How to transition to SKAN 4.0

Last updated: September 2024

SKAN 4.0 is an evolution of Apple's Store Kit Ad Network (SKAN), which introduces key changes that impact how you measure the success of your campaigns while prioritizing user privacy. The following article will show you how to transition to SKAN 4.0.

Before you begin

Eligibility to transition to SKAN 4.0 is based on the existence of a SKAN 4.0 schema and the MMP you work with. Changing your schema in SKAN 4.0 may have more ambiguity due to the long attribution windows. To minimize changes in the future, consult with your MMP and with TikTok during the process.

  1. Confirm with your Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) that your SDK version is SKAN 4.0 ready. If not, upgrade your SDK version. TikTok recommends using the latest version of your MMP's SDK.

  2. Within your MMPs SKAN conversion studio, confirm you have an updated Fine-Grained conversion schema. Most MMPs will carry over your SKAN 3.0 schema into the SKAN 4.0 Fine-Grained schema, but this isn't guaranteed and must be confirmed.

  3. Within your MMP's SKAN conversion studio, confirm you have an updated Coarse-Grained conversion schema for ALL three postbacks. Once you've completed step 3, views and clicks of your ads will be registered with Apple's ATT framework in SKAN 4.0 format, and the changes will be available in TikTok's interface.

  4. If you're eligible to upgrade to SKAN 4.0 in TikTok, you can update your app to SKAN 4.0 in two places: TikTok Ads Manager and TikTok Events Manager.


How to transition to SKAN 4.0

In TikTok Ads Manager: When launching a new campaign targeting iOS 14+ users, select Transition to SKAN 4.0 and click Confirm to complete the upgrade.

SKAN 4.0 TTAM PNG

In TikTok Events Manager: When you open Events manager, select Upgrade to SKAN 4.0 to complete the transition.

SKAN 4.0 Events Manager PNG

Example

After transitioning to SKAN 4.0, expect a 4-5 day transition period with some volatility in performance. Afterward, performance will stabilize, and within 41 days, you'll begin to see the full benefits of the 35-day attribution window.


The image below is an example of an app that was transitioned to SKAN 4.0 on July 26. The graph shows the SKAN 3.0 postbacks (dark blue) and the SKAN 4.0 postbacks (light blue) over a timeline. Due to the postback delay in SKAN 4.0 and the cut-off of SKAN 3.0 postbacks, the number of SKAN 4.0 postbacks only matures on July 31. This gap will create the optics of poor performance.

SKAN 4.0 Transition Period PNG

Recommendations

  1. Budget: Maintain a steady budget similar to the budget before the transition for a full week after you are transitioned to SKAN 4.0. 4-5 days of volatile performance are expected. Once this period passes, continue with a steady budget for 3-4 additional days to analyze performance. A steady budget will enable proper analysis with a before and after view of your data.

  2. Analysis: Review your data daily. Focus on performance and on the volume of withheld installs. Apple’s new Crowd Anonymity tiers are different than SKAN 3.0's privacy threshold. This will help you learn how to minimize withheld installs and maximize reporting accuracy.

For more information, visit About SKAN 4.0 and TikTok.