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View Through Attribution (VTA) Testing

  • Published on Jul 28, 2026
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View-Through Attribution (VTA) measures conversions, such as installs and app opens, that happen after a user sees an ad impression, even without a click. This guide walks you through testing your VTA setup end to end: from firing a test impression to confirming that Branch sends the correct postback back to your system.

Before you begin

To test VTA, you first need the following:

  • An impression link from Branch. You generate this in the final step of link creation in Branch.

  • Access to the system where you'll host the tracking link and receive postbacks.

  • A mobile device for triggering the impression and completing the conversion.

Note

The impression link must include a populated device ID macro. Without a device ID, Branch counts the impression but can't attribute a conversion to it.

Prepare your impression link so it sends the device ID and other parameters Branch needs to attribute a conversion:

  1. Copy the impression link from the final step of link creation in Branch.

  2. Add the tracking link to your system so it generates a click ID and the other parameters specified in the impression link URL.

  3. Confirm that the impression URL includes a populated device ID macro: %24idfa= for iOS or %24aaid= for Android.

For example, a populated impression URL looks like this:

https://impression.link/impression?branch_key=key_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&%243p=a_partner_name&%24idfa=AEBE52E7-03EE-455A-B3C4-E57283966239&~ad_set_id=[ad_set_id]&~branch_ad_format=App%20Only&~channel=Ogury&~click_id=1234567890&~feature=paid%20advertising

Tip

The device ID in the example above (%24idfa=AEBE52E7-03EE-455A-B3C4-E57283966239) shows the macro fully populated. Replace it with the device ID from your own test device.

Run the test

With your impression link populated, fire a test impression and complete a conversion on the same device:

  1. On your mobile phone, open the tracking URL with the macro parameters filled in.

  2. Confirm that you're redirected to the 1x1 pixel web page. This redirect confirms that the view-through is tracked.

  3. Manually navigate to the App Store or Google Play, search for the app you're testing, then download and open it so Branch registers the install.

  4. Complete any conversion events you want to test, such as registration or login, so Branch records them.

Caution

Navigate to the app store and open the app manually, rather than following a redirect. View-through attribution measures conversions that happen without a click on the ad, so a manual install reflects how VTA works in production.

Verify the postback

After Branch registers your install and any conversion events, confirm that the data reaches your system correctly:

  1. Wait for Branch to send the predefined postback with populated parameters to your system.

  2. In your system, confirm that the postback parameters match what you expect.

If the postback parameters are correct, your VTA setup is working end to end.