In mobile attribution, reattribution means assigning credit for a returning user to the retargeting campaign or originating source that caused the comeback. Because mobile measurement platforms (MMPs) define it differently, the rules may apply to people who relaunch an already installed app, people who uninstall and later reinstall it, or both.
What is Reattribution?
Reattribution is concerned with campaign credit, not merely with a user’s return.
The basic flow is simple. At some earlier point, a user installed your app. After that, they respond to a retargeting campaign and come back. If the platform’s eligibility criteria are satisfied, the retargeting source is credited for that return.
Those criteria are what make reattribution useful. If they did not exist, every returning user would appear identical in reports, regardless of whether a campaign drove the comeback or the user returned independently.
How Does Reattribution Work?
Reattribution usually follows this pattern:
- A user installs and uses an app.
- The user becomes inactive or removes the app.
- They interact with a paid retargeting campaign.
- They return by reopening or reinstalling the app.
When the platform’s conditions are met, the retargeting campaign gets credit for the return.
A few factors determine whether a return qualifies:
- Inactivity period: how long the user must be inactive before the return can count
- Attribution window: the click-through or view-through period between the ad interaction and the return
- Eligible channel or campaign link: whether the interaction came from a qualifying source
- Install status: whether the app remained installed or had to be reinstalled
In Tenjin, these settings are handled through Re-engagement Attribution.
Reattribution vs. Re-engagement
These two terms are closely related, but they answer different questions. Re-engagement refers to what occurred. Reattribution refers to who receives credit.
| Reattribution | 再エンゲージメント | |
| What It Describes | A platform’s attribution treatment | Measured return |
| 定義 | A term some MMPs use for assigning a qualifying returning user to a retargeting source | A returning-user outcome after a qualifying retargeting interaction |
| 適用範囲 | A reactivation, a reinstall, or both, depending on the platform | Often a user reopening an app that stayed installed |
Tenjin uses the term リエンゲージメントアトリビューション. Under that term, two eligible return types can be credited to a paid retargeting campaign: reactivation, where the app was never removed, and reinstall, where the user deleted the app and installed it again later.
Reattribution vs. Retargeting Attribution
These expressions operate at different layers of the same framework:
- Retargeting attribution is the broader measurement category for giving credit to campaigns that bring back past users.
- Reattribution is one label an MMP may use inside that category.
Platform names vary, and the underlying rules vary too. When comparing tools or reports, focus on the qualification logic rather than the label.
Does Reattribution Require a Reinstall?
No, not always. Some platforms use reattribution for inactive users who return to an app that is still installed. Others limit it to reinstalls driven by retargeting. Before comparing results, verify each platform’s definition and configuration.
In Tenjin, both a reactivation and a reinstall can qualify for Re-engagement Attribution when the relevant eligibility requirements are met.
How Does Reattribution Affect Reporting?
Reattribution splits a user’s history into two parts, each assigned to the campaign that earned it:
- The original acquisition campaign retains credit for the initial install and everything that happened before the return.
- The retargeting campaign receives credit for the eligible return.
- Retention, revenue, and ROAS after the return can be measured starting from that date.
This division makes it possible to evaluate retargeting on its own, instead of folding its results into acquisition. It also improves コホート分析 for returning users, making 継続率 comparisons more reliable. For the basics, see 出典.
How Tenjin Measures Returning Users
Tenjin tracks qualifying returning users with Re-engagement Attribution. If an inactive user engages with an eligible paid retargeting campaign and comes back to the app, Tenjin can assign credit for that return to the campaign.
- Eligible reactivations appear as Tracked Re-engagements.
- Eligible reinstalls appear as both Tracked Re-engagements and Tracked Reinstalls.
Learn more:
- リエンゲージメントアトリビューション (documentation)
- How to Set Up Re-engagement Measurement (documentation)
- 再エンゲージメント (glossary)
関連用語
よくある質問
What is reattribution in mobile attribution?
Reattribution is the assignment of a qualifying returning user to the retargeting campaign or source that brought them back.
What is the difference between reattribution and re-engagement?
Re-engagement refers to an eligible return after a retargeting interaction. Reattribution refers to how some MMPs allocate credit for that return. Platform definitions are not identical.
Does reattribution require a reinstall?
Not necessarily. Some platforms apply reattribution to users who reopen an installed app, while others restrict it to retargeting-based reinstalls. Review the specific platform’s attribution rules.
Does Tenjin support reattribution?
Tenjin measures eligible returning users through Re-engagement Attribution. That includes qualifying reactivations and reinstalls credited to a paid retargeting campaign.
What is retargeting attribution?
Retargeting attribution measures campaigns intended to bring existing or former users back to an app. Reattribution is one term some platforms use for crediting qualifying returning users.