Submitting to Google Play

Submitting to the Play Store

If you'd like Branch to collect the Google Advertising ID for advertising or tracking purposes instead of the Android ID, you must add Google Play Services to your app prior to release. After you complete these steps, Branch will handle the rest!

1. Add implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads-identifier:16+'' or greater version to the dependencies section of your build.gradle file. You might already have it.
2. Add the following line in your Proguard settings:

-keep class com.google.android.gms.ads.identifier.** { *; }

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Why does Branch use the GAID?

Branch uses the GAID to identify users across our entire partner network, greatly increasing match accuracy rate. You can read more about this on the matching accuracy page. You do not need to perform these steps if you elect not to import Play Services or the Ads framework.

Google Play Analytics

Branch has the ability to send UTM data to Google Play. When you specify the following keys on your Branch links, we will pass them to Google Play.

If you specify utm_source as a query parameter or key value pair on any Branch link, we will pass this to Google Play. If you don't specify a utm_source, we will use the ~channel specified on the Branch link. If there is no channel, the default will be Branch.

The same applies for utm_campaign, except, we will fall back to ~campaign, and then not pass anything if ~campaign is not specified.