Question 1

What is Second Stage TRACKS?

Accepted Answer

Second Stage TRACKS is a marketing intelligence platform specifically designed for PC and console games. It offers multiple in-depth marketing analytics reports and includes full-funnel attribution tracking with TRACKS Attribution, providing a holistic view of Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), media performance, creative performance, brand health, and more--all within a single environment.

Question 2

What kind of data does Second Stage TRACKS track and report on?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS is built to support the full campaign lifecycle, from awareness through to conversion and post-install performance. Second Stage TRACKS tracks and reports on a wide array of data, including media, web analytics, attribution metrics, GAAS metrics (like retention, in-game purchases, or post-install game events), and more. This comprehensive approach ensures that you have clear insights into your conversion campaigns, awareness, creative performance, and brand health.

TRACKS integrates data across 65+ platforms. This allows for comprehensive tracking and reporting across all stages of a game's lifecycle. The platform updates data four times per day, ensuring that insights are always current.

Question 3

What distinguishes Second Stage TRACKS from other analytics and attribution vendors?

Accepted Answer

With Second Stage TRACKS, you'll have access to a comprehensive media analytics and attribution tracking solution that typically requires a number of specialized roles and expertise.

To optimize the use of an attribution solution and improve insight generation, media optimization and analysis, a well-rounded mix of expertise is essential:

Digital Media Specialist / Technical Marketer: This specialist has the technical skills needed to set up tracking tags, integrate attribution into media platforms, and manage tracking link templates, parameters, events, conversions, postbacks, and campaign setups. Their expertise ensures accurate implementation and functionality.

Ad Ops Specialist: Responsible for creating a campaign naming taxonomy framework, this role ensures consistent naming conventions across campaigns, ad groups and ad creatives. This synchronization across media platforms and trackers is critical for streamlined reporting, data cleansing and consolidation during automation.

Data Engineer and Data Analyst: The Data Engineer designs and develops the data ingestion pipeline that combines media analytics, web analytics, and attribution data into a consolidated data warehouse for automated reporting. Meanwhile, the data analyst builds reporting dashboards, as attribution vendor interfaces alone may not provide a comprehensive view. Combining attribution data with media analytics delivers valuable insights to stakeholders.

TRACKS integrates these areas into a powerful marketing intelligence platform, allowing you to track and monitor media campaign performance with unprecedented detail.

Question 4

How does TRACKS handle attribution tracking?

Accepted Answer

Included in the TRACKS Silver and Gold plans, TRACKS Attribution is an in-house solution for full-funnel attribution tracking for PC and console games, effectively measuring metrics like Cost-per-Install (CPI) and ROAS.

TRACKS Attribution goes beyond basic attribution by offering a fully unified marketing measurement solution. It combines deterministic tracking with probabilistic modeling through Markov chain analysis. This provides insight not only into directly tracked installs but also into those that would otherwise go unattributed. Already integrated with the TRACKS reporting suite, it enables analysis across creative assets, audience segments, campaign types, and geographic markets.

Question 5

How is TRACKS Attribution different from other attribution providers?

Accepted Answer

Unlike typical self-service attribution solutions, TRACKS is offered as a fully managed service. This means we walk clients through every step of implementation, ensuring that the attribution system is correctly integrated and optimized. TRACKS is designed specifically for the complex tracking environments of PC and console games. It doesn't require SDKs or intrusive code changes, making integration cleaner and more reliable while avoiding storefront certification delays.

Question 6

What is the key benefit of using attribution tracking in media campaigns?

Accepted Answer

Attribution tracking is essential for making data-informed decisions, especially when aiming to maximize Return on Ad Spend (ROAS). At Second Stage, our platform TRACKS is used not just for tracking performance but also for targeting the right audiences. In game marketing, where digital storefronts obscure much of the user journey, TRACKS provides a clear view by identifying both organic and paid acquisitions. This clarity allows marketing teams to reduce budget waste, improve targeting efficiency, and focus creative efforts where they matter most.

Question 7

What type of marketing analytics is TRACKS able to provide?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS is able to provide detailed and real-time data on performance media campaigns, direct buy and influencer campaigns, web analytics, target audiences, brand health and more -- enabling clients to compare the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns against their KPIs easily at any stage of the campaign and filter through different dimensions such as data ranges, marketing beats, markets, channels, objectives, strategies and audiences.

