Retargeting is an ad campaign type that allows you to show your ads to people who have already installed your app on their mobile devices. It is a great way to re-engage your existing customers, improve their lifetime value, and increase your return on ad spend.
App Retargeting Capabilities
Client Type | All (KA& SMB) |
|---|---|
Targeted Countries | Global |
Objective | - App Promotion |
Bid Strategy | - Lowest Cost - Cost Cap |
Optimization Goal | - In-app Event - Value |
Supported Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) | Appsflyer, Adjust, Branch, Singular, Kochava |
Pangle placement | Supported |
Supported OS Version | - Android all - iOS 14.5 below all - iOS 14.5 and above opt-in user only |
Deeplink Type | Available for Retargeting campaign, supported type: - Scheme - App Link - Universal Link |
Audience Type | All available audience types in "Audience Manager" |
Setup Overview
Let's go over the primary steps required to setup app retargeting on TikTok Ads Manager:
On your Mobile Measurement Partner
Post back all-channel data to TikTok
Enable retargeting & create retargeting links
On TikTok Ads Manager
Enable retargeting on your app
Create a campaign using retargeting
Mobile Measurement Partner Setup
TikTok Ads Manager supports app retargeting with the following 3rd party measurement partners:
Appsflyer
Adjust
Branch
Singular
Kochava
In the following section, we will walk you through the process of enabling retargeting on the supported measurement partners.
Appsflyer
How to post back all-channel data to TikTok
App install: By default, Appsflyer posts back all media sources' data to TikTok. You don't need to change it.
In-app event: You need to change the "Sending Option" from “only attributed events” to all “media sources”.
How to enable retargeting and create a retargeting link
You will need to enable retargeting on Appsflyer to get the tracking url
Turn on the Retargeting Settings toggle
Configure the reengagement window:
It's 30 days by default.
Configure the click-through attribution window and view-through attribution window
Click-through attribution: 7 days by default
View-through attribution: 1 day by default
You can customize the window by sliding the time axis, or directly edit the parameter in the tracking url. For example, “click_lookback=7d”“af_viewthrough_lookback=1d”“af_reengagement_window=30d”
Adjust
How to post back all-channel data to TikTok
By default, both app install and in-app events are set as all-channel data postback to TikTok.
How to enable retargeting and create a retargeting link
For Adjust, app retargeting is enabled by default. The tracking url can be used for both user acquisition and retargeting.
Click through attribution is enabled by default, if you want to enable view through attribution, go to Tracker URLs, click Edit Tracker Settings, and select Attribution Settings.
You can also customize the attribution window for click and impression.
Branch
How to post back all-channel data to TikTok
By default, both app install and in-app events are set as all-channel data postback to TikTok.
How to enable retargeting and create a retargeting link
For Branch, app retargeting is enabled by default. The tracking url can be used for both user acquisition and retargeting.
By default, Branch sets the re-engagement inactivity window to 7 days. This means any attributed non-install event occurring 7 days (or more) after the most recent activity will be marked as re-engagement. You can adjust the window from 0.001 to 90 days.
Singular
How to post back all-channel data to TikTok
Select All as the sending option of in-app event post backs.
How to enable retargeting and create a retargeting link
For Singular, you need to enable the retargeting setting on Singular platform and get the tracking url.
To do this, turn on the Enable Reengagement when you create a link for TikTok.
Kochava
How to post back all-channel data to TikTok
Select All as the sending option of in-app event post backs.
How to enable retargeting and create a retargeting link
Log in to Kochava.
Select the desired Account and App.
Select Links and click Campaign Manager.
Click Add a Tracker or Select Segment Tools (⋮), and then click Add a Tracker.
Select the Campaign.
Select the Segment.
Note: In order to streamline the Campaign/Segment/Tracker creation process a feature has been added to allow the creation of campaigns and segments while creating a new tracker. For more information about creating a campaign or segment while adding a new tracker, refer to our Create an Install Campaign support document.
Enter Tracker Name.
Select Tracker Type and click Reengagement.
Select a Media Partner.
Select an Agency Partner. (optional)
Note: The Share With Publisher setting allows the associated publisher to view the settings for this tracker. If unchecked, the associated publisher will not be able to view the settings for this tracker.
Select the Destination URL Type:
Custom
Google Referrer (Android Only)
Landing Page
Note: For more information on creating and using Landing Pages, refer to our Landing Page Creation and Maintenance support documentation.
Enter an Install URL.
Enter a Deep Link. (optional)
Note: For more information about deep links, refer to our Deep Linking support documentation.
Enter a Custom Parameter. (optional)
Enter Pricing Type and Target Pricing. (optional)
Select Event(s) for Reengagement attribution.
Note:
The selected event(s) will be the point of conversion for the reengagement campaign. Attribution will be awarded to the click that led to the reengagement event based on attribution configuration. Any LTV (Lifetime Value) will also be awarded to the source that drove the reengagement.
