Attribution Windows

Attribution windows determine how long clicks remain valid for matching to app installs. LinkForty gives you per-link control that competitors charge thousands for.

What is an Attribution Window?

An attribution window is the time period during which a click can be matched to an app install.

Example Flow:

1. Monday 10:00 AM - User clicks your short link

   • LinkForty creates device fingerprint
   • Stores click event with timestamp

2. Wednesday 3:00 PM - User installs your app (65 hours later)

   • App opens and SDK initializes
   • SDK sends fingerprint to LinkForty

3. Attribution Check

   • Time since click: 65 hours
   • Attribution window: 168 hours (7 days)
   • Result: ✅ Match found (65h < 168h)

4. Deep Link Delivered

   • SDK receives original link parameters
   • App navigates user to specific content
   • Install attributed to your campaign

If the user had installed on Sunday (160 hours later), still within 168h window → ✅ Match

If the user had installed next Monday (168+ hours later), exceeds window → ❌ No match

Why Attribution Windows Matter

Conversion Rate Impact

Longer windows catch more installs but may reduce accuracy:

Window Length	Typical Match Rate	Accuracy	Best For
1 hour	5-10%	Very High	Immediate actions
24 hours	15-25%	High	Direct response
7 days	35-50%	Balanced	Industry standard
30 days	45-60%	Lower	Brand awareness
90 days	50-70%	Lowest	Long consideration

The Trade-off:

• Shorter windows = Higher confidence in attribution, fewer matches
• Longer windows = More matches, but some may be coincidental

Business Impact

E-commerce App (7-day window)

• 1,000 clicks from Instagram ad
• 350 installs within 7 days (35% conversion)
• Cost: $500 ad spend
• CPI: $1.43

Same campaign with 1-hour window:

• 1,000 clicks
• 75 installs within 1 hour (7.5% conversion)
• Cost: $500 ad spend
• CPI: $6.67 (looks way more expensive!)

Shorter windows under-report true performance. Longer windows may over-attribute.

LinkForty's Competitive Advantage

Per-Link Attribution Windows

LinkForty: Configure attribution window for every individual link

{
  "title": "Flash Sale - 24h Only",
  "attributionWindowHours": 24,
  "originalUrl": "https://example.com/flash-sale"
}

AppsFlyer: Organization-wide setting only. One size fits all campaigns.

Branch: Requires SDK changes to modify windows.

Impact: You can optimize each campaign independently.

Granular Control (1 to 2,160 Hours)

LinkForty: Any value from 1 hour to 90 days (2,160 hours)

{
  "attributionWindowHours": 127  // Exactly 127 hours
}

AppsFlyer: Fixed presets (1, 3, 7, 14, 30 days)

Adjust: Fixed presets only (1, 7, 30 days)

Impact: Match your window to customer behavior patterns, not platform limitations.

Platform Availability

LinkForty:

• Available on all tiers (Free, Pro, Self-hosted)
• Full control over attribution windows
• No restrictions or approvals needed

Other Platforms:

• Often limited to enterprise tiers
• May require account manager approval
• Typically organization-wide settings only

Choosing the Right Window

Campaign Type Matrix

Campaign Type	Recommended Window	Reasoning
Flash Sales	1-24 hours	Short decision cycle, immediate action
Direct Response Ads	24-72 hours	Users install quickly or not at all
Product Launches	7-14 days	Need time for awareness to build
Content Marketing	7-30 days	Longer consideration, education needed
Referral Programs	30-90 days	Friend recommendations take time
Brand Awareness	14-30 days	Building familiarity over time
Retargeting	14-30 days	Re-engaging previous visitors
Influencer Campaigns	7-14 days	Audience acts within days
Email Campaigns	3-7 days	Readers act within week
SMS/Push	1-6 hours	Immediate channel
Print/QR Codes	7-30 days	Offline-to-online delay

Industry Benchmarks

Industry	Typical Decision Cycle	Recommended Window
Food Delivery	Minutes to hours	1-24 hours
E-commerce	Hours to days	3-7 days
Finance Apps	Days to weeks	7-30 days
Dating Apps	Hours to days	24-72 hours
Productivity Tools	Days to weeks	7-14 days
Games	Minutes to days	24-72 hours
Health & Fitness	Days to weeks	7-30 days
Real Estate	Weeks to months	30-90 days
B2B SaaS	Weeks to months	30-90 days
Travel	Days to weeks	14-30 days

Platform Behavior Patterns

iOS Users:

• Longer consideration time
• More research before install
• Recommended: +3-7 days vs Android

Android Users:

• Faster install decisions
• More impulsive downloads
• Recommended: Shorter windows

Example:

// iOS link
{
  "title": "iOS Campaign",
  "iosUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/app/id123",
  "attributionWindowHours": 336  // 14 days
}

// Android link
{
  "title": "Android Campaign",
  "androidUrl": "https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app",
  "attributionWindowHours": 168  // 7 days
}

Setting Attribution Windows

Via Dashboard

Creating New Link:

1. Click "Create Link"
2. Fill in basic details
3. Find "Attribution Window" dropdown
4. Select from presets:
   • 1 hour (privacy-focused)
   • 24 hours (direct response)
   • 72 hours (short campaigns)
   • 168 hours (7 days) ← Default
   • 336 hours (14 days)
   • 720 hours (30 days)
   • 2160 hours (90 days)
5. Click "Create Link"

Editing Existing Link:

1. Go to Links page
2. Click link you want to edit
3. Click "Edit" button
4. Change "Attribution Window" value
5. Click "Save"

Note: Changing attribution window applies to new clicks only. Existing fingerprints retain original window.

