OTT and CTV Attribution: Best Practices for Tracking and Reconciliation

Kochava’s Marketers Operating System (m/OS) provides effective and accurate tracking of audiences across all connected devices. OTT and CTV measurement support provides the ability, depending on the device, to track installs, events, clicks and impressions.

OTT and CTV Attribution

OTT and CTV devices deliver content such as audio and video through the use of the internet without requiring users to subscribe to a traditional cable or satellite service.

The Kochava system provides deterministic and probabilistic matching. Depending on the device identifiers passed to Kochava (Device ID, Device UA, and IP Address) either deterministic or probabilistic (modeled) attribution will be employed. (see iOS 14+ restrictions)

Kochava collects (via momentary redirect or network server ping) device information when an impression is served or a user clicks on an advertisement served by a network. Each of these engagements are eligible for attribution. Once the app is installed and launched, Kochava receives an install ping (either from the Kochava SDK within the app, or from the advertiser’s server via Server-to-Server integration).

For more information about Kochava’s attribution engine, refer to our Attribution Overview support documentation.

Deterministic Attribution:

When an OTT or CTV passes Kochava unique device characteristics, which are identifiers that are completely unique to that individual device only, the Kochava attribution engine can provide authoritative attribution.

Probabilistic Attribution:

When an OTT or CTV does not pass Kochava unique device identifiers, but instead passes an IP address and/or Device UA, the Kochava attribution engine can provide a high likelihood of attribution. Although deterministic matches made with device IDs are superior to probabilistic matches with regard to attribution accuracy, probabilistic matches can be used in circumstances where the collection of device IDs is prohibited, as long as user consent allows.

Best Practices:

Tracking Link Placement in Partner Platforms

Create a campaign tracker for each platform the ad will target.
Place the platform specific tracking URLs in the partner platform for each Kochava app that should receive clicks and impressions.

Example:

If a client is serving ads on Roku that target users to download a mobile app on iOS or Android, the client would need to create a tracker for both their iOS and Android apps in Kochava and provide them to the partner serving ads on OTT/CTV inventory. That partner would need to be able to trigger both iOS and Android URLs when the ad is viewed or clicked on the Roku device so that the ad interaction could convert on either iOS or Android.

Recommended Partner Reconciliation CTV Only

Impression

Modeled Lookback = 24 hours
IP Lookback = 24 hours
Partial IP Lookback = Disabled
Device Attribution Behavior = Inclusive

Click

Device Lookback = 7 to 30 days
Modeled Lookback = 7 days
IP and Partial IP Lookback = 7 days
Device Attribution Behavior = Inclusive
Modeled Attribution Tier = Full IP Address

Recommended Partner Reconciliation CTV and Mobile

Impression

Modeled Lookback = 24 hours
IP Lookback = Disabled
Partial IP Lookback = Disabled
Device Attribution Behavior = Inclusive

Click

Device Lookback = 7 to 30 days
Modeled Lookback = 7 days
IP and Partial IP Lookback = Disabled
Device Attribution Behavior = Inclusive
Modeled Attribution Tier = Standard

Recommended Tracker Overrides for CTV Trackers

Impression

Impression Lookback Device = Default
Impression Lookback Modeled = Default
Impression Lookback IP = 24 hours
Impression Lookback Partial IP = Default

Click

Device ID Lookback Window = Default
Modeled Equalizer = 24 hours to 7 days
Modeled Lookback Window = Default
IP Lookback Window = 24 hours

General

Event Association Lookback = Unlimited
Omit Sub OS Version for Probabilistic Match = False

Referenced Support Documentation

Linked Network Documentation

Streaming Boxes/Sticks

Native SDK	S2S	Device ID	Device UA	IP Address	Install	Events
✔	✔	rida	✔	✔	✔	✔
✔	✔	fire_adid android_id	✔	✔	✔	✔
✔	✔	idfa	✔	✔	✔	✔
✔	✔	source maid	✔	✔	✔	✔

NOTE: For more information on OTT and CTV SDK Integration, refer to our support documentation.

Smart TVs

BEST PRACTICE: While a MAID, IP and Device UA are necessary for accurate mobile attribution, a smart TV operates differently and does not bounce from IP address to IP address through the day so IP only attribution remains highly accurate in the OTT/CTV space.

	Native SDK	S2S	Device ID	Device UA	IP Address	Install	Events
(Tizen)	✔	✔	tifa	*	✔	✔	✔
	*	✔	vida	*	✔	✔	✔
(WebOS)	✔	✔	adid	*	✔	✔	✔
	✔	✔	adid	✔	✔	✔	✔
	✔	✔	rida	✔	✔	✔	✔
	✔	✔	*	✔	✔	✔	✔
	✔	✔	android_id rida	✔	✔	✔	✔
	✔	✔	android_id	✔	✔	✔	✔