Start.io in-app traffic,judged app by app

ClickFlare reads Start.io's click ID and app, device, ISP and OS macros from the campaign URL. Conversions go back to Start.io's one global S2S postback, which takes only the click ID. Start.io shows conversion counts, and ClickFlare keeps revenue and ROI per publisher app.

SIO
Start.io
Mobile in-app ad platform
At a glance
How it connects
StartApp traffic source template + S2S postback
What syncs
Click ID, app ID, ISP, device, OS version, connection
Sync schedule
Real time, per conversion
Key parameters
startapp_click_id_placeholder, startapp_app_id, startapp_isp_name
Works with
Mobile in-app traffic from Start.io publisher apps
Good to know
No payout or event parameter. Start.io counts one event type.
In-app ad platform
Global S2S postback
10 macros in template

See which Start.io publisher apps make money

Profit per publisher app

The template captures startapp_app_id as appid. Group by it to see which apps convert, then block or favor them in Start.io.

Device and network detail

ISP or carrier, device model and brand, OS version and connection type land in your reports, so you can narrow targeting with data.

Built-in test before you spend

Start.io's conversion tracking test validates the full chain, from the click to the postback, and marks the setup Validated when it works.
How it works

From ad click to profit per campaignattributed revenueattributed salesa matched conversion

01
Your ad
Visitor clicks
Ad on Start.io
02
ClickFlare
Click recorded
A unique cf_click_id is created
03
Your offer
Conversion
Lead, sale or custom event
04
ClickFlare
Sent back to Start.io
Through the Conversion API or postback
05
Cost API
Spend pulled in
Start.io cost matched to each campaign
01
Your ad
Start.io click
Macros fill the tracking URL
02
ClickFlare
Click recorded
Zone, site and device data stored
03
Offer or lander
Visitor converts
On your page or the offer
04
ClickFlare
Conversion logged
With payout and event type
05
Postback
Reported to Start.io
So its optimization sees the result
01
Your ad
Visitor clicks
Any traffic source
02
ClickFlare
Click recorded
A unique cf_click_id is created
03
Your article
Keyword block
Click ID passed to the feed
04
Results page
Paid click
Conversion fired to ClickFlare
05
Start.io API
Revenue matched
Pulled on a schedule and reconciled
01
Your ad
Visitor clicks
Any traffic source
02
ClickFlare
Click recorded
cf_click_id passed to the offer
03
Start.io
Offer or call
The network tracks the action
04
Start.io
Conversion
Lead, sale, call or rebill
05
Postback
Payout in ClickFlare
Matched to the original click
01
Your ad
Visitor clicks
Any traffic source
02
ClickFlare
Click recorded
A unique cf_click_id is created
03
Start.io
Store or funnel
Click ID kept through checkout
04
Events
View, cart, checkout
Each step tracked
05
ClickFlare
Purchase recorded
Order value matched to the ad
In-app ad platform

Plain-word macros in, one global postback out

Start.io macros are plain words with no braces, replaced when the ad is clicked. ClickFlare stores the cid value as the External ID and sends it back in the d parameter of Start.io's global postback.
  • Parameter name must differ from the macro
  • One postback covers every campaign in the account
  • In ClickFlare the template is still called StartApp
Today, one campaign
example
Spend pulled from Start.io
cost
$412.30
Conversions recorded
today
38
Sent back to Start.io
per event
38/38
Profit
campaign
$227.70
Example numbers. Cost and conversions sit in the same report row.
Captured on every Start.io click
key macros
startapp_click_id_placeholder, startapp_app_id, startapp_isp_name
captured
From the Start.io template in ClickFlare. Use them as report columns and rules.
Revenue for one click
example
Paid click
day 0
$0.00
First revenue pull
+1h
$0.41
Scheduled updates
next days
$0.58
Final pull
last sync
$0.62
Example amounts. Sync timing for Start.io is in the facts above.
Events for one click
example
Lead
day 0
$0.00
Sale
day 0
+$40.00
Upsell
day 1
+$15.00
Refund
day 9
−$15.00
Example events. Each one arrives by postback and is matched to the click.
One visitor's path
example
Product view
step 1
—
Add to cart
step 2
—
Checkout
step 3
—
Purchase
step 4
$68.00
Example order. Each event is tied to the ad that brought the visitor.
10
Tracking macros in template
1
Global postback per account
2.3B
Events tracked
Setup

