Overview

Cross-Device Tracking is the process of collecting user-level data as users interact with an application across multiple devices.

What is Cross-Device Tracking?

Cross-device tracking is an online tracking technology that allows businesses to track consumers’ activity as they move across devices. This might include following progress from a personal computer to a smartphone, or from a mobile device to a tablet. This methodology analyzes collective user behavior and preferences throughout multiple devices to customize marketing strategies and enhance user experience.

This involves observing cookies and digital footprints online to understand how a single individual uses multiple electronic devices. It’s a part of ecommerce analytics that goes beyond single-device tracking to offer a comprehensive customer journey database.

Formula

There isn’t a concrete formula for cross-device tracking as it depends on multiple factors such as tracking platforms, data accuracy, customer behaviors, and more. However, it typically involves the correlation of data between different devices often associated by User IDs or cookie data.

Example

For instance, a user may search for an item on their mobile device during their commute, later look at the same item on their desktop device at the workplace, and finally make the purchase on their tablet at home. Cross-device tracking makes it possible to link these activities, painting a holistic picture of this customer’s journey to purchase.

Why is Cross-Device Tracking important?

Understanding Cross-device tracking is crucial for ecommerce businesses for several reasons:

Improved User Experience: Users frequently switch between their devices. By tracking these movements, businesses can offer a seamless, consistent consumer experience across devices.
Accurate Attribution: It helps in attributing the rightful touchpoints in the consumer journey, giving a comprehensive view of the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
Personalized Marketing: A consolidated user profile ensures personalized, accurate targeting and retargeting strategies.

Which factors impact Cross-Device Tracking?

The quality of Cross-Device Tracking can be improved by adopting several practices:

Seek Consent: Complying with data privacy standards like GDPR by obtaining explicit user consent.
Use Advanced Tracking Tools: Use a combination of deterministic (e.g. user accounts) and probabilistic methods (e.g. algorithms) for comprehensive user tracking.
Cross-Channel Integration: Keeping your marketing channels integrated will help track users effectively across them.

How can Cross-Device Tracking be improved?

Several factors impact the effectiveness of Cross-Device Tracking:

Data Privacy Laws: Regulations like GDPR and CCPA can limit the extent of personal user data tracking.
User Behavior: Frequent clearing of cookies and device identifiers might interfere with tracking.