purchases, and click Continue.
8. Enter the name of the in-app conversion that you'd like to track. This will help you to recognise the action later when it shows up in conversion reports.
9. Select whether to count “Every” or “One” conversion per ad click. "Every" is usually best for in-app purchases, because every purchase likely adds value for your business.
10. Look up the name of your app, and select your app from the drop-down.
11. Click Conversion window. Select how long to track conversions for after someone clicks on an ad. The window can be as short as one week or as long as 90 days. Ninety days is recommended for in-app purchases, because this window allows you to best approximate the lifetime value of a customer, and each purchase adds value for your business. Find out more
12. (Optional) Click Include in "Conversions". Opting into this setting – selected by default – will include data for this conversion action in your "Conversions" reporting column. If you deselect this setting, data will still be included in the “All conversions” column.
    1. Data in the “Conversions” column is used by automated bid strategies like Target ROAS, Enhanced cost per click or Target CPA. So, if you use an automated bid strategy to optimise for conversions, and you don’t want to include this particular conversion action in your bid strategy, you can untick this setting. Otherwise, leave it ticked.
13. Click Create and continue.
14. Click Done.

About the "Mobile app" setting

The “Mobile app” setting links your conversion action to a particular app. This lets Google Ads alert you if you have multiple conversion actions tracking app installs for the same app, so that you can avoid counting two conversions – and potentially bidding for two conversions – for a single app install.

To use this setting, simply look up your mobile app by name, package name or publisher.

Only apps published on Google Play will appear when you search.

It’s best to use the conversion action to track only the app that you’ve set in “Mobile app”. If you want to track conversions for multiple apps, create separate conversion actions for each.

Related links

• Track mobile app conversions with Firebase
• Track iOS app conversions
• Track transaction-specific conversion values