Should AppsFlyer prioritize expanding its attribution capabilities or enhancing its fraud prevention tools to better serve mobile app marketers?

Introduction

The trade-off between expanding attribution capabilities and enhancing fraud prevention tools is a critical decision for AppsFlyer's product strategy. Both options aim to better serve mobile app marketers, but they address different aspects of the marketing ecosystem. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining the current product landscape, potential impacts, and key metrics to guide our decision-making process.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: I'm thinking about AppsFlyer's current market position. Could you share insights on our market share and main competitors in the mobile attribution space?

Why it matters: Helps assess the urgency of expanding capabilities vs. addressing potential vulnerabilities. Expected answer: Strong market position with 2-3 main competitors. Impact on approach: If dominant, might prioritize fraud prevention to protect market share.

• Business Context: Based on our revenue model, I assume attribution is our primary revenue driver. What percentage of our revenue comes from attribution vs. fraud prevention services?

Why it matters: Aligns decision with financial impact and growth potential. Expected answer: Attribution accounts for 70-80% of revenue. Impact on approach: High attribution revenue might suggest focusing on expanding those capabilities.

• User Impact: Considering our user segments, are we seeing more demand for advanced attribution or increased concern about fraud from our enterprise clients?

Why it matters: Ensures alignment with customer needs and potential market shifts. Expected answer: Growing concern about fraud, but consistent demand for attribution improvements. Impact on approach: Balanced approach might be necessary, leaning towards the area of higher customer concern.

• Technical: Regarding our current infrastructure, how scalable are our attribution systems compared to our fraud prevention tools?

Why it matters: Assesses technical feasibility and potential development costs. Expected answer: Attribution system more mature but nearing capacity; fraud prevention newer with room for growth. Impact on approach: Might influence resource allocation and development timelines.

• Resource: Can you give me an idea of our current team structure and expertise in attribution vs. fraud prevention?

Why it matters: Determines our capability to execute on either option effectively. Expected answer: Stronger team in attribution, but growing fraud prevention team. Impact on approach: Might need to consider hiring or training for the chosen focus area.