Via API

Creating Link with Custom Window:

curl -X POST https://api.linkforty.com/api/links \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LINKFORTY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "templateId": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "originalUrl": "https://example.com/product",
    "attributionWindowHours": 336
  }'

Updating Window:

curl -X PUT https://api.linkforty.com/api/links/abc123 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LINKFORTY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "attributionWindowHours": 720
  }'

Bulk Update:

curl -X POST https://api.linkforty.com/api/links/bulk-update \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LINKFORTY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "linkIds": [
      "link_abc123",
      "link_def456",
      "link_ghi789"
    ],
    "updates": {
      "attributionWindowHours": 168
    }
  }'

Via Link Templates

Set default windows for all links from a template:

curl -X POST https://api.linkforty.com/api/templates \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LINKFORTY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Social Media Template",
    "attributionWindowHours": 168,
    "iosUrl": "https://apps.apple.com/app/id123",
    "androidUrl": "https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app"
  }'

All links created from this template inherit 168-hour window (overridable).

Advanced Strategies

Dynamic Windows by Traffic Source

Different channels need different windows:

// Programmatic link creation
const ATTRIBUTION_WINDOWS = {
  sms: 6,        // 6 hours - immediate channel
  push: 12,      // 12 hours - notification urgency
  email: 168,    // 7 days - read at leisure
  social: 168,   // 7 days - discovery browsing
  search: 72,    // 3 days - high intent
  display: 720,  // 30 days - brand awareness
  influencer: 336 // 14 days - trust building
};

function createCampaignLink(source, url) {
  return fetch('https://api.linkforty.com/api/links', {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${API_KEY}`,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      templateId: TEMPLATE_ID,
      originalUrl: url,
      attributionWindowHours: ATTRIBUTION_WINDOWS[source],
      utmParameters: {
        utm_source: source
      }
    })
  });
}

A/B Testing Attribution Windows

Test different windows to optimize for your audience:

Test Setup:

// Variant A: Short window (high confidence)
{
  "title": "Instagram Ad - Variant A",
  "customCode": "insta-test-a",
  "attributionWindowHours": 72,
  "utmContent": "variant-a"
}

// Variant B: Long window (high volume)
{
  "title": "Instagram Ad - Variant B",
  "customCode": "insta-test-b",
  "attributionWindowHours": 336,
  "utmContent": "variant-b"
}

Analysis:

-- Compare conversion rates
SELECT
  utm_content as variant,
  COUNT(DISTINCT click_id) as clicks,
  COUNT(DISTINCT CASE WHEN installed_at IS NOT NULL THEN user_id END) as installs,
  ROUND(100.0 * COUNT(DISTINCT CASE WHEN installed_at IS NOT NULL THEN user_id END) /
    COUNT(DISTINCT click_id), 2) as conversion_rate,
  AVG(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (installed_at - clicked_at))/3600) as avg_time_to_install_hours
FROM click_events
WHERE utm_campaign = 'instagram-test'
GROUP BY utm_content;

Decision criteria:

• If similar conversion rates → Use shorter window (higher confidence)
• If significantly different → Use longer window (captures more value)
• Monitor avg_time_to_install_hours to set optimal window

Seasonal Adjustments

Adjust windows based on seasonality:

function getSeasonalWindow(baseWindow) {
  const month = new Date().getMonth();

  // Holiday shopping (Nov-Dec): Users delay installs, shopping around
  if (month >= 10) {
    return baseWindow * 1.5;  // +50% longer
  }

  // Summer (Jun-Aug): Faster decisions, vacation browsing
  if (month >= 5 && month <= 7) {
    return baseWindow * 0.75;  // -25% shorter
  }

  // Back to school (Aug-Sep): Research-heavy
  if (month >= 7 && month <= 8) {
    return baseWindow * 1.25;  // +25% longer
  }

  return baseWindow;
}

// Use: getSeasonalWindow(168) → 252 hours in November

Fraud Prevention with Short Windows

Prevent attribution fraud with aggressive windows:

Problem: Malicious actors click links, install later, claim referral rewards

Solution: Short windows reduce fraud window

{
  "title": "Referral Program Link",
  "attributionWindowHours": 24,  // Must install within 24h
  "utmSource": "referral"
}

