How to compare cross-channel performance when customers move across devices and touchpoints

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Here’s the problem: your customers move between platforms, channels and devices before converting, which makes performance measurement extremely challenging. Let’s say someone clicks on a social media ad on their phone, later searches for the product on Google from a desktop, and eventually makes the purchase on a laptop. How to knit together the threads of this fragmented journey? You need a measurement framework that compares each channel’s performance fairly and consistently.

What’s the Difference Between Channel, Platform and Device?

At the broadest level, channels refer to media types such as social, search, display, audio, video and in-store. When it comes to cross-channel measurement, ask which channels are behind incremental outcomes and how each channel works together. The next layer is platform, with cross-platform measurement focusing on fragmentation within a channel, for example, it assesses Netflix vs YouTube vs Hulu for video, and TikTok vs LinkedIn vs Meta for social.

Devices form another layer and include desktop, mobile, tablet, console and CTV. Cross-device measurement links activity from the same person or household across screens, helping reduce the risk of misattributing a conversion.

Steps to Compare Cross-Channel Performance

Step One: Define the questions

This could involve assessing efficiency, contribution or synergy. The latter relates to identifying which combination of channels, platforms and devices generates the strongest lift.

Step Two: Standardize the Metrics

Think about core performance metrics (such as reach and frequency, conversion rate, and cost per action), and quality metrics, which include lead quality, churn rate, and revenue per conversion.

Step Three: Make the Comparisons Consistent

As part of this stage, ensure the same attribution model and conversion definitions are used across channels, and segment conversions by journey type. Consider comparing channels at similar spend levels.

Step Four: Deploy User-Level and Aggregate Methods

User-level methods support high-fidelity optimization and sequencing, while aggregate techniques can help validate broader investment decisions.

Proper Attribution in a Cross-Device World

Most attribution systems are built for a world where customers use a single device and convert quickly. Today, however, users regularly move across multiple devices, and channels may appear stronger or weaker depending on which receives credit for the last touch before conversion. To fairly compare channels, you need to know when multiple touchpoints belong to the same individual, which can be achieved via deterministic identity and probabilistic identity. The first uses things like logins, customer accounts, and hashed emails, while probabilistic identity encompasses device characteristics, IP, and behavioral patterns.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

• Remember that platform dashboards may use different attribution and conversion logic, so no single dashboard should be treated as the absolute source of truth.

• Don’t conflate channel, platform, and device, which can result in counting conversions twice (or more) and messy, unreliable reporting.

• Account for less visible touchpoints, particularly in app and paid social environments.

• Avoid over-relying on final-click conversions, which can undervalue upstream platforms or channels that contributed to the final outcome.

A Comprehensive Cross-Channel Solution 

Whether your business is just getting started or operating at enterprise scale, you need a consistent solution that can measure performance across channels. The industry-leading AppsFlyer platform stitches together mobile activity, desktop sessions, mobile web visits, and more, including even offline conversion to the same person or household. By bringing all these touchpoints together, you get a consistent means of comparing how each channel and platform really performs.

Alongside accurate attribution data, AppsFlyer also offers privacy-compliant data collection, deep linking and routing, and lift testing to measure the incremental impact of each channel.

Fairly Comparing Cross-Channel Performance

Comparing cross-channel performance is challenging, and getting it wrong can lead to wasted spend and underperforming campaigns. AppsFlyer empowers you to compare the performance of multiple channels (and how they work together) consistently and fairly. By providing a clear view of the entire customer journey across the platforms, channels, and devices customers move between, you get a single, consistent view of performance.