Question 8

How does utilising TRACKS compare with traditional media campaign setups?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS offers a more advanced and integrated approach to media campaign management compared to traditional setups. Key differences include:

- Enhanced Data Collection: Through extensive link tagging and improved analytics integration.
- Advanced Targeting: Utilizing installer lookalikes and retargeting churned players.
- Custom Reporting: Tailored reports for creative performance, audience insights, awareness, and influencer conversions.
- Optional Campaign Execution: Second Stage can also provide optional campaign management services.

Question 9

I have a unique set of requirements for my reporting; can Second Stage TRACKS accommodate them?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Every campaign is unique and we tailor our approach accordingly. We create custom dashboards for each game and even different campaign phases to ensure that the most relevant insights are highlighted at all times.

Question 10

Does Second Stage offer additional services related to marketing analytics and attribution?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in addition to the attribution solution itself, Second Stage offers agency support to audit your current setup, correct tracking errors, and improve data infrastructure. Our business intelligence services can also help identify gaps in your analytics pipeline, ensuring that every dollar spent on marketing is tracked and evaluated accurately.

Question 11

Can TRACKS provide benchmarks to help me develop a more effective marketing strategy and media plan?

Accepted Answer

The Second Stage team can advise on your marketing strategy and assist with media planning. If you have specific benchmark questions, such as "What is the average wish-list to purchase rate in the US for an early access strategy game?", the Second Stage team can provide answers from our Benchmark Dashboard. As the dashboard is currently in beta, it is not available for self-service access by TRACKS customers.

Question 12

How can I get started with Second Stage TRACKS?

Accepted Answer

To get a taste of TRACKS through our demo dashboards, you can create a free account at tracks.secondstage.io or contact the Second Stage team at hello@secondstage.io for a guided demo.

Question 13

What is TRACKS Attribution?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS Attribution is seamlessly integrated into the TRACKS Silver and Gold plans, delivering a powerful, ready-to-use solution for comprehensive, full-funnel attribution tracking across PC and console games. Unlike other solutions that rely solely on measured attribution, TRACKS Attribution combines measured data with probabilistic modeling--an industry best practice for PC and console gaming--to deliver more accurate and actionable insights.

Our proprietary technology not only excels at measuring cost-per-install (CPI) and return on ad spend (ROAS), but also enhances targeting algorithms to prioritize high-value in-game segments.

Question 14

What gaming platforms are supported by TRACKS Attribution?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS Attribution supports all major PC and console platforms. These include Steam, the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch 1 and 2. The platform is designed to handle user tracking across all these environments in a consistent and privacy-compliant manner.

Question 15

How does the implementation of TRACKS Attribution work and what are the benefits?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS provides a deeply integrated first-party attribution tracking solution with several key benefits:

- Seamless Implementation: Lightweight backend integration without requiring SDKs or in-game code.
- High Tracking Accuracy: Auto-tagging and connections to web analytics and Steam, ensuring full visibility across the user journey.
- Error-Free: Reduces the likelihood of errors through best-practice backend implementation.
- Better Privacy: Enhances privacy through a secure hybrid cloud setup that minimizes data exposure.

Question 16

How accurate is TRACKS Attribution?

Accepted Answer

Due to the opacity of storefronts in the player acquisition journey, a fully deterministic measurement solution is not feasible for PC/Console marketing attribution. Like all attribution tracking vendors, TRACKS relies on IP addresses to identify the acquisition source of the game_open event. This approach, known as fingerprint tracking or probabilistic measurement, involves matching the ad click IP to the game_open IP, which can lead to decreased accuracy as the time between click and conversion increases. Effective attribution depends on a number of factors, including game setup, campaign strategy, ad placement, targeting, geographic region, and platform. The challenge often lies not in the attribution method itself, but in its complex implementation. TRACKS is designed to seamlessly integrate marketing analytics with attribution tracking to deliver more accurate results.

Using this approach, we are able to attribute minimum of 20% of all the game_opens in a cross-device campaign, if same device it goes up to 60%+. The fingerprinting itself has a 98% accuracy on first day (if same IP & device): This means that 98% of the attributed game_opens are attributed to the correct person/IP address. 2% might be two persons in the same IP range buying the game and therefore the attribution might be to the wrong person (and thus channel). By using probabilistic modelling, we can make assumptions how the up to 80% unattributed are being attributed to the different campaigns (or less unattributed if is an easy scenario). This result of the modelling has a 65% accuracy in the complex case (many storefronts, GEOS, channels), and higher in easier cases with up to 95% on Steam only releases.

