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Best Practices for Advertisers Using MMP Integrations on Roku Ads Manager

This guide outlines how to set up, target, and optimize campaigns that use Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) integrations with Roku Ads Manager. It emphasizes exclusion strategies to reduce waste and improve efficiency.

Updated this week

1) Who this is for

Performance marketers running mobile and CTV app campaigns (e.g., gaming, fintech, subscription apps) on Roku Ads Manager and measuring via a Mobile Measurement provider such as AppsFlyer, Branch, Adjust, etc.

2) Prerequisites

  • MMP integrated with your mobile or CTV app, i.e., you are sending core app events (e.g., app install, session start, purchase, signup) to your MMP.

  • Roku Ads Manager connected to your MMP so that applicable events and attribution claims can flow to Roku for reporting, optimization, and audience building.

  • Attribution windows configured in your MMP to align with your business logic; a 14-day window is a common starting point for view-through and click-through.

    • Appsflyer – Ensure the settings Turn On Re-Engagement Attribution and Cross-platform view through attribution window are ON (see Appsflyer recommended settings here)

3) Event mapping

At minimum, configure and verify the following events in your MMP and ensure they are posted back to Roku:

  • App Install (for install optimization, measurement, and exclusion audiences).

  • Session Start (for active user profiling and exclusion audiences).

Recommended optional events (if relevant to your KPI): Sign Up/Trial Start, Purchase, Subscription, etc

  • Ensure the integration is set up and sending Roku sessions/installs for at least 1 week before the campaign is started

4) Audience strategy - mandatory exclusions

To minimize wasted impressions and improve efficiency, enforce the following exclusions on all campaigns:

Create 2 Custom Audiences of current/active users (exclusion):

  1. 1st party data upload - Build a Custom Audience representing your active user base using your CRM data. Sync this into Roku Ads Manager and apply as an exclusion to prospecting.

  2. Event-based Audiences (exclusion): Create and exclude the following event-based audiences on your campaigns:

App Installs — last X days (exclude recent installers with X depending on how long the connection has been active)

Session Starts — last X days (exclude recent active users with X depending on how long the connection has been active)

Why: Prevents hitting people who just installed or are currently active, reducing CPA/CPI waste and preserving user experience.

Keep exclusion windows aligned with your MMP attribution windows and reengagement policy to avoid overcounting and audience churn. See more on creating custom audiences here.

5) Prioritize upper funnel campaign goals

Prospecting (mobile performance goals)

  • Objective: Optimize towards Installs, for 2 weeks, analyze results with the Roku team, in order to make a decision to optimize towards downstream events.

  • Targeting: Keep broad; avoid heavy demographic layering so the model can find converters.

  • Exclusions: Apply 2 Custom Audiences of active users and Event-based exclusions (see item 4).

Retargeting / Reengagement (optional)

  • Objective: Optimize to signups, purchases, trial starts, etc. once Prospecting campaign has been live for 2 weeks.

  • Targeting: Build positive retargeting audiences from MMP events (e.g., Add-to-Cart, Initiate Checkout) and exclude recent purchasers/very active users to maintain efficiency.

  • Also, Event-based exclusions (Installs last X days depending on how long the connection has been active)

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