What You Need Before Spending $1 on User Acquisition

The most expensive UA mistake isn't picking the wrong channel or creative. It's starting before you're ready.

When infrastructure isn't in place, you can't distinguish good channels from bad ones. You optimize for volume instead of quality. You burn budget without learning what works.

Here's what you actually need before spending on paid acquisition.

1. Attribution Infrastructure

Without proper attribution, you're flying blind. You can't measure CAC accurately, can't segment by channel quality, and can't optimize campaigns beyond surface-level metrics like impressions and clicks.

Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP)

Choose one of the major platforms:

• AppsFlyer
• Adjust
• Singular
• Branch

These platforms provide cross-channel attribution, fraud detection, and post-ATT measurement capabilities you can't build in-house.

What to configure:

• Attribution windows: Standard is 7-day click, 1-day view for iOS; 30-day click, 1-day view for Android
• Deep linking: Ensure users land in the right place post-install
• SKAdNetwork integration: Required for iOS campaigns post-ATT
• Postback configuration: Connect your MMP to each ad network for real-time optimization

Cost consideration:

Most MMPs charge based on monthly tracked installs, ranging from $0.03-$0.10 per install. Budget for this before launching campaigns.

Event Tracking Beyond Install

Install volume tells you nothing about user quality. You need to track key actions that correlate with long-term value.

Essential events to track:

• App open: Did the user return after install?
• Signup/registration: Did they create an account?
• Onboarding completion: Did they finish the initial flow?
• First key action: Depends on your app (first workout logged, first message sent, first search, etc.)
• Day 7 active: Are they still using the app a week later?
• First purchase/monetization: When do they convert?

Why this matters:

These events let you calculate cohort-level LTV and optimize campaigns for quality, not just volume. A channel with a $5 CPI and 30% D7 retention beats a channel with a $3 CPI and 10% D7 retention.

SKAdNetwork Configuration (iOS)

Post-ATT, iOS attribution relies on SKAdNetwork, which provides delayed, aggregated conversion data.

What you need:

• Conversion value schema: Map key events to 6-bit conversion values (0-63)
• Timer understanding: Conversion values update on a 24-hour timer with randomized delays
• Postback processing: Configure how you'll receive and process SKAdNetwork postbacks

Common mistake:

Treating SKAdNetwork like deterministic attribution. It's not. Plan for data delays and model-based optimization.

2. Marketing Funnel Definition

Before spending, you need a clear map of your user journey and the metrics that matter at each stage.

Full Funnel Framework

Stage 1: Awareness

• Metric: Impressions, reach
• Goal: Surface your app to the right audience

Stage 2: Consideration

• Metric: Click-through rate (CTR), cost per click (CPC)
• Goal: Drive qualified traffic to your app store page

Stage 3: Conversion

• Metric: App store conversion rate, cost per install (CPI)
• Goal: Convert page views into installs

Stage 4: Activation

• Metric: Onboarding completion, first key action
• Goal: Get users to experience core value

Stage 5: Retention

• Metric: D1/D7/D30 retention
• Goal: Build habitual usage

Stage 6: Monetization

• Metric: Conversion to paid, ARPU, LTV
• Goal: Generate revenue

Define Success Metrics

For each stage, establish:

• Current baseline: What's your organic performance?
• Target: What would make paid UA successful?
• Acceptable threshold: What's the minimum viable performance?

Example:

Metric	Organic Baseline	Paid UA Target	Minimum Threshold
CPI	N/A	$3.00	$5.00
D1 Retention	45%	40%	35%
D7 Retention	22%	20%	15%
LTV (90-day)	$12.00	$10.00	$8.00

Having these benchmarks lets you evaluate channels objectively and kill underperformers quickly.

3. Baseline Performance Data

You need to know how organic users behave before you can evaluate paid users.

What to Measure

Retention curves:

• What percentage of organic users return on D1, D7, D30?
• Where do retention curves flatten out?

Monetization patterns:

• When do organic users first convert?
• What's the average revenue per paying user (ARPPU)?
• What's the conversion rate from free to paid?

Engagement metrics:

• How often do organic users open the app?
• What's the average session length?
• Which features drive the most engagement?

Why this matters:

If paid users show dramatically different behavior than organic users, it signals either poor targeting or poor creative-to-product fit. Without organic baselines, you won't catch this.

4. Fraud Detection Systems

Ad fraud costs mobile advertisers billions annually. Click flooding, install farms, and SDK spoofing can inflate volume metrics while delivering zero real users.

What You Need

Basic fraud prevention:

• Enable fraud detection in your MMP (most include this)
• Set up anomaly detection for unusual install patterns
• Monitor for suspicious click-to-install times (installs within seconds of clicks)

Advanced protection (recommended for spend over $50K/month):

• Device fingerprinting
• Behavioral analysis post-install
• Click injection detection
• Emulator and bot detection

Red flags to watch:

• Install-to-event conversion rates significantly lower than benchmarks
• High install volume with zero in-app activity
• Suspiciously short click-to-install times
• Geographic mismatches between clicks and installs

Impact:

Fraud rates vary by channel and region but can reach 20-30% in some markets. Factor this into your budget and ROI calculations.

