About differences between TikTok and mobile measurement partner reporting

Last updated: February 2025

In-App Events allow you to track how people interact with your app after they view a TikTok ad.

Benefits

The attribution method of TikTok Ads is based on the time the app is activated, and the time the app is activated is not completely consistent with the click or billing time. The activation data will not be changed after the calendar day ends.


On other platforms, the time the app is activated is consistent with the click and billing time, and the activation data of your app may still increase during the attribution window after the calendar day ends. This difference is caused by different attribution methods. TikTok does not update past events if the attribution windows are changed.


When an ad group conversion rate exceeds 100%, it is related to the attribution window you set. When a user clicks on the ad for the first time and does not immediately install the app, but the app is activated during the attribution window, the conversion is recorded when the activation event occurs.


We receive only the conversion events that TikTok drove from our mobile measurement partner (MMP). Our MMP partners do not pass back additional data that is not related to TikTok.

Key Terms

Discrepancies between TikTok and MMP reporting are expected. If there is a large discrepancy, please check for the following:

  • Compare the same data: MMPs often report conversions based on the timestamp of the event occurrence, while TikTok Ads Manager Default Columns reporting is based on the timestamp of the impression/click.

  • Same Data Range: Ensure the date ranges in TikTok and the MMP are the same. Also, make sure the time-zone is the same.

  • MMP attributed data: Make sure you're not comparing MMP cross-publisher attributed numbers vs just TikTok Ads Manager.

  • Attribution methodology: Make sure the attribution model is the same in both TikTok and the MMP.

  • Mistimed Events: Make sure Install events are implemented in the same place in the app.

  • Incorrect Event Mapping: Ensure MMP and TikTok events are aligned.

Switching MMPs within TikTok Ads Manager requires re-configuring the tracking settings of your app.

Note: You must also re-configure any existing tracker links that have been trafficked in your campaigns.

Learn about in-app events.