What are Mobile Advertising IDs (MAID)?

Consumers not only use websites but also use mobile apps for various social media and gaming activities. For app developers to monetize their work, they often publish advertisements offered through Apple, Google, and Facebook among others. Unlike websites, mobile apps do not use cookies and there has to be another way to track user activities. This is where Mobile Advertising ID (MAID) comes in, and it allows advertisers to collect information about mobile users.

What are MAIDs?

Cookie based websites used Gclid or UTM Parameters (utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_term, and utm_content) to keep track of user clicks and conversions. However, browser cookies are not available on mobile apps. The MAID is provided by the mobile device's operating systems such as iOS, iPadOS, and Android. They allow mobile apps to determine who is using the app and also allow apps to reach people using your app for Ads and engagements. There are three main MAIDs:

• Google Advertising ID (GAID): GAID is an mobile advertising ID for Android users.
• APPle's Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA): IDFA is a mobile advertising ID for iOS and iPadOS.
• Facebook App User ID:: Facebook SDK allows developer to retrieve mobile ID corresponding to someone who uses Facebook mobile app.

What are the benefits of using MAID?

The MAID is a user-resettable identifier provided by the mobile operating system such as Android and iOS. It allows advertisers and marketers to track the performance of their advertisement campaigns. It also allows app developers to enhance user experiences by tailoring app behaviors based on user activities. The MAID can be either reset or turned off by the individual users.

The MAID is the same in each app within the same device, and the marketers can use MAIDs for retargeting, frequency capping, and conversion tracking purposes. It also allows an app to know if a particular Ad has been served to a specific user per its MAID. The app developers can use MAID to personalize the app for individual users and serve contents that are relevant to the user's interest.

The MAID also enables advertisers to measure the performance of their campaigns through improved tracking and allows publishers to monetize on new opportunities. The MAID has changed over time to allow users to reset or turn it off completely providing more privacy tools.