In order to understand the attribution methodology of Spotify Ad Analytics, it's important to understand the basics of the data that our platform needs in order to match conversions to impressions.
Impression Data
Spotify Ad Analytics uses Tracking URLs to collect impression data. Tracking URLs are generated based on the ad server and applied to each line-item with every new campaign.
- IP Address – IP addresses are assigned to a device based on how the device is connected to the Internet. For example, all devices that are connected to a wireless router in a home will have the same IP address; however, once a mobile device leaves the house and connects to cell service, the device's IP address will change. All IP addresses have a connection type, and Spotify Ad Analytics treats these types differently when running attribution. These connection types include:
- Household IP
- Cable/DSL/Dial-up IP
- Commercial IP
- Cellular IP
- UserAgent – Everytime a podcast or audio player downloads or streams audio (e.g. music, podcasts or streaming radio), Spotify Ad Analytics receives identifying characteristics about the app and/or browser being used to consume the content, such as:
- Player Type (e.g. web browser, Apple podcast, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, etc)
- Device Type (iOS or Android)
- Device Make and Model (e.g. iPhone 14, Samsung Galaxy, etc)
- Operating System Version (e.g. iOS 16.1, Androide 14, etc)
- Impression/Download Details – Details about a listener's ad exposure are key to the attribution methodology, as well as for analysis of the results. Details include:
- Timestamp, and
- Podcast episode (if applicable)
Conversion Data
Spotify Ad Analytics uses the Spotify Pixel to capture website activity. The Spotify Pixel is only installed once on the brand opts to measure campaigns on their website. Advertisers are also able to utilize one of our third-party integrations in order to measure mobile app activity.
Conversion data is organized based on the events defined during pixel installation. See below for the types of events that inform the various metrics appearing in the Spotify Ad Analytics dashboard.
- Visits – Informs metrics such as visitors, conversion rate and cost per visit.
- Leads – Informs metrics such as leads and cost per lead.
- Product – Informs metrics such as product views.
- Checkout – Informs metrics such as checkout.
- Purchase – Inform metrics such as purchases, cost per acquired customer (CAC), average order value (AOV), attributed revenue and return on ad spend (ROAS).
- Alias – Used as an event fired in parallel with another event. This allows an
advertiser to pass Spotify Ad Analytics an identifier that can be used to match Spotify Ad Analytics attribution data to an advertiser’s own datasets.