Why You Lose Money on Advertising Without Branch Metrics
You launch mobile game ads: video, banners, influencer seeding. The budget goes out, installs grow, but you don't know who actually pays and who churns after day one.
Without solid mobile game analytics, every bit of your promotional budget is a blind bet: it's impossible to tell which channel pays off and which just burns money.
Classic metrics like “number of installs” or “cost per click” don't show what matters most — where paying players come from. One ad network delivers hundreds of cheap installs but zero purchases. Another brings less traffic, yet its audience actually reaches the payment stage.
Without conversion tracking, you keep spending where there's no profit and switch off what truly works.
Branch Metrics solves this: the system links every install to a specific ad source and shows the player journey — from click to actual purchase. You see not abstract numbers, but a chain: channel → user → payment. That is the transparent advertising payback you were aiming for when you launched your campaigns.
An analytics integration through Branch Metrics is embedded into your Unity game and configured around your business questions: which cohorts pay, which channel brings loyal players, what you can afford per install.
All information is collected in a convenient dashboard, so you make decisions based on data, not intuition.
As a result, you stop guessing and start managing your advertising budget like an investment portfolio: you see the profitability of each channel, disable underperforming combinations in time, and scale up what brings real paying users.
This is exactly the task we solve as part of the service — you get working analytics and answers to the question of where your money goes.
What Benefits a Game Gets from Configured Analytics
A game's profit comes from repeat purchases and player loyalty — neither is possible without understanding player behavior. Analytics turns scattered events into a clear picture: who reaches payment, at which step they drop off, what motivates them to return. With a configured system, you stop guessing and start managing revenue deliberately.
Benefit: More paying players
The main question of any project is how to turn free users into paying ones. Analytics shows the player's path to first payment: which levels are passed easily, where difficulties arise, which offers work.
This lets you remove barriers, improve balance, and make promotions targeted. As a result, the share of paying players grows, and the average spend per player increases without aggressive sales.
Benefit: Saving your advertising budget
Acquiring a new player is expensive, so it's important to bring back those who have already shown interest.
Remarketing through configured analytics shows ads specifically to those who played but got distracted — it reminds them to return, rather than spending budget on a cold audience.
You pay for impressions to people who are highly likely to come back, and you reduce the cost of each retained player.
Benefit: Clear reports for the team
Marketing, game design, and management speak the same language when they see live numbers. Dashboards show key metrics without manual assembly: conversion to payments, retention, source of each player.
Decisions are made faster, and arguments about “what worked” are replaced by facts. To do this, we integrate the proven tool Branch Metrics — it provides reliable data and easy report configuration for your goals.
The bottom line is simple: with analytics, the game becomes a predictable business, not a lottery. You earn more from existing traffic, cut unnecessary costs, and see where to develop the project. All that remains is to implement it correctly — and that's what we take on.
Branch Metrics Integration Formats for Different Tasks
Every business approaches analytics differently: for some, seeing the total number of installs is enough, while others run multi-step advertising campaigns and want to know which channel brings paying players.
That's why we've developed three Branch Metrics integration formats — from basic to advanced. You choose not a “box of code”, but the amount of value that matches your goals and budget.
Below is a quick comparison of the formats, so you can immediately see which option solves your task.
| Format | For whom | What the client gets |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Owners of small projects that need an overall picture | Analytics setup without deep configuration: you understand how many people came to the game and from where. Fast launch within a few days |
| Standard | Marketing directors and managers who run 2–3 advertising channels | Analytics for each traffic source, conversion tracking to the target action. You can see which channel actually pays off |
| Advanced | Teams ready to invest in LTV growth and retention | End-to-end player path analytics, integration with ad accounts, reports for real-time campaign optimization |
Each format includes event configuration for your business goals — registration, purchases, returns to the game. The difference is only in the depth of processing and the volume of reports you receive.
We'll help you choose a level that doesn't overpay for extras but provides enough data for confident decisions.
How Analytics Setup Works in Your Game
Setting up analytics is not a standalone technical task, but a journey you take with us. We handle the integration, and you get involved at key points: from brief to launch.
Setup stages
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Brief and goals. We discuss which events in the game matter for your business: installs, registrations, purchases, returns. We define the metrics that marketing will rely on.
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Preparation and plan. We review the current version of the game and identify integration points. You get a clear plan with timelines and a list of what needs to be approved.
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Branch Metrics integration. Every player action automatically goes into the analytics system. You don't need to dig into technical details — you see a single interface with all the statistics.
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Testing and verification. We run test scenarios and check whether the data matches real user actions. We resolve discrepancies before the live launch.
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Report sign-off. We show how the report dashboards will look and which metrics they display. You approve the format or adjust it to your needs — for example, slices by campaign or device.
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Launch and support. The system starts collecting data from real players. We stay in touch: adding a new event or changing logic is handled quickly, without reworking the entire integration.
What's Included in Analytics Setup Work
Analytics integration is not a one-time technical task, but the foundation for your game's growth. Without reliable data, it's hard to understand at which level users get stuck, which mechanics bring in money, and where onboarding needs improvement.
We handle the entire connection process through Branch Metrics — from audit to launch — so you get a transparent view of what's happening in your project.
Here's what our work includes:
- Complete scope of work. We analyze the game, configure the analytics platform, connect events, and verify data transfer accuracy at every stage.
- Event system tailored to your goals. We track key player actions: installs, registrations, purchases, level completion, returns to the game. You see exactly the metrics that matter for your product.
