The Challenge
A fintech app was scaling paid user acquisition across Meta and Apple Search Ads but facing a serious attribution problem. Post-iOS 14, their SKAN (SKAdNetwork) configuration was not set up correctly, meaning the conversion values being reported to Meta's algorithm bore no relationship to actual user LTV. The algorithm was optimising for cheap installs rather than users who would activate and retain.
The result was a growing volume of low-quality installs driving up CAC without a proportional increase in revenue. The marketing team had no reliable way to identify which creatives, audiences, or channels were generating users with meaningful LTV. Budget decisions were based on last-click install data that was fundamentally misleading.
The Approach
We conducted a full attribution audit, mapping the existing SKAN configuration against the app's actual conversion funnel. The conversion value schema was redesigned to encode user value signals: specifically early activation events that correlated strongly with 30-day LTV, encoded into the SKAN postback values reported to ad platforms.
We implemented server-side conversion tracking to supplement SKAN data, using a probabilistic matching approach to reconstruct campaign-level attribution for internal reporting. This gave the team a reliable view of CAC and early LTV by channel, campaign, and creative, independent of platform-reported metrics.
On the creative side, we introduced a structured testing programme across Meta. Creatives were organised by message angle (problem-aware, solution-aware, social proof) and tested in a controlled rotation. Winning angles were identified within two-week cycles and scaled while underperformers were paused. Apple Search Ads bids were restructured by keyword intent, with brand terms protected at a separate budget tier.
The Results
Correcting the SKAN configuration and optimising toward high-LTV activation events reduced CAC by 41% over 90 days, without reducing install volume. 7-day ROAS improved 85% as Meta's algorithm began receiving accurate value signals and shifted spend toward audiences with genuine purchase intent. The improved attribution model also revealed that one creative angle, rooted in a specific financial anxiety the app solved, outperformed all others by a significant margin and became the basis for the next creative sprint. LTV of newly acquired users increased 23% as acquisition became more targeted.
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Digital marketing consultant — SEO, PPC, analytics & CRO.