Example:

We have 100 game_opens -- a minimum of 20% of them we can attribute directly. The remaining 80% will then be modelled out to get a 100% attribution. This has an accuracy of 65%+.

100 game_opens -> 5 are attributed to Meta (with a 98% accuracy) -> Modelled out: 20 are attributed to Meta (with a 65% accuracy, meaning the real number could be somewhere between 13 and 27 -> This gives us a high enough accuracy to make data-driven decisions.

Question 17

Can TRACKS be used effectively for console attribution?

Accepted Answer

Yes, TRACKS can attribute installs on consoles in a manner similar to PC tracking. The primary difference lies in including an additional parameter to identify the platform environment, such as PlayStation or Xbox. When a user opens the game on any supported console, the system identifies the source of the acquisition based on the pseudonymized IP address collected at the time of the ad click.

Question 18

What level of attribution accuracy can we expect from TRACKS in social-first or dark-social environments like Instagram Stories or Snapchat, where click-through data is often sparse or untraceable?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS operates solely on click-through attribution and does not support view-based or impression-only tracking. In social-first environments like Instagram Stories or Snapchat, where click data can be limited, attribution relies on users actively clicking or landing on a tracked web page.

Once a user clicks, or visits the marketing website as a referral, TRACKS captures key tracking identifiers to attribute in-game and web/storefront conversions. In cases where direct attribution isn't possible due to cross-device behavior or storefront limitations, TRACKS applies probabilistic modeling to estimate source contribution based on data collection paths.

While attribution accuracy depends on user behavior, targeting, medium and device, TRACKS can directly attribute 20-60% of conversions and model the rest to achieve at least 65% accuracy for multiplatform scenarios and up to 95% for Steam-only releases.

Question 19

What kind of attribution model does TRACKS use?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS employs a data-driven attribution model rather than a last-click approach. This means it analyzes the entire path a user takes--from ad clicks to website visits to store interactions--and assigns weighted credit to the various sources involved. If two sources contribute equally, TRACKS defaults to last-click attribution. This model prevents over-crediting and delivers a more realistic picture of what influences player behavior.

Question 20

Why does TRACKS not support impression-based or post-view attribution?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS deliberately does not use impression-based or post-view attribution. This is due to the limitations and privacy risks inherent in trying to track users from influencer content or display impressions. Furthermore, GDPR regulations make it nearly impossible to implement such tracking legally unless the advertiser owns the ad-serving platform or operates within a consent-based ecosystem like Google Ads. Instead, TRACKS uses click-based fingerprinting, which is both more accurate and legally compliant. Combined with our probabilistic modelling, TRACKS Attribution is able to deliver highly accurate insights on paid installs even with a click-through approach only.

Question 21

Can TRACKS attribute game Wishlists?

Accepted Answer

For wishlist tracking, full visibility is limited due to the constraints of Steam's analytics framework. Click ID-level attribution is only partially available through Steam UTM analytics. However, TRACKS addresses this by combining modeled attribution techniques with website behavioral data to estimate and enrich wishlist-related signals wherever possible, thus offering a wishlist tracker to its clients. This allows marketers to assess the impact of their campaigns on Wishlist performance.

Also, if Wishlist data is made available to Second Stage--either through Steamworks or client-supplied CSVs--TRACKS can integrate it into the campaign reporting.

Question 22

Does TRACKS support postbacks to media platforms?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS includes a fully functioning postback system that integrates with the conversion APIs of platforms such as Meta, TikTok, Google, Reddit, and programmatic ad networks. Postbacks enable real-time data to be sent back to these platforms, helping to refine audience targeting, reduce unnecessary ad spend, and build lookalike audiences based on valuable in-game events. This feedback loop is essential for maintaining performance in ongoing and conversion-focused campaigns.

Question 23

To what extent does TRACKS support custom event postbacks to social platforms like Meta and TikTok (e.g., wishlist additions, store page views), and are these events usable for algorithmic optimization or audience segmentation?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS supports custom event postbacks to all major media platforms, including Meta and TikTok, for key game and website interactions. This includes in-game events such as game_opens, installs, and post-install behaviors, as well as web-based events like outbound button clicks to storefronts -- serving as a proxy for store page views. These events are integrated via the platforms' respective conversion APIs (e.g., Meta, TikTok, Reddit etc. Conversion API), making them fully usable for both algorithmic optimization and audience segmentation.