Additional protection:

• Require email verification before reward
• Check fingerprint quality score
• Validate IP address isn't VPN/proxy
• Monitor for suspicious patterns

Monitoring Attribution Performance

Dashboard Analytics

View attribution metrics:

1. Go to Analytics → Links
2. Select your link
3. View "Attribution Performance" section:
   • Total clicks
   • Attributed installs
   • Average time to install
   • Attribution rate (% of clicks that install)

Time-to-install distribution:

Time Range	Installs	Percentage
0-1 hours	45	15%
1-24 hours	90	30%
1-3 days	75	25%
3-7 days	60	20%
7-14 days	30	10%

Insight: 70% install within 24 hours → Could reduce window from 14 days to 3 days without losing much volume.

API Analytics

curl https://api.linkforty.com/api/analytics/links/abc123 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LINKFORTY_API_KEY"

Response:

{
  "linkId": "abc123",
  "totalClicks": 1000,
  "attributedInstalls": 350,
  "attributionRate": 0.35,
  "avgTimeToInstallHours": 42.5,
  "timeToInstallDistribution": {
    "0-1h": 150,
    "1-24h": 100,
    "1-3d": 60,
    "3-7d": 30,
    "7-14d": 10
  },
  "attributionWindowHours": 168
}

Optimization Recommendations

If avgTimeToInstallHours is much less than attributionWindowHours:

avg: 42 hours
window: 336 hours (14 days)
→ Recommendation: Reduce window to 72 hours (saves server resources)

If many installs near end of window:

7-14d range: 30% of installs
window: 336 hours (14 days)
→ Recommendation: Increase window to 720 hours (30 days) to capture more

Comparison with Competitors

Feature	LinkForty	AppsFlyer	Branch	Adjust
Per-Link Windows	✅ Free	❌ Enterprise only	✅ Paid plans	❌ Org-level only
Granular Control	✅ 1-2160 hours	❌ Fixed presets	❌ Fixed presets	❌ Fixed presets
Tier Availability	All tiers	Enterprise	Paid	Enterprise
API Updates	✅ Instant	✅ Instant	⚠️ Delayed	⚠️ SDK required
Bulk Updates	✅ Yes	✅ Yes (Enterprise)	❌ No	❌ No
Historical Changes	✅ Audit log	✅ Yes	⚠️ Limited	⚠️ Limited
Template Defaults	✅ Yes	✅ Yes (Enterprise)	❌ No	❌ No
Window Range	1h - 90d	1d - 30d	1d - 30d	1d - 30d

Best Practices Summary

1. Start with 7 days (168 hours) - Industry standard, balanced approach

2. Match window to customer journey:

   • Impulse purchases → 24-72 hours
   • Considered purchases → 7-30 days
   • Enterprise/B2B → 30-90 days

3. Monitor time-to-install metrics - Adjust windows based on actual behavior

4. Use shorter windows for:

   • Fraud-prone campaigns (referrals)
   • Immediate action campaigns (flash sales)
   • Privacy-conscious users

5. Use longer windows for:

   • Brand awareness campaigns
   • Expensive products (high consideration)
   • Referral programs (trust building)

6. Platform-specific windows:

   • iOS: +3-7 days vs Android
   • Web: Shorter (users use mobile more)

7. Test and optimize:

   • A/B test different windows
   • Analyze conversion rates vs confidence
   • Adjust based on data, not assumptions

8. Template-based defaults:

   • Create templates for common use cases
   • Override for specific campaigns

Troubleshooting

Low Attribution Rates

Symptom: Very few installs attributed despite high click volume

Possible Causes:

1. Attribution window too short

   • Solution: Increase window to 7-14 days

2. Users installing much later than expected

   • Check analytics: "Time to Install Distribution"
   • Increase window to cover 80% of installs

3. Fingerprint matching issues

   • See Fingerprint Matching Guide

Over-Attribution

Symptom: Attribution rate >70% seems unrealistic

Possible Causes:

1. Attribution window too long

   • Solution: Reduce window to increase confidence

2. Coincidental installs being attributed

   • Users may have discovered app elsewhere
   • Reduce window to 1-3 days for high-confidence only

Installs Not Being Attributed

Symptom: Users report installing from your link, but no attribution

Possible Causes:

1. Installed after attribution window expired

   • Check clicked_at vs installed_at timestamps
   • Increase window if pattern detected

2. SDK not initialized properly

   • See SDK Integration Guide

3. Different device/network for click vs install

   • Fingerprint won't match (expected behavior)
   • Consider device ID matching (requires SDK)

Next Steps

• 🔧 SDK Integration - Set up mobile SDK for attribution
• 🎯 Fingerprint Matching - How attribution works under the hood
• 📊 Analytics Dashboard - Monitor attribution performance
• 📋 Link Templates - Set default windows per template

API Reference

• Create Link
• Update Link
• Bulk Update Links
• Link Analytics