How do I track installs from a Google Play link?

Add a referrer parameter with your UTM values to the Google Play link: details?id=com.example.app&referrer=utm_source%3Dinstagram%26utm_campaign%3Dlaunch. Play Console's acquisition reports, Firebase and Google Analytics read it, and your app can read it with the Play Install Referrer API.

What are pt and ct in an App Store link?

pt is your provider token, the number App Store Connect gives your developer account. ct is a campaign token you choose, up to 40 characters. App Store Connect counts App Store page views, downloads and proceeds for each ct, but only for links that also carry your pt.

Where do I find my App Store provider token?

In App Store Connect, open Analytics, pick your app and generate a campaign link under Acquisition. The link it gives you contains pt=, followed by your provider token. It is the same for all your apps.

Can one link carry the campaign to both stores?

Yes. The smart link (apppage.net/go/...) with your campaign sends Android phones to the Google Play link with the UTM referrer and iPhones to the App Store link with pt and ct, so one QR code or bio link is tracked on both stores.

App Campaign URL Builder: Google Play UTM & App Store Campaign Links

Know which posts bring installs

Campaign links for Google Play (UTM referrer) and the App Store (pt and ct), and one smart link and QR code that tracks both.

Why use campaign links for your app?

A plain store link tells you how many people installed your app, not where they came from. Give every place you share your app its own campaign link (your Instagram bio, a TikTok video, a newsletter, a poster) and the stores tell you which one brings installs, so you can do more of what works.

Google Play: the UTM referrer

Google Play keeps whatever you put in the referrer parameter of a store link and hands it to your app after the install:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.example.app&referrer=utm_source%3Dinstagram%26utm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_campaign%3Dlaunch

Play Console shows store listing visitors and installs by UTM source and campaign in its acquisition reports.
Firebase and Google Analytics attribute the first_open event to the campaign without extra code.
Your app can read the raw value with the Play Install Referrer API.

App Store: provider token and campaign token

Apple uses two parameters: pt, your provider token (the same number for all your apps), and ct, a campaign name you choose, up to 40 characters. App Store Connect then shows App Store page views, downloads and proceeds per campaign under App Analytics.

To find your provider token, open App Store Connect → Analytics, pick an app and generate a campaign link under Acquisition: the number after pt= is it. Apple only counts users who share analytics with developers, so the numbers are lower than your total downloads.

One link for both stores

The smart link at the right side of your results (apppage.net/go/com.example.app/id123456789?utm_source=…) carries the campaign to both stores: Android phones get the Google Play link with the referrer, iPhones and iPads the App Store link with pt and ct, and computers see both store buttons. Print its QR code on posters or put it in your bio. It never expires. Without a campaign, use the smart app link & QR code generator.

Naming tips

Use lowercase and the same spelling every time: instagram and Instagram show up as two sources.
Source is where (instagram, newsletter, qr), medium is what kind (social, email, offline), campaign is why (spring_launch, black_friday).
Use content to tell apart two links in the same campaign, like bio_link and story_swipe.