5. Creative Assets and Testing Framework

Creative performance drives 50-70% of campaign variance. Strong creative can cut your CPI in half. Weak creative makes even well-targeted campaigns expensive.

What You Need Before Launch

3-5 creative concepts across different angles:

• Problem-focused: Show the pain point your app solves
• Solution-focused: Show the transformation or outcome
• Feature-focused: Demonstrate key functionality
• Social proof: Testimonials, reviews, usage stats
• Entertainment-focused: Engaging content that hooks attention

Asset types per concept:

• Static images: 1200x628 (Facebook), 1080x1920 (Stories/TikTok)
• Video ads: 15-30 seconds, vertical and square formats
• Headlines: 3-5 variations per concept
• Ad copy: 3-5 variations per concept

Testing approach:

Don't launch with one creative and hope it works. Start with 3-5 concepts, allocate budget evenly, and let data determine winners.

Creative Production

In-house vs. agency:

For initial testing, in-house production often works fine. Use screen recordings, simple animations, and user-generated content (UGC) style.

As you scale, consider working with creative agencies or freelance creators who specialize in performance marketing.

Cost consideration:

Budget $500-$2,000 per creative concept for initial production. As you find winners, reinvest in higher-production versions.

6. Channel Account Setup

Before spending, you need active accounts on your target channels with proper configuration.

Platform Setup Checklist

Facebook/Meta:

• Business Manager account created
• Ad account with payment method
• Facebook Pixel or SDK implemented
• App Events configured for optimization
• Domain verification completed

TikTok:

• TikTok Ads Manager account
• Payment method added
• TikTok Pixel or SDK implemented
• App Events tracking enabled

Apple Search Ads:

• Apple Search Ads account (requires Apple Developer account)
• Payment method configured
• Campaign structure planned

Google Ads (UAC):

• Google Ads account created
• Firebase SDK implemented (recommended)
• App campaign conversion events configured

Common setup issues:

• Attribution integration not connected to ad accounts
• Conversion events not firing correctly
• Payment methods failing at scale
• App Events not mapping to optimization goals

Test everything with small budgets before scaling.

7. Budget and Resource Allocation

You need sufficient budget to run meaningful tests and dedicated resources to manage campaigns.

Minimum Budget Guidelines

Per channel: $5,000-$10,000 over 30 days

Why this amount:

• Platforms need volume to complete learning phases (typically 50 conversions)
• You need statistical significance to evaluate creative and targeting
• Attribution delays mean you won't see full data for 7-14 days

Total recommended budget for initial testing: $15,000-$30,000 across 2-3 channels

Resource Requirements

Time commitment:

• Week 1: Campaign setup, creative upload, targeting configuration (10-20 hours)
• Week 2-4: Daily monitoring, bid adjustments, creative swaps (5-10 hours/week)
• Ongoing: Weekly reporting and optimization (5 hours/week)

Team skills needed:

• Performance marketing fundamentals
• Platform-specific knowledge (Facebook Ads Manager, TikTok Ads, ASA)
• Data analysis and spreadsheet modeling
• Basic creative production or creative briefing

If you don't have these resources in-house, factor in agency or freelancer costs.

Pre-Launch Checklist

Before spending your first dollar on paid UA:

• MMP is fully implemented and tested
• Key events beyond install are tracking correctly
• SKAdNetwork is configured for iOS campaigns
• Marketing funnel and success metrics are defined
• You have 30+ days of organic user data for baselines
• Fraud detection is enabled in your MMP
• You have 3-5 creative concepts ready to test
• Ad accounts are set up with attribution connected
• You have $5,000-$10,000 budget allocated per channel
• You have 10+ hours/week available for campaign management

What Happens Without This Foundation

Starting paid UA without these systems creates predictable problems:

Attribution gaps: You can't measure true CAC or identify high-quality channels.

Optimization blindness: You optimize for clicks or installs instead of retention and LTV.

Fraud exposure: You pay for fake installs and bot activity without detection.

Creative failure: You launch with untested concepts and burn budget on poor performers.

Budget waste: You spread small budgets across channels without reaching significance.

FAQs

What attribution tool should I use for paid UA?

Choose a Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) like AppsFlyer, Adjust, Singular, or Branch. These platforms provide cross-channel attribution, fraud detection, and SKAdNetwork integration for iOS campaigns. Most charge $0.03-$0.10 per tracked install.

What events should I track before starting paid UA?

Track key events beyond install: app open, signup/registration, onboarding completion, first key action, Day 7 active, and first purchase or monetization event. These events help you evaluate user quality, not just volume.

Do I need a large budget to start paid UA?

Plan for at least $5,000-$10,000 per channel over 30 days. Smaller budgets don't provide enough volume to reach statistical significance or complete platform learning phases. Budget $15,000-$30,000 total for initial testing across 2-3 channels.

How long does it take to set up attribution infrastructure?

Technical implementation (MMP SDK integration, event tracking) typically takes 1-2 weeks with developer resources. Add another 1-2 weeks for testing and validation. Plan for 3-4 weeks from decision to launch.

Can I skip fraud detection when starting out?

No. Even small campaigns attract fraudulent traffic. Most MMPs include basic fraud detection at no extra cost. Enable it from day one to avoid paying for fake installs.

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Paid UA rewards preparation. Invest in infrastructure before you invest in media spend.