Attribution Debugger
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Postbacks from the MMP not reaching the ad network

If the MMP sees installs and events but the ad network doesn't, the break is in the postback. Find it in the delivery log, then check linking, mapping and IDs.

Run the events and revenue troubleshooter →
SymptomYour MMP records installs or events, but the ad network shows few or none of them, so its campaigns cannot optimise.
Most likely causeThe network is not connected or linked correctly, the event is not mapped for that network, or the network rejects what the MMP sends.
First checkOpen the MMP's postback delivery log for that network and look for sends, errors or nothing at all.

Short answer: if your MMP shows the install or event but the ad network does not, the problem is the postback, not the app. Open the MMP's postback delivery log for that network. No sends at all means the network is not linked or the event is not mapped. Sends with errors mean the network is rejecting them, usually because of a wrong ID, missing consent or an expired connection.

What a postback is

Postback: a message the MMP sends to an ad network or partner to report an install or in-app event, so the network can attribute and optimise on it.

Networks use postbacks to train bidding, so a purchase campaign with no purchase postbacks has nothing to learn from, even when your MMP dashboard looks healthy.

SKAN postback: a different thing. Apple sends SKAN postbacks to the ad network, and the developer can opt in to a copy of the winning one. If those are missing, see no SKAN postbacks arriving instead.

Is it the postback or the app?

Find the event in the MMP's raw event log first. If it is there, the app and SDK are fine and the break is between the MMP and the network; if it is missing in the MMP too, start with revenue events missing.

What the delivery log tells you

What you see in the logWhat it meansWhere to look next
No entries for the networkNothing is being sentNetwork connection, event mapping
Entries for installs onlyEvents are not mappedEvent mapping for that network
Entries with errorsThe network rejects themError message, IDs, consent
Entries marked sent, network still emptyNetwork has not processed or attributed themNetwork's own event view, delay

Delivery log: a per-network record in the MMP of each postback it sent, with the time, the payload and the network's response.

Likely causes

  • Network not connected or link expired. The MMP needs an active connection to each network (general practice). On Google, the third-party link must be set up and conversions imported; on Meta, the app must be registered, have the SDK set up correctly and be connected to the ad account, otherwise Meta shows zero installs.
  • Event not mapped. Each in-app event has to be switched on for each network in the MMP, so a new event added in the app sends nothing until it is mapped (general practice).
  • Wrong conversion ID or label on Google. Google lists missing postbacks and a wrong conversion ID or label among reasons a third party reports more than Google Ads.
  • Missing consent in the EEA. Google says consent status must be captured before app conversions are sent to the attribution partner.
  • iOS Google campaigns without on-device measurement. Google says most partners require Firebase iOS SDK 11.14.0 or later, or the standalone on-device conversion SDK.
  • Meta iOS event not in AEM. Meta allows 8 prioritised events per app in Aggregated Event Measurement; events outside them are not eligible.
  • Old integration switched off. After TikTok's move to self-attribution, TikTok's help centre says to keep the legacy integration active for at least 60 days.
  • Pre-filtered events. Google says missing or pre-filtered third-party pings lead to undercounting.

How to confirm it

  1. Trigger a test install and one mapped event on a test device.
  2. Find both in the MMP's raw event log with the right names.
  3. Open the delivery log for the network and find the matching entries.
  4. Read the network's response for each one. An error message names the field it rejected.
  5. In the network, check where it shows received events. Meta's Events Manager shows most events received, while Ads Manager shows only attributed ones.
  6. Wait before deciding. Google says app conversion processing can take up to 24 hours, and changes after linking can take 24 to 48 hours to appear.

How to fix it

  1. Reconnect or re-authorise the network in the MMP.
  2. Map every event the campaign optimises for, with the same name and value fields.
  3. On Google, check the conversion ID and label against the conversion action, and import the conversions.
  4. Capture EEA consent before the SDK sends conversions.
  5. On Meta iOS, add the event to your AEM priorities.
  6. Send a fresh test and confirm a clean log entry.
NetworkFirst thing to check
Google AdsLink status, imported conversion actions, ID and label, consent
MetaApp connected to ad account, event mapping, AEM on iOS
TikTokIntegration type and transition date
Affiliate or other partnerPostback URL and macros in the MMP

MMPs such as Linkrunner send revenue events, not just installs, to Meta, Google and TikTok through postbacks; Linkrunner's postback setup guide for Meta, Google and TikTok shows the fields involved. For how postbacks fit with events and ROAS in general, see the events, postbacks and ROAS chapter. If counts arrive but values differ, read ROAS differs although counts match, or step through the events and revenue troubleshooter.

Related

Related symptoms

All platformsAttribution data delayed by a day or moreAd platforms and Apple add processing and privacy delays before conversions reach reports.→All platformsNumbers differ by day but match over a weekThe tools assign installs to different days because of different time zones or because one reports by ad interaction date.→All platformsSame install claimed by two networksEach self-attributing network claims installs within its own windows, while the MMP gives each install to one winner.→All platformsRevenue events missing in the MMP or networkThe event is not reaching the MMP, is not mapped to the network, or is rejected by the network.→
FAQ

Common questions

Why does my ad network not receive events from my MMP?

Usually the network is not connected, the event is not mapped for that network, or the network rejects the postback. The MMP's delivery log shows which of the three it is.

How long do postbacks take to show up in Google Ads?

Google says app conversion processing can take several hours, sometimes up to 24 hours. After linking or changing conversion settings, allow 24 to 48 hours.

Why does Meta show fewer purchases than my MMP?

Check that the purchase is mapped for Meta and that postbacks are switched on. On iOS campaigns, the event must also be one of the 8 prioritised events in Meta's AEM configuration.

Are SKAN postbacks the same as MMP postbacks?

No. SKAN postbacks come from Apple and go to the ad network, with an optional copy to the app's chosen endpoint. MMP postbacks are sent by the MMP to report installs and events it has attributed.

Do I need to map every event to every network?

Map the events each network optimises or reports on. Sending every event to every network is not needed, but an event a campaign optimises for must be mapped or the campaign cannot learn from it.

Why do postbacks show as sent but the network still shows nothing?

The network may still be processing them, or received them without attributing them to an ad. Check its raw event view, such as Meta's Events Manager, first.