Starting March 27, Apple Ads supports View-Through Attribution (VTA) — a game-changing update that lets you measure the true impact of your impressions, even when users don’t click your ads.
With SplitMetrics Acquire, you’ll now see View-Through Metrics pulled directly from your tracker, offering a deeper, more complete understanding of your ad performance.
With this update, you can track and optimize not just the clicks, but the impressions that quietly drive user acquisition. Let's explore how it works and how it benefits you 🚀
View-Through Attribution (VTA) tracks installs that typically happen within 24 hours after a user sees an ad but doesn’t tap on it. This is the default attribution window, but some tracking platforms allow you to customize the lookback window if you prefer a shorter timeframe.
How it Works:
A user sees your ad on the App Store (e.g., Search tab, Today tab).
They don't tap but later remember your app, search for it organically, and install it.
Your MMP attributes that install as a View-Through Install linked to the last ad impression seen.
Tap-Through Attribution captures direct taps, while View-Through Attribution captures delayed, organic actions inspired by your ad. Together, they provide a complete performance picture.
Before VTA, you could only measure installs from users who tapped on your ads. Now, you see the hidden value of impressions — and just how influential your ads are, even when users don’t click right away.
Here’s what this unlocks:
🌐 Full-funnel attribution: See the total install impact of your campaigns. Capture the complete user journey, including moments of passive influence, and optimize for both immediate and delayed conversions.
🎯 More accurate CPA: By factoring in installs driven by ad impressions (not just taps), you'll get a more realistic and often lower CPA, revealing the hidden efficiency of your campaigns.
📊 Smarter budget optimization: Understand which placements and creatives drive meaningful impressions that lead to installs — and reallocate budgets more effectively.
📌 Competitive Advantage: With deeper attribution data at your fingertips, you can make smarter optimization choices faster, gaining an edge over competitors who still rely on click-only insights.
In SplitMetrics Acquire, the View-Through Metrics integration enables you to:
✅ Compare tap-through & view-through installs side by side for a complete performance analysis.
✅ Optimize budgets by reallocating spend toward the most impactful impressions.
✅ Dive deeper into performance at campaign, ad group, and keyword levels.
Here are the new metrics now available on your SplitMetrics Acquire dashboards:
Metric | What It Shows |
Installs Total (Impression + Click) | Total installs attributed to Apple Ads campaigns, including both tap-through and view-through. Includes new installs and reinstalls if supported by the MMP. |
Installs (View-Through) | Installs attributed solely to users who viewed but did not tap on an ad. |
CPI Total | Cost per install, considering all installs (tap-through + view-through). Formula: Spend / Installs (Total). |
All Conversions Total | The total number of conversion actions associated with both Tap-Through and View-Through installs. |
Cost per Conversion Total | The average cost per conversion, including both Tap-Through and View-Through conversions. Formula: Spend / All Conversions (Total). |
Conversion Revenue Total | The total revenue generated from both Tap-Through and View-Through conversions. |
Conversion ROAS Total | The return on ad spend based on both Tap-Through and View-Through conversions. Calculated by dividing total conversion revenue by total ad spend. Formula: Conversions Revenue (Total) / Spend × 100%. |
Factor | Tap-Through Install | View-Through Install |
User Action | Tap on ad | Saw the ad but didn’t tap |
Conversion Path | Direct | Delayed — often via organic search |
Attribution Window | Immediate | Within 24 hours (Standard) |
Conversion Signal | Clear intent | Passive interest that turns into install |
Visibility Criteria | Not required | 50% of ad on screen for at least 1 second |
Ad Placements | All placements | All placements supported |
Though there is no need to set up View-Through Metrics in SplitMetrics Acquire, some of our MMP partners require additional steps to be taken.
MMP support details for View-Through Metrics 📌
Some of our Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) require a separate setup to enable View-Through Attribution metrics.
1. You can find setup instructions for Adjust here.
2. For Singular, follow the setup guide here
3. Please check the 4th step in this article to enable VTA in AppsFlyer.
4. Other MMPs will support VTA without any additional configuration.
5. Please note that Branch does not support VTA metrics at this time.
Make sure View-Through Attribution is enabled in your MMP settings.
Log in to SplitMetrics Acquire and head to your campaign dashboard.
Filter or customize KPIs to include view-through metrics.
View-through and tap-through conversions together can positively impact your app's organic ranking too — boosting visibility and installs even further!
💡 Quick Notes on Using VTA
No setup needed in SplitMetrics Acquire, aside from adding these metrics to your dashboards as you would do with any other metric.
VTA installs only count if the user installs within 24 hours of viewing the ad.
Q: Can VTA replace Click-Through Attribution (CTA)?
A: No — it complements it. Use both to get the full picture of how users interact with your ads.
Q: Which ad placements benefit most from VTA?
A: High-visibility placements like Today Tab and Search Results tend to drive more view-through installs.
View-Through metrics aren’t just numbers — they’re a window into user behavior. They show how your ads spark interest, drive brand awareness, and influence installs long after the first impression.
With SplitMetrics Acquire, you’re ready to take full advantage of VTA metrics — no guesswork, no missed insights.
✨ Turn every impression into action!