App Events Best Practices Guide

App Events allow you to measure the performance of your app using Facebook Analytics for Apps, measure conversions associated with Facebook ads, and build audiences to acquire new users as well as re-engage your existing users.

How to Use This Guide

Prior to writing any code to integrate App Events, we recommend spending a little time to think about the key events that you want to log within your app and what parameters associated with those events you will want to collect. This document will serve as a starting point for developers and marketers to help determine what events and parameters should be logged with App Events.

  1. Learn about the differences between events and parameters
  2. Find the example app most similar to your app and use it as guide for determining what events and parameters to log but feel free to add additional custom events and parameters that make sense for your app
  3. Create a finalized list of events and parameters relevant to your app
  4. Integrate app events based on your list using the platform documentation below:
  5. Finally, don't forget to verify your events and parameters before you submit an update to the Google Play or iOS App Store using verification steps detailed in the above platform specific docs

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Events Versus Parameters

A typical area of confusion for developers ecountering app events for the first time is the difference between events and parameters.

  • An event is an action that a person takes in your app like Achieved Level, Added to Cart, or Purchased
  • A parameter is a specific data point for an event like Level 3 or $3.72

For instance Achieved Level is an event and Level 3 and Score are two parameters that can be associated with that event.

The maximum number of different event names is 1,000. Note that events can’t be removed and no new event types will be logged once this cap is hit. Read more about event limits in the FAQ.

App Events Sample Apps by Category

We've created some recipes for different types of apps in order to make it easier for you to see how you can use App Events in your app.

It is important to note that these guides should be used as a starting point for your app and should be customized. Each of the example apps provides a screen by screen breakdown of the different events and parameters that can be collected. At the end of each section there is a table that lists the recommended events and parameters for each app. And, if required, you can create your own events and parameters.

E-Commerce/Retail Sample App

E-Commerce/Retail Objectives

  • Understand conversion flow through app
  • Retarget users that have abandoned their cart
  • Find new users through lookalikes of high value users

Example E-Commerce App

E-Commerce/Retail Recommended Events and Parameters

Event Name Predefined Suggested Parameters

App Install

Yes

Launched App

Yes

Searched

Yes

SearchString

Viewed Content

Yes

ContentID, Content Type, Description, Currency, valueToSum

Added to Wishlist

Yes

ContentID, Content Type, Description, Currency, valueToSum

Added to Cart

Yes

ContentID, Content Type, Description, Currency, valueToSum

Initiated Checkout

Yes

ContentID, Content Type, Description, Currency, valueToSum

Added Payment Info

Yes

Purchased

Yes

ContentID, Content Type, Description, Currency, valueToSum, Number of Items

Travel (Hotel) Sample App

Hotel Objectives

  • Understand conversion flow through app
  • Retarget users that have abandoned their cart
  • Find new users through lookalikes of high value users

Example Hotel App

Event Name Predefined Suggested Parameters

App Install

Yes

Launched App

Yes

Searched

Yes

SearchString, Check in Date, Check out Date, Number of Rooms, Advanced Booking Window, Number of Nights

Viewed Content

Yes

SearchString, Content ID, Location, Check in Date, Check out Date, Currency, valueToSum,Number of Rooms, Advanced Booking Window, Number of Nights

Initiated Checkout

Yes

Content ID, Currency, valueToSum, Location, Check in Date, Check out Date, ,Number of Rooms, Advanced Booking Window, Number of Nights

Added Payment Info

Yes

Purchased

Yes

Content ID, Currency, valueToSum, Location, Check in Date, Check out Date, ,Number of Rooms, Advanced Booking Window, Number of Nights

Travel (Flight) Sample App

Product and Marketing Objectives

  • Understand conversion flow through app
  • Retarget users that started a checkout but did not purchase
  • Find new users using lookalikes of high value or frequent purchasers
Event Name Predefined Suggested Parameters

App Install

Yes

Launched App

Yes

Searched

Yes

Origination City,Destination City,Departure Date,Return Date,Class,Number of Passengers, Advance Booking Window

Viewed Content

Yes

Origination City, Destination City, Depature Date, Flight Number, Number of Passengers, Class, Currency, valueToSum,Content Type

Initiated Checkout

Yes

Outbound Origination City, Outbound Destination City, Return Origination City, Return Destination City,Class, Currency, valueToSum

Added Payment Info

Yes

Purchased

Yes

Outbound Origination City, Outbound Destination City, Return Origination City, Return Destination City,Class, Currency, valueToSum

Gaming (Casual) Sample App

Product and Marketing Objectives

  • Understand the most popular items being purchased in-app as well as hardest levels to complete
  • Retarget users that never completed the tutorial and have not played a level
  • Find new users using lookalikes of high value or frequent purchasers

Example Casual Game App

Event Name Predefined Suggested Parameters

App Install

Yes

Launched App

Yes

Completed Registration

Yes

Registration Method

Completed Tutorial

Yes

Description, Content Type, Tutorial Step

Achieved Level

Yes

Level Number, Score

Unlocked Achievement

Yes

Description, Content Type

Initiated Checkout

Yes

Content Type, Content ID, Currency, valueToSum

Purchased

Yes

Content Type, Content ID, Currency, valueToSum

Purchase Cancelled

Yes

Content Type, Content ID, Currency, valueToSum

Invite

No

Number Invited

Request

No

Gaming (Strategy) Sample App

Product and Marketing Objectives

  • Understand the most popular items being purchased in-app as well as hardest levels to complete
  • Retarget users that never completed the tutorial and have not played a level
  • Find new users using lookalikes of high value or frequent purchasers

Example Strategy Game

Event Name Predefined Suggested Parameters

App Install

Yes

Launched App

Yes

Completed Registration

Yes

Registration Method

Spent Credits

Yes

Content Type, Level Number

Achieved Level

Yes

Outcome, Level Number, Score, Prizes Earned

Unlocked Achievement

Yes

Achievement Type, Achievement ID, Description

Completed Tutorial

Yes

Description, Content Type, Tutorial Step

Initiated Checkout

Yes

Content Type, Content ID, Currency, valueToSum

Purchased

Yes

Content Type, Content ID, Currency, valueToSum

Purchase Cancelled

Yes

Content Type, Content ID, Currency, valueToSum

Join Group

No

Content Type, Level Number

Create Group

No

Group Name, Group Logo, Group Description, Group Type, Group ID

Gaming (Casino) Sample Apps

Product and Marketing Objectives

  • Understand the most popular items being purchased in-app as well as hardest levels to complete
  • Retarget users that never completed the tutorial and have not played a game
  • Find new users using lookalikes of high value or frequent purchasers

Example Casino Game App

Event Name Predefined Suggested Parameters

App Install

Yes

Launched App

Yes

Completed Registration

Yes

Registration Method

Achieved Level

Yes

Content Type, Level Number

Unlocked Achievement

Yes

Achievement Type, Achievement ID, Description

Initiated Checkout

Yes

Content Type, Content ID, Currency, valueToSum

Purchased

Yes

Content Type, Content ID, Currency, valueToSum

Purchase Cancelled

Yes

Content Type, Content ID, Currency, valueToSum

Invite

No

Number Invited

Request

No