We collaborate closely with your media team to implement our ad operations framework and ensure the optimal event schema is deployed based on each campaign's goals and platform best practices.

Question 24

Can TRACKS data streams be leveraged for dynamic audience management -- such as excluding converted users or building high-value lookalike segments in real-time across platforms like Meta and Reddit?

Accepted Answer

Yes, TRACKS data streams can be used for dynamic audience management across major platforms like Meta, Reddit, Google etc. We support real-time postbacks of key conversion events -- such as storefront visits, installs, game_opens, or wishlists (for wishlists please note that accuracy will be lower than the other events) -- via platform conversion APIs, enabling automatic exclusion of converted users and the creation of high-value lookalike audiences.

These events are sent based on user consent and matched using click IDs or web/session data, ensuring compliant and accurate audience updates. This real-time feedback loop improves targeting precision, reduces wasted spend, and enhances performance for retargeting and acquisition campaigns and is fully available in the Premium plan.

Question 25

How is TRACKS integrated into a game or website?

Accepted Answer

Integration with TRACKS is straightforward. For games, the API is installed server-side through a simple webhook, requiring no SDKs or in-game code. It also supports integration through in-game analytic tools like Unity Analytics or Amplitude. For websites, TRACKS provides JavaScript that works alongside Google Analytics to track user behavior and collect consent. TRACKS also supports Steam UTM integration, and naming taxonomy guidance is available to ensure consistent and meaningful campaign data.

Question 26

Why do you recommend server-side integration for the Measurement API instead of a simpler client-side setup?

Accepted Answer

While a direct client-side connection is technically possible, we strongly recommend a server-side integration for several important reasons:

Stability and reliability: Client-side integrations carry inherent risks. If our pipeline experiences downtime and the client-side integration lacks proper error handling, it could potentially disrupt your game. A server-side setup reduces this risk significantly.

No added latency or client-side errors: Handling the integration server-side minimizes the chance of performance issues or errors on the client, ensuring a smoother player experience.

Security and privacy: Processing requests on a server first adds an extra layer of protection for sensitive data.

Reasonable setup complexity: Setting up a server-side telemetry integration is straightforward, and the reliability, security, and privacy benefits far outweigh the slightly higher initial effort.

In short, server-side integration is safer, more reliable, and better for both performance and privacy, which is why we prefer it.

Question 27

What is the recommended approach for using landing pages in attribution tracking?

Accepted Answer

Although direct links to storefronts like Steam are supported, TRACKS performs best when integrated with a dedicated product landing page. Landing pages enable cookie consent management, allow for richer analytics tracking, and improve media platform optimization through conversion data and postbacks. For scalable campaigns focused on long-term ROAS, a properly configured landing page is highly recommended.

Question 28

How does TRACKS handle cross-device and multi-touch attribution in social campaigns where user journeys often span mobile, desktop, and console environments?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS handles cross-device and multi-touch attribution by combining click-based fingerprinting with probabilistic modeling. When users interact with ads on one device (e.g., mobile) and convert on another (e.g., desktop or console), TRACKS uses IP, timestamp, and behavioral web data from both website analytics and Steam UTM analytics to match sessions. For unattributed conversions we apply a Markov chain model based on all gathered signals to estimate the most likely source. Attribution lookback windows are optimized for premium games, ensuring both paid and organic activity are measured in one unified view.

Question 29

How does TRACKS integrate with Steam -- is data pulled directly from the Steam backend (e.g. wishlist additions, store visits, conversions), or only via tagged URLs?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS integrates with Steam via Steamworks UTM Analytics and Traffic Reports using given permission to our service email account. Data is pulled directly from the Steam access, we capture acquisition signals like store visits and wishlists from tagged URLs combined with modeled attribution to fill in gaps.

Question 30

Can TRACKS track full-funnel behavior on Steam, such as store page visits leading to wishlist, pre-order or purchase, and connect that back to campaign sources?

Accepted Answer

While Steam does not support granular session tracking or carry attribution data directly through the storefront, TRACKS bridges this gap by capturing pre-Steam user behavior via our TRACKS JS web integration and UTM-tagged links. Once the user lands on Steam, we rely on Steamworks UTM analytics (accessible with Marketing permissions) to measure traffic and outcomes by acquisition source.