The lookback window for each post-install event may be individually set. For more information on setting an event lookback window, refer to our Post-Install Event Creation and Configuration support documentation.
SessionBegin event is now available to be used for reengagement. One session a day is eligible to be reengaged per day.
Click Save (If no further trackers need to be created).
Click Save & Add Another Tracker (If additional trackers need to be created).
Click Save & Create Postback (To navigate directly to the Partner Configuration page).
Note: If an event that is required for reengagement is not present, ensure that the event is being passed to Kochava via the SDK or Server-to-Server integration.
Activating retargeting in Events Manager
Select advertisers can now activate and validate retargeting setup in Events Manager. Once activated, advertisers allowlisted for retargeting will be able to setup retargeting campaigns and see retargeting events statistics in Events Manager.
Key benefits include
Seamless and error free setup of retargeting in Events Manager.
Unlock accurate metrics for understanding retargeting events in Events Manager.
Retargeting events statistics are not activated by default in Events Manager. In order to see retargeting metrics in Events Manager, you will need to take the following steps depending on whether you are setting up a new app or editing an existing app:
Enabling retargeting attribution
If creating a new app
Go to Assets, click Event, and select App Event.
Click Create New App.
Add the Download URL.
Choose your mobile measurement partner.
Check Enable Retargeting Attribution.
For an existing app
Go to Asset, click Events, and select App Events.
Click your desired app.
Go to Tracking Settings then click Edit.
Modify your app by enabling retargeting attribution.
Enter retargeting trackers for select mobile measurement partners (AppsFlyer & Singular)
Once the "enable retargeting attribution" checkbox is selected, advertisers using AppsFlyer or Singular will need to enter retargeting trackers in Events Manager. Updated retargeting trackers can be found your Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) dashboard after step 1 above has been completed.
Note: Adjust, Branch & Kochava do not require this extra step. If you're working with one these MMPs, you can simply select the "enable retargeting attribution" checkbox, enable retargeting in your MMP dashboard and enter the tracking urls provided in order to unlock retargeting events statistics in Events Manager.
How to enter retargeting trackers for select MMPs
How to enable and find updated retargeting trackers in your MMP dashboard:
Appsflyer
For more info, see AppsFlyer support.
Singular
For more info, see Singular support.
Enter acquisition tracking URLs
Advertisers working with AppsFlyer or Singular will also have to enter their default or acquisition tracking URLs:
Advertisers working with Adjust, Branch, and Kochava only need to enter one set of URLs and will see the following interface and step-by-step instructions:
Publish Ads using App Retargeting
There are two main steps to setting up a campaign using app retargeting:
Creating a Custom using App Event Data.
Creating a campaign that targets existing app users.
Making a Custom Audience using App Event Data
After setting up retargeting on your MMP and app on TikTok Ads Manager - you will need to create a Custom Audience that will identify people TikTok (and other placements) who have taken action on your app. To do this:
Log in to TikTok Ads Manager.
Go to Assets and click Audiences.
Then create an App Activity or a Customer File audience.
To create an App Activity audience, you will need to define your audience by:
Selecting any actions you want people to have carried out on an app (where you have enabled retargeting) within a specific timeframe.
Selecting any actions you don't want people to have carried out within a specific timeframe.
See "App Activity" for more information on creating an App Activity audience.
To create a Customer File audience, upload a list of GAIDs or IDFAs that identify people who have carried out a specific action on an app (where you have enabled retargeting.)
See "Customer File" for more information about creating a Customer File audience.
Note: You cannot create a Lookalike Audience using Custom Audience that targets your existing app users as a source audience.
Create an App Retargeting Campaign
Campaign Type
App Promotion
App Promotion- App Retargeting
Note: No need to select iOS DC for iOS retargeting. Retargeting campaigns do not take up DC quotas.
Product Sales (VSA App)
Product Sales- (complete retargeting setup at ad group level)
Note: DO NOT turn on iOS DC toggle even though you target iOS traffic.
Add Audience
App Promotion
Create your audience package in Audience Manager
Add to the retargeting Ad Group
Product Sales (VSA App)
Setup your retargeting rule/audience in Ad Group
Optimization Goal
Total 27 in-app events
Value
Add Deeplink to Ads (Optional)
Supported type:
Scheme
App Link
Universal Link
Note: Both Android and iOS Deeplink are GA launched after August 21, 2023
Tips & Tricks
When retargeting your existing app users try to share creative that introduces a new event or exclusive offer.
If you had to enable post back all-channel event data on your MMP, we suggest you wait a week before you start using app retargeting.
View Retargeting Metrics in Events Manager
Once retargeting is activated, a new "retargeting" tab will appear in EM with retargeting events reporting:
Note: Once retargeting is activated in Events Manager, you will not be able to turn it off.