- Convenient reporting. We set up clear dashboards and regularly send summaries: audience dynamics, conversion to payment, retention. Data is presented so decisions can be made without lengthy analysis.
- Team training. We run a short session for your managers and developers, explaining how to read reports and what to look at first. We provide simple instructions so you don't depend on us in daily work.
- Technical documentation. We document all settings, event structure, and operating logic. Any of your specialists can quickly understand the system, even if the team changes.
- Post-launch support. We don't disappear after delivery. We answer questions, help add new events, and make sure analytics runs stably and doesn't “break” with game updates.
In the end, you get not just a connected service, but a tool for growing revenue and engagement. Everything is transparent: you always know what we're doing, why, and when we'll finish.
Case Study: Conversion to Purchases Grows After Analytics Setup
A mobile game team came to us with a typical pain point: the game was getting steady traffic, but revenue had hit a ceiling. Everything seemed to work — users came in, completed levels, but only a few made purchases.
At the same time, it was unclear at which stage players were dropping off and which channel was bringing in paying audiences rather than just active newbies.
We connected analytics through Branch Metrics and set up end-to-end tracking of every player step — from install to in-game purchase.
After a month of this work, the picture changed completely: instead of a “just good” product, the team got a manageable system where every point of loss is visible.
What changed after analytics setup
The first noticeable result was an increase in conversion from people launching the game to payments — it nearly doubled within the first weeks after implementation. We saw that users from one ad channel purchase three times more often than from another.
The team redistributed the ad budget, cutting useless traffic sources and scaling up those that brought paying players.
Then it got better: behavior analysis showed that players buy more often on day five than on day one. We helped adjust in-game offers, and the average revenue per paying player grew by a third.
For the project, this meant not a one-time promotion, but a steady increase in revenue across each subsequent update cycle.
Why this is not a one-time story
The main value for the client isn't the numbers after one change, but a mechanism that keeps working further. Analytics remained in the game, and the team itself sees which channel pays off and which one “eats” the budget.
For our part, we continued to support the project — suggesting hypotheses for new promotions and helping calculate their effectiveness.
So if you doubt that “just analytics” can affect a game's revenue, here's a real example: proper data setup led to higher conversion, more paying players, and, as a result, a noticeable increase in the project's revenue.
Frequently Asked Questions About Analytics Setup
Clients rarely ask about the technical side of analytics — they care about other things: whether the solution suits their game, how long setup will take, and whether the numbers can be trusted. Let's answer these questions directly.
Is Branch Metrics compatible with our game?
Yes, we connect analytics to Unity projects, including builds for mobile platforms. Branch Metrics works at the server architecture level and doesn't require rewriting game logic — integration happens without changing gameplay.
Is it complicated? What do we need from our team?
From our side, all the technical work: setup, testing, launch. From you, we need access to the project and one person to approve decisions. We handle the integration, and your team continues working on game development.
How accurate is the data?
We configure event transmission so that reports reflect real player actions: installs, launches, purchases. Data goes through a correctness check before launch, so you see a reliable picture without “junk” events or duplicates.
How long does setup take?
In a typical project, from a few days to two weeks, depending on the number of events and how ready the game is for integration. After setup, we stay in touch and help if you want to add new tracked actions.
If you still have doubts, send us a description of your project, and we'll advise you on how analytics will fit into your game.Ready to Set Up Advertising Campaign Tracking in Your Game?
Even small ad investments require accurate tracking: which channel brings paying players, where the budget is wasted, and which campaign actually pays off. Without proper analytics, decisions have to be made blindly, and every mistake costs your team money and time.
We'll help you set up transparent advertising campaign tracking through Branch Metrics, so you see the real picture and can confidently scale what works. We'll do it quickly, with a quality guarantee, and with care for your product.
Right after contacting us, you'll get:
- Free audit of your current analytics setup — we'll show what data is already being lost and what that costs you.
- Specific consultation on configuring Branch Metrics for your needs: installation, integration with ad accounts, correct event transmission.
- Work cost estimate within one business day — no hidden fees or extra items.
- A clear integration plan with understandable timelines: you'll know when you'll start seeing the first meaningful numbers.
- Support at all stages and after launch: we'll help verify data, address questions, and train your team if needed.
Leave a request on the website or call us — we'll discuss your game, answer your questions, and suggest a solution that saves budget and accelerates growth. We'll start with a free audit and an honest conversation about what can be improved today.
What if I Have Specific Analytics Requirements?
We don't offer a one-size-fits-all solution that you have to adapt to your project. Every game has its own logic, mechanics, and goals, so a standard set of metrics often doesn't reflect what truly matters for the business.
If you have specific analytics requirements, we integrate the system to work for your task, not the other way around.
Non-standard analytics is common practice for us. We start by analyzing your scenario: which player actions need to be tracked, which events should be considered key, what data needs to be passed to external services.
On this basis, we configure the event structure, custom parameters, and the Branch Metrics integration — so you get data in a convenient form and without losses.
If you need something that isn't in the standard set — for example, a custom install attribution system, special audience segments, or analytics tied to an in-game currency and shop — we'll make it happen. Everything is tailored to your project, not the other way around.
At the same time, we make sure integration doesn't affect the game's stability and performance: all logic is tested against real scenarios.
Custom configuration doesn't mean long timelines. We identify all non-standard points in advance, document them in the work plan, and adapt the system during the process so there are no surprises by launch. You get flexible analytics that solves your product's tasks, not the other way around.
Tell us about your requirements — we'll send an example of how this can be implemented in your game.