Mobile advertising has emerged as one of the most popular, reliable and simple ways for app monetization. App developers look up to mobile advertising as a practicable way to monetize apps, where ads are precisely targeted and do not compromise with the user experience. Targeted mobile ads made possible with advanced user data and app analytics, have benefitted both app developers (by providing better experience to their users) and advertisers.
Unique identifiers for mobile devices were put in place for fetching user data and better tracking. Many app developers make money through cross-promotion, i.e. by promoting other’s apps in their own app.Unique identifiers are also required for tracking purposes in cross-promotions.
However, the use of these identifiers led to privacy issues among many consumers. To limit the growing privacy issues, first Apple and then Google came up with new identifiers for mobile devices.
What is Google’s Advertising ID?
Google’s Advertising ID is an anonymous unique identifier which balances both advertisers’ need for tracking user data and users’ privacy issues. The new ID passes the control back to the Android users. The users can now choose whether they want their devices to be recognised or not, and can reset the ID anytime they want. The Advertising ID can be reset under ‘Ads’ in ‘Google Settings’. In addition, there’s an option for users to opt out of interest based ads which would instruct apps not to use the Advertising ID to build profiles or show interest based ads on users’ devices.
The Advertising ID is similar to Apple’s Identifier for Advertising (IDFA) introduced last year, which has now been implemented in all iOS devices. Google Play Developer website defines the new Advertising ID as:
“A user-specific, unique, resettable ID for advertising, provided by Google Play services. It gives users better controls and provides developers with a simple, standard system to continue to monetize your apps. It is an anonymous identifier for advertising purposes and enables users to reset their identifier or opt out of interest-based ads within Google Play apps.”
Why the change?
Google issued the following statement concerning the shift:
“To give users better controls and to provide developers with a simple, standard system to continue to monetize their apps, we are replacing Android ID with an anonymous identifier for advertising purposes. This enables users to reset their identifier, or opt out of interest-based ads for Google Play apps.”
What it means for app developers?
Google announced repeatedly that mobile app developers and advertisers should adopt the Advertising ID by August 1, 2014. And now all the apps and app updates submitted to Play Store require the use of Advertising ID for tracking of ads.
The identifiers used till now like AndroidID and AndroidDeviceID, are no longer accepted as tracking tools, and mobile app developers must switch to the new Advertising ID to remain compliant. Non-compliance will lead to rejection of the apps from Google Play Store whenever a new app or app update is submitted.
Developers who have their apps already approved should also become compliant with the new ID in order to have maximum ad fill rates.
How to make your app compliant to the Advertising ID?
Adiquity always takes great care in ensuring its app developers, publishers and advertisers to be compliant with the latest developments in the industry. Adiquity’s latest Android SDK and Ads ‘N’velope support the Google Advertising ID. We strongly recommend app developers working with us to update their apps to the latest Android SDK or Ads ‘N’velope.
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