Case study: server-side tracking recovered 17% of lost iOS conversions

Case study: server-side tracking recovered 17% of lost iOS conversions

What it is: A forex buyer saw reported FTDs from iOS traffic crater after browser-tracking restrictions. Moving to server-to-server postbacks with first-party click IDs recovered the missing data.

Best for: Buyers whose attribution leans on pixels and cookies for iOS/Safari traffic.

What was done:
— Replaced pixel-based conversion tracking with S2S postbacks keyed on click_id
— Stored click_id first-party at the lander, passed it to the broker via API
— Compared reported vs broker-confirmed FTDs before and after, iOS only

Outcome:
— Pre-fix, iOS reported only ~83% of broker-confirmed FTDs
— Post-fix, reporting matched broker numbers within 2%
— That recovered ~17% of previously invisible iOS conversions for optimization

Pros:
— First-party click_id sidesteps third-party cookie loss entirely
— Accurate iOS data unlocked bidding decisions that were flying blind

Cons:
— Needs broker API cooperation to pass and return click_id
— S2S setup is more dev work than dropping a pixel

Who should skip this: Buyers with negligible iOS/Safari share or already fully server-side.

Verdict: First-party click_id, server-side.