To connect downstream Steam events back to specific campaign sources, channels, or creatives, TRACKS uses modeled attribution, redistributing untracked conversions to their most likely origins. This means that full-funnel behavior on Steam--including store page visits, wishlists, pre-orders, and purchases-- is partly modeled, due to the platform's closed nature.

However, the full funnel from impression -> click -> web visit -> storefront visit -> install is available and tracked with high accuracy when using the recommended setup. This enables reliable performance insights and campaign optimization across the entire player acquisition journey.

Question 31

Do you offer any best practices or standard setups for optimizing tracking on Steam, considering its limitations on third-party pixels or external tracking tools?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS provides a proven set of best practices for optimizing tracking on Steam, tailored to work around its restrictions on third-party pixels and external tracking.

First, we install the TRACKS JS code on your product website or landing page. This enables data collection from user interactions--such as web visits, clicks and redirects--before they reach Steam, allowing us to attribute conversions like storefront visits, wishlists and activations back to their original acquisition source.

Second, we provide copy-paste-ready UTM-tagged URLs that can be used as redirection link to Steam or a non-redirection landing page url via our Ad Ops Helper Sheet. These pre-formatted links follow a consistent best-practice structure, ensuring accurate and reliable tracking of source, campaign, and medium across the full user journey.

To unlock conversion insights from Steam itself, Steamworks access with Marketing permissions is required. This allows TRACKS to ingest Steam UTM analytics and correlate that data with web and campaign performance, closing the attribution loop.

Also worthwhile to mention that, as a best practice we highly recommend to use a website as the landing page in order to enrich data collection touchpoints. Especially for your ads that will be served in mobile placements this will also ensure getting best possible tracking information available for cross-device user journeys. For desktop targeted only campaigns using a Steam link directly will also have good attribution accuracy.

Question 32

Why do the metrics I see in my ad network dashboard differ from the installs reported in TRACKS?

Accepted Answer

This is normal and happens for three main reasons:

Attribution timing: TRACKS tracks installs over a 30-day window, so installs from past campaigns may still appear even if the campaign is no longer active.

Postback delays: TRACKS sends updates to ad networks in bulk a few times per day, so numbers aren't reported in real-time.

Cookie consent: Ad networks only receive postbacks if users accept marketing cookies, while TRACKS counts all installs. In regions with lower consent rates, this can make ad network numbers appear smaller than TRACKS totals.

Bottom line: Differences between your ad network dashboard and TRACKS are expected due to timing, syncing, and consent settings.

Question 33

How exactly does TRACKS evaluate media performance?

Accepted Answer

The Performance Media overview in TRACKS highlights campaign performance across all biddable media platforms. This dashboard helps pinpoint the most effective activations by GEO, channel, strategy, and targeting approach--offering actionable insights to optimize and scale high-performing campaigns.

By integrating attribution and web analytics data, media performance is evaluated not just through standard KPIs like impressions and clicks, but also by deeper outcomes such as landing page conversions and game installs--providing a full-funnel view of campaign effectiveness.

Performance Media evaluation is available with all TRACKS plans.

Question 34

How exactly does TRACKS evaluate creative performance?

Accepted Answer

The Creative Performance feature in TRACKS delivers detailed insights into how individual creatives perform, helping you identify top-performing assets and minimize ad fatigue. This ensures your creative inventory is used as effectively and efficiently as possible.

With tailored analytics and awareness reporting, TRACKS also reveals how different ad formats perform across the campaign lifecycle. This dashboard empowers you to make data-driven creative decisions, maximizing impact and sustaining engagement over time.

Creative Evaluation is available with TRACKS Premium.

Question 35

What kind of audience insights does TRACKS provide?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS provides granular, day-to-day insights into your game's audience, including detailed sociodemographic data to help you better understand, define, and target your user base.

The Audience Insights dashboard highlights key KPIs and real-world demographic trends, enabling you to refine targeting strategies based on actual campaign performance. By aligning audience definitions with verified data, you can optimize reach and efficiency across media efforts.

Audience Insights are available with TRACKS Premium.

Question 36

How does TRACKS track awareness for media campaigns?

Accepted Answer

The Awareness Tracker in TRACKS provides detailed reporting on top-of-funnel activations, breaking down key metrics such as impressions, views, engagement rates, and viewability. This feature enables you to measure and fine-tune awareness campaigns with greater precision.

Beyond