Connected in four steps

You need a funded Start.io advertiser account, a ClickFlare offer that posts conversions back, and your own tracking domain.
  1. Create the StartApp traffic source In a new campaign, click + New Traffic Source, search startapp and pick the StartApp template. It fills cid=startapp_click_id_placeholder and 10 tracking macros.
  2. Turn on the global postback Turn on Traffic source postback URL. The template sends {external_id} in d, with nothing to replace. Map it to the one event Start.io should count, such as install.
  3. Set cost and copy the URL Set the Cost Model to CPC or CPA to match how you buy, never Not Tracked. Copy the campaign URL and paste it into the Start.io campaign's tracking URL field.
  4. Validate in Start.io Open Conversion tracking in the Start.io portal, add a validation with your campaign URL and open the test link on a mobile device. Wait for Validated, allowing 15–30 minutes.
Start.io global postback in the StartApp template
http://www.startappinstalls.com/trackinstall/clickflare?d={external_id}
app.clickflare.com/integrations
SIO
Start.io
In-app ad platform
Connected
Start.io account connected
Signed in from ClickFlare
Cost syncing
Spend matched to campaigns
Conversions sent back
Your chosen events
Start.io template selected
Macros pre-filled
Tracking URL in Start.io
Click ID captured
Conversions reported
Payout included where supported
Start.io connected
Credentials saved in ClickFlare
Conversion event set
Click ID passed to the feed
Revenue syncing
On the feed's schedule
Start.io added
Offer URL carries the click ID
Postback set in Start.io
Payout and event included
Conversions arriving
Matched to the click
Start.io connected
Click ID kept to checkout
Events mapped
View, cart, checkout, purchase
Purchases tracked
Order value in reports
Ready to track
Three template rows use macros Start.io doesn't list: creative_id, campaign_id and bid_type. If columns show those words, switch to startapp_creative_id and startapp_campaign_id.
Start.io postback setup guide
Open the guide
In your reports

What you see once it's connected

  • Conversions by publisher app
  • ROI by ISP or carrier
  • Results by device model
  • Results by device brand
  • Breakdowns by OS version
  • Wi-Fi vs mobile data
  • EPC by app category
Use cases

How media buyers run it

Start.io in-app ad → app store → install

App install campaigns

Map the postback to install and pay on CPA, so cost is recorded only on conversions.
Start.io in-app → lander → offer

In-app to mobile offer

Compare publisher apps by EPC in ClickFlare, since Start.io itself sees counts but no revenue.

Carrier and connection targeting

Group by ISP and connection type to find where mobile offers convert, then narrow your Start.io targeting to those.
Frequently asked questions

Questions about Start.io

No items found.
Setup guides
Start.io postback setup guide
{"@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{"@type": "Question", "name": "Does ClickFlare integrate with Start.io?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. ClickFlare's StartApp template captures Start.io's click ID and app, device and network macros, and sends conversions to Start.io's global S2S postback."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Is StartApp the same as Start.io?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. StartApp renamed itself Start.io. The macros still start with startapp_, the postback domain is still startappinstalls.com, and the ClickFlare template is listed as StartApp."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Can Start.io receive my payout?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "No. Start.io's postback has no payout parameter, so it receives conversion counts only. Use ClickFlare reports grouped by appid to judge which apps are profitable."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Can I send installs and purchases to Start.io separately?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "No. The postback is global with no event parameter, so Start.io would count both as the same conversion. Map the single postback to the event that matters most."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Why does a column show unknown?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "The parameter name and the macro are the same, for example startapp_country=startapp_country. Rename the parameter, for example to country."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What if Start.io's test stays Pending?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Open the test link on a mobile device and complete a real conversion. If ClickFlare's log shows the postback sent, change /trackinstall/clickflare to /trackinstall/selfservice and retest."}}]}