Overview
Attention
This article explains the legacy Branch ads experience, which is slated for deprecation. To set up ad partners and manage your ads in new Branch, see Ad Partners (New).
Branch Links can be used together with Meta ads, allowing you to track ad-driven installs on the Branch Dashboard and deep link those new users directly to the content the first time they open your app. Refer to Meta's Ad Guide to learn more.
Meta's Ad Platform supports numerous campaign types and a shared set of advertisement formats. This guide will help you navigate Meta's Advertisement Platform and show you how to use Branch Links in all major Meta ad types.
Branch supports engaged attribution for Meta — Engaged View-through attribution and Engaged Click-through attribution.
Campaign support
This documentation supports the following Meta Ad Campaigns:
Meta campaign category | Campaign type/objective | Link users to | Branch documentation link | Branch ad format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Awareness | Brand Awareness | Web | Cross-platform Display | |
Awareness | Reach | Web | Cross-platform Display | |
Consideration | Traffic | Web or App | Cross-platform Display | |
Consideration | App Installs | App | App Only: Installs | |
Consideration | Video Views | Web | Cross-platform Display | |
Consideration | Lead Generation | Web x | Cross-platform Display | |
Conversion | Conversions | Web or App | Cross-platform Display |
Warning
If you have more than one app using the same Meta Account ID, SKAdNetwork data may only appear in one of those apps. Do not connect the same Meta Account ID in multiple apps to avoid visualization issues.
Warning
Meta has confirmed that impression tracking links are not supported in any ad placement, and click tracking links are only available in a subset of placements.
Data mapping between Branch and Meta
Event names
Note
Please follow the Tracking Commerce, Content, Lifecycle and Custom Events guide when implementing event tracking in the Branch SDK.
When tracking any of the Facebook events that are mapped to the Branchcustomevent, use the event name from the table below; e.g.branch.logevent('AdClick').
Facebook event name | Branch event name |
|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Campaign and Ad Data
Branch data | Meta data |
|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Caution
The
creative_idandcreative_namefields are automatically set server-side on Meta for Cost, Clicks, and Impressions sent to Branch.
Metadata
Branch key-value pair | Meta MMP key-value pair | Facebook event(s) supported |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Branch will send all content items tracked for an event, if supported.
Also, Branch will automatically map "fb_content_type":"product" for in-app events when the advertiser tracks ContentMetadata via a Branch SDK. Otherwise, Branch will not add the fb_content_type variable.
Viewing Meta data
You can see analytics on impressions, clicks, installs, opens and conversion events on various pages of the Branch Dashboard.
Note
If you're seeing discrepancies between Meta and Branch data, please see Common Sources of SAN Reporting Discrepancies.
Data limitations
Note
Branch may redact specific metrics/events (ex. INSTALLS) through the Branch Dashboard or through Aggregate Exports of Meta-attributed campaigns when aggregation levels are not high enough to prevent the potential de-anonymization of specific Meta users or if it is non-aggregated view-through and click-through data.
In these cases, the Branch Dashboard will display "undisclosed" in reports and Aggregate Exports will show
nullin responses.Only for Android events, you can get the event detail but not "undisclosed" with Meta Install Referrer.
We cannot send device-level Meta attribution data to third parties, unless attribution results utilized the Meta Install Referrer or Aggregate Event Measurement.
This data is also not returned in the deep link session initialization callback within the app. If you have analytics needs that are not met by the Branch Dashboard, please contact us and include "Meta MMP + Feature Request" in the subject.
Branch will purge last-attributed data after 60 days.
Branch feature | Meta data included |
|---|---|
Pre-aggregated analytics | |
Pre-aggregated analytics | |
Pre-aggregated analytics | |
Not supported | |
Pre-aggregated analytics | |
Pre-aggregated analytics | |
Not supported |
Tip
Looking for Advanced Mobile Measurement? Visit our dedicated guide.
Meta Limited Data Use
On July 1st 2020, Meta introduced a new Limited Data Use (LDU) feature to support customer compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). This feature enables you to limit how Meta uses the data of users in states where Limited Data Use is available. This data could be collected by you or by third parties on your behalf.
If the Limited Data Use feature is enabled, Meta will process data in accordance with its role as a service provider or processor with respect to flagged personal information from people in states where Limited Data Use is available. This means Meta will limit use of that data subject to their State-Specific Terms.
To invoke Meta Limited Data Use for your users, please use any Consumer Protection Preference other than FULL.
Troubleshooting
We also have a document with FAQs and Advanced Options for Meta Ads. We recommend starting with one of the guides above, then jumping into the FAQ and Advanced Options when you have questions or need to troubleshoot.