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Migrate from Kochava

Complete guide to migrating your Kochava SmartLinks to LinkForty with zero downtime.

Overview​

Kochava is a comprehensive mobile attribution and analytics platform. LinkForty provides core deep linking and attribution features at a more accessible price point with full data ownership.

Why Migrate?​

FeatureKochavaLinkForty Cloud
Starting Price$1,499+/month$49/month
Self-Hosting❌✅ Free & open source
Data RetentionLimited by planUnlimited
SupportTicket systemDirect access

Prerequisites​

  1. Custom Domain - Using custom domain with Kochava SmartLinks
  2. Export Access - Can export SmartLinks from Kochava
  3. DNS Access - Can update DNS CNAME records

Step 1: Export from Kochava​

  1. Log in to Kochava dashboard
  2. Navigate to Tools → SmartLinks
  3. Export all SmartLinks as CSV
  4. Download the export file

CSV Format​

kochava_id,shortCode,iosUrl,androidUrl,webUrl,campaign_id,site_id,creative_id,network
klnk_abc123,spring-promo,https://apps.apple.com/app/123,https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.example,https://example.com,camp_456,site_789,creative_012,facebook

Kochava Parameter Mapping​

Kochava FieldLinkForty Equivalent
kochava_idStored in metadata
campaign_idutm_campaign
site_idutm_source
creative_idutm_content
networkutm_medium

Step 2: Import into LinkForty​

Using Migration Wizard​

  1. Open LinkForty dashboard
  2. Go to Migration page
  3. Select Kochava as platform
  4. Upload CSV file
  5. Review preview
  6. Click Import

Using API​

curl -X POST https://api.linkforty.com/migrations/import \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -F "file=@kochava-links.csv" \
  -F "platform=kochava" \
  -F "conflictStrategy=skip"

Step 3: DNS Migration​

Prepare DNS Change​

Lower TTL 24-48 hours before migration:

Type: CNAME
Name: go (your subdomain)
Value: (current Kochava value)
TTL: 300

Update to LinkForty​

When ready:

Type: CNAME
Name: go
Value: links.linkforty.app
TTL: 300

Wait 5-10 minutes for propagation.

Feature Comparison​

Attribution​

Kochava:

  • Multi-touch attribution
  • Fraud detection
  • Cost aggregation
  • LTV analytics

LinkForty:

  • Single-touch attribution (via SDK)
  • Click tracking
  • Custom event tracking
  • Basic fraud detection

Postbacks​

Kochava postbacks → LinkForty webhooks

Kochava Postback:

https://example.com/postback?kochava_id={kochava_id}&site_id={site_id}

LinkForty Webhook:

{
  "event": "link.clicked",
  "link": {
    "id": "abc123",
    "shortCode": "spring-promo",
    "migration_metadata": {
      "competitorPlatform": "kochava",
      "competitorId": "klnk_abc123"
    }
  },
  "click": {
    "device": "ios",
    "country": "US",
    "timestamp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
  }
}

Step 4: SDK Migration​

Kochava SDK → LinkForty SDK​

If using Kochava SDK for attribution:

Remove Kochava SDK:

// Remove this
import { Kochava } from 'kochava-sdk';
Kochava.configure({ appGuid: 'your-guid' });

Add LinkForty SDK:

import { LinkForty } from '@linkforty/react-native';

LinkForty.init({
  apiKey: 'your-api-key',
  organizationId: 'your-org-id'
});

// Track app open with deep link data
LinkForty.trackInstall();

Event Tracking Migration​

Kochava:

Kochava.sendEvent('Purchase', {
  amount: 29.99,
  currency: 'USD'
});

LinkForty:

LinkForty.trackEvent('purchase', {
  amount: 29.99,
  currency: 'USD'
});

Cost Comparison​

Real-world savings when migrating:

App Installs/MonthKochavaLinkFortyAnnual Savings
10K$1,499/mo$49/mo$17,400/year
50K$2,999/mo$99/mo$34,800/year
100K+$5,999/mo$299/mo$68,400/year

Advanced Migration​

Cost Aggregation​

Kochava's cost aggregation feature tracks ad spend across networks. LinkForty doesn't have this built-in, but you can:

  1. Use external analytics tools (Google Analytics, Mixpanel)
  2. Build custom reporting with LinkForty's webhook data
  3. Export data to your data warehouse

Fraud Detection​

Kochava's advanced fraud detection isn't available in LinkForty. Consider:

  • Third-party fraud detection services
  • IP-based filtering (built into LinkForty)
  • Device fingerprinting (custom implementation)

Multi-Touch Attribution​

Kochava's multi-touch attribution model needs custom implementation in LinkForty:

  1. Use webhooks to send click data to your backend
  2. Implement attribution logic in your analytics system
  3. Track conversion events back to multiple touch points

Troubleshooting​

Check:

  • DNS propagation completed (dig go.yourcompany.com)
  • CNAME points to links.linkforty.app
  • Clear browser cache

Missing Attribution Data​

Verify:

  • SDK is integrated correctly
  • API key is valid
  • Install events are being tracked
  • Attribution window hasn't expired

Postback URLs Not Working​

Solution:

  • Replace Kochava postbacks with LinkForty webhooks
  • Update your backend to handle new webhook format
  • Test webhook delivery

Migration Timeline​

DayTaskDuration
1Export from Kochava1 hour
1Import to LinkForty1 hour
1-2Test on temporary domain4 hours
2Lower DNS TTL1 min (wait 24-48h)
4DNS cutover10 min
4-7Monitor trafficOngoing
30Cancel Kochava30 min

Total hands-on time: ~7 hours Total calendar time: 30 days (for confidence period)

Post-Migration Checklist​

  • All links redirecting correctly
  • Analytics tracking in LinkForty dashboard
  • Webhooks configured and working
  • SDK tracking install events
  • Historical data exported from Kochava
  • Team trained on LinkForty dashboard
  • Kochava subscription cancelled

Data Export Before Cancelling​

Before cancelling Kochava, export:

  1. Historical attribution data - All install attributions
  2. Cost data - If using cost aggregation
  3. Fraud reports - For compliance/auditing
  4. Custom event data - Any custom events tracked

LinkForty doesn't import historical analytics, so preserve this data for your records.

Need Migration Help?​

We're here to support your migration:

  • Email: support@linkforty.com
  • Documentation: docs.linkforty.com
  • Live Chat: Available in dashboard
  • Enterprise Migration: White-glove service for Enterprise customers

Next Steps​