Glossary
App marketing glossary
Plain-language definitions of the terms we use most often in App Media engagements — ASO, ASA, CPI, ROAS, LTV, MMP, SKAdNetwork and more.
Channels
- Apple App Store
- Apple's mobile app distribution platform for iOS and iPadOS. The primary install channel for iOS apps and the platform on which Apple Search Ads runs.
- Apple Search AdsASA
- Apple's paid acquisition platform on the App Store. Runs on App Store search results, the Search tab, and product pages. Highest-intent paid channel in mobile app marketing for iOS apps.
- Google App CampaignsAC
- Google's automated mobile app advertising product. Runs across Google Search, Play Store, YouTube, Discover and the Google Display Network. Cross-platform (iOS and Android) and largely algorithmic.
- Google Play
- Google's mobile app distribution platform for Android. The primary install channel for Android apps. Includes Play Console for analytics, A/B testing and store listing experiments.
- Universal App CampaignsUAC
- An older name for Google App Campaigns. Same product, rebranded by Google in 2017. Some practitioners still use the abbreviation UAC.
Related: Google Play · ASA · ASO
Related: Google App Campaigns · CPI · ASO
Related: Apple Search Ads · CPI · Universal App Campaigns
Related: Apple App Store · ASO
Related: Google App Campaigns
Optimisation
- App Store OptimisationASO
- The discipline of improving an app's visibility in App Store / Google Play search and category browsing, and improving conversion rate from impression to install. Combines keyword research, metadata optimisation, creative production and continuous testing.
- Conversion RateCR
- In ASO context: the percentage of App Store impressions that result in installs. Heavily influenced by App Store listing quality (icon, screenshots, copy). Category benchmarks vary, but 30%+ is generally healthy.
- Keyword Research
- The practice of identifying which search terms an app's target audience uses on the App Store and Google Play, then prioritising those terms in metadata and creative. The foundation of effective ASO.
- Product Page OptimisationPPO
- Apple's framework for testing different App Store product page variants — different screenshots, video previews, icons — and measuring conversion impact per variant. Standard practice in mature ASO programs in 2026.
Related: ASA · Conversion Rate · Keyword Research
Related: ASO · Impressions · Installs
Related: ASO · Long-Tail Keywords
Related: ASO · Conversion Rate
Measurement
- Active UsersDAU/MAU
- Daily Active Users (DAU) and Monthly Active Users (MAU) — the number of unique users who use the app on a given day or in a given month. Combined with retention, the primary engagement metrics.
- App Tracking TransparencyATT
- Apple's iOS framework requiring apps to obtain user permission before tracking them across other apps and websites. Materially changed iOS attribution from iOS 14.5 onwards.
- Attribution
- The process of correctly assigning credit for an install or conversion to the marketing channel(s) that drove it. The basis for measuring the effectiveness and efficiency of paid acquisition.
- Cost Per InstallCPI
- The total marketing spend on a campaign divided by the number of installs attributed to it. The primary efficiency metric in user acquisition.
- Customer Acquisition CostCAC
- The total marketing and sales cost to acquire one new paying customer. Different from CPI — CPI measures the cost of an install; CAC measures the cost of a paying customer.
- Day-30 Retention
- The percentage of users who installed the app and were active again 30 days later. The most predictive single metric for LTV. Healthy app businesses typically have Day-30 retention of 10–20%.
- Day-7 Retention
- The percentage of users who installed the app and were active again 7 days later. A primary leading indicator of long-term retention and LTV. App-category benchmarks vary, but 20–30% Day-7 retention is generally healthy.
- Mobile Measurement PartnerMMP
- A third-party platform that attributes app installs and in-app events to marketing campaigns across paid channels. AppsFlyer, Adjust, Singular and Branch are the main MMPs in 2026.
- SKAdNetworkSKAN
- Apple's privacy-preserving attribution framework. Provides aggregated, deterministic install attribution on iOS without exposing user-level data. Required for iOS paid acquisition since iOS 14.5.
Related: Day-7 Retention · Day-30 Retention · LTV
Related: SKAdNetwork · Attribution
Related: MMP · SKAdNetwork · Multi-Touch Attribution
Related: CAC · ROAS · LTV
Related: CPI · LTV · ROAS
Related: Day-7 Retention · LTV
Related: Day-30 Retention · LTV · Active Users
Related: Attribution · SKAdNetwork
Related: MMP · Attribution
Monetisation
- Lifetime ValueLTV
- The total revenue an app expects to generate from a single user over the lifetime of their relationship with the app. Compared against CAC to assess unit economics — healthy app businesses target LTV:CAC of 3:1 or higher.
- Return On Ad SpendROAS
- Revenue generated by a campaign divided by the cost of the campaign. ROAS of 3.0 means $3 in revenue for every $1 spent. Most app marketing optimisation is done against ROAS targets.
Related: CAC · ROAS · Retention
Related: LTV · CAC · CPI
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