Question from Reddit user:
Hi,
A client wants to do the following: – Advertise his RN app (iOS/Android) through Google ads on some websites – Track if users installed the apps by clicking on the ads
And I have no idea how to do it.
IMPORTANT : We do not want to show ads in the apps, just track installations through ads in other websites
I don’t know if Google Ads tracks this by itself when we click on the ads, or if I would need to do something to the React Native app in order to track it.
In that case, is it something we could do with Firebase Analytics (already installed and used in the project)?
I have also checked react-native-google-mobile-ads but I can’t find anything related to conversions. It seems to only show ads
Thanks in advance for your help!
Answer from Nabil:
The short answer is:
You absolutely do not need to do this manually in your React Native app; Google Ads handles this type of tracking through a dedicated service called mobile measurement partners (MMPs), or directly through Google Analytics for Firebase.
The core solution is to link your Google Ads account to your Firebase project, and then enable conversion tracking for the first_open event in Firebase, which automatically measures when a user installs and first opens the app after clicking your ad.
You should use a third-party MMP like AppsFlyer if you are running campaigns on multiple ad networks beyond just Google Ads, as it acts as a unified source of truth for attribution across all channels.
The long answer is:
The way to track app installations from Google Ads is through what is known as App Conversion Tracking, and it’s a standard process designed specifically for your scenario – ads on external websites that lead to an app store download.
The client’s requirement to track installs from Google Ads without showing ads in the app is the perfect use case for this standard tracking method.
You are correct that the react-native-google-mobile-ads package is for displaying ads, not for conversion tracking.
The necessary components for accurate attribution are already largely in place with Firebase.
The most direct path to solving this involves three steps: First, ensure your Google Ads account is correctly linked to your Google Analytics for Firebase project.
This link is what allows Google Ads to share its click data with Firebase’s analytics data.
Second, in Firebase, the first_open event is a standard event that is automatically collected by the Firebase SDK and is the industry-standard way of measuring an app installation.
You need to go into the Firebase console and mark this first_open event as a conversion.
Third, this marked conversion will then be automatically imported back into Google Ads as an install conversion, allowing the client to see which ads led to an install.
Now, for the most robust solution, especially given that you have a React Native app which suggests the client may expand to other ad networks, a dedicated Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) like AppsFlyer is highly recommended.
The React API and Firebase SDK still play a role, as the MMP is integrated directly with the Firebase SDK.
The MMP receives the app event data from the Firebase SDK and acts as a central hub.
When a user clicks a Google Ad, the MMP records the click and sends the user to the appropriate app store.
When the user installs and opens the app, the Firebase SDK logs the first_open event, which the MMP intercepts.
The MMP then uses sophisticated attribution logic to match the click to the install, sending a clean, attributed install event back to Google Ads via the Google Ads API.
This setup is a good solution because it ensures that whether the user came from a Google Ad, a social media ad, or an organic search, all your attribution data is consistently gathered and processed in a single, reliable dashboard, preventing duplicate installs and providing a clear, single source of truth for all marketing spend.
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