Mobile Marketing Glossary: Key Performance Terms Every Marketer Should Know

A/B Testing (Split Testing)

A method used to compare two versions of the same element—like an ad creative, landing page, CTA, or headline—to see which performs better. It's one of the simplest ways to improve performance without guessing.

Ad Campaign

A structured set of ads built around a common objective (installs, purchases, leads, etc.). Campaigns often vary by platform, audience type, geography, and creative format.

Ad Network

An intermediary that connects advertisers (demand) with publishers (supply). Ad networks help distribute ads across multiple apps/sites and optimize delivery based on performance goals.

Ad Server

The technology that delivers ads and records key outcomes like impressions, clicks, and conversions. It also supports reporting, targeting, and rotation of ad creatives.

Advertiser

The brand or business paying to promote an app, product, or service.

Publisher

The app or website that provides ad inventory (space) where ads are shown. Publishers monetize their audience through ads.

Acquisition

A broad term for gaining a new customer or user. In mobile, it typically refers to installs, sign-ups, registrations, or any defined "new user" action.

Active Users (DAU / WAU / MAU)

Active users are people who actually use the app within a time window:

• DAU: daily active users
• WAU: weekly active users
• MAU: monthly active users

This metric is often compared against installs to understand real user quality.

Engaged User

A user who meaningfully interacts—clicks an ad, completes a video, opens the app, or triggers a key event depending on the campaign KPI.

Session / Session Length / Session Interval

A session is one instance of app usage. Session length measures how long users stay; session interval measures how frequently they return.

Churn Rate

Measures how many users stop using your app—often tracked via uninstalls or long inactivity. High churn usually indicates poor targeting, poor onboarding, or weak product-market fit.

Attribution

In mobile advertising, attribution answers: "Which touchpoint gets credit for the conversion?" This could be an install, purchase, registration, or any event.

Attribution Modeling

The logic used to assign credit across touchpoints—especially when users see multiple ads before converting (multi-touch journeys).

Attribution Window

The time period during which a source can claim credit for a conversion after an impression or click (e.g., 7 days click / 24 hours view-through—varies by setup).

View-Through Attribution

When a user converts after seeing an ad (impression) without clicking it—credit is assigned based on visibility and timing rules.

CTIT (Click-to-Install Time)

The time gap between an ad click and the install/open action. Helpful for spotting suspicious patterns and measuring intent.

SDK & API (in Mobile Measurement)

• SDK: a toolkit integrated into the app to capture and send event data
• API: a communication layer used to pass data such as installs, post-install events, or revenue signals to platforms like MMPs

Install Referrer (Google Play)

A mechanism that helps validate where an install came from and provides timing signals like click time and install start time.

Impressions

When an ad is served (loaded) on an app or website. Depending on measurement rules, "served" and "viewed" can differ.

CTR (Click-Through Rate)

Clicks ÷ impressions. Useful for understanding creative engagement, but not the full story for conversion quality.

Conversion & Conversion Rate

A conversion is the desired action (install, sign-up, purchase, etc.). Conversion rate shows how efficiently users move from exposure to action.

Cost Models (CPA, CPC, CPM, CPI)

Common payment models in mobile marketing:

• CPC: pay per click
• CPM: pay per 1,000 impressions
• CPI: pay per install
• CPA: pay per defined action (registration, purchase, etc.)
• CPCV: pay when a video is completed
• CPE: pay for engagement (interaction-based)

eCPM

A normalized metric that shows effective earnings/spend per 1,000 impressions, regardless of the campaign's original pricing model.

ARPU & ARPDAU

Revenue quality indicators:

• ARPU: average revenue per user
• ARPDAU: average revenue per daily active user

These are useful when optimizing toward value, not just volume.

ROI & ROAS (Practical Difference)

• ROI looks at profit vs. cost (business outcome)
• ROAS is typically revenue vs. ad spend (campaign outcome)

Optimization

The process of improving performance by adjusting variables like bids, creatives, targeting, placements, budgets, and audiences.

Funnel Analysis

A way to map the user journey step-by-step (impression → click → install → registration → purchase) to find drop-offs and improve outcomes.

CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization)

Improving conversion efficiency through better creatives, faster landing pages, smoother onboarding, smaller app size, clearer CTAs, etc.

Cohorts & Cohort Analysis

Grouping users by a shared behavior or time-based event (e.g., "users who installed in Week 1"). Helps you measure retention and long-term quality.

Retention Rate

How often users return after installing. Retention is a strong indicator of whether you acquired the right audience.

Segmentation & Targeting

Breaking audiences into meaningful groups based on signals like location, device, interests, and behavioral patterns to improve efficiency.

Geotargeting / Geofencing

Location-based targeting methods:

• Geotargeting: target broad regions (cities, states)
• Geofencing: target a defined radius or boundary area

Personalization

Customizing the ad experience or in-app messaging to the user's intent, behavior, or preferences—often supported by AI/ML and data platforms.

Omnichannel vs Multichannel Marketing

• Multichannel: using multiple channels (social, search, display, etc.)
• Omnichannel: creating a connected experience across them

Mobile Ad Fraud

Any manipulation that results in false performance (fake clicks, installs, conversions) and wasted budgets.

Click Spamming

Fake clicks generated (often via bots) to increase the chance of stealing attribution credit.

Click Injection

A malicious tactic where a bad actor tries to "insert" a click at the last moment before an install to claim credit.

Fake Installs

Installs generated without real users, sometimes through emulators or automated systems.

SDK Spoofing

When fraudsters mimic real SDK events to trick attribution systems into recording fake installs or actions.

Incent Traffic vs Non-Incent Traffic

• Incent: users are rewarded for actions (may be useful for specific goals, but can reduce quality)
• Non-incent: users act without rewards (typically higher intent)

AI & Machine Learning

AI/ML helps platforms learn from data to improve targeting, bidding, creative selection, and conversion prediction—especially valuable when signals are limited.

Big Data

Large-scale data processing used to find patterns in behavior, performance, timing, and audience response—often powering predictive optimization.

Programmatic Media Buying & RTB

Automated buying of ads through bidding systems:

• Programmatic: automated media buying overall
• RTB: real-time bidding for each impression

CDP (Customer Data Platform)

A system that unifies customer data across multiple sources into profiles for better segmentation and personalization.

Backlink

A link from another website to your site—often beneficial for SEO and referral traffic.

Long-Tail Keywords

Highly specific search phrases (usually longer) that often signal stronger intent and lower competition.

XML Sitemap

A file that lists a website's important URLs to help search engines crawl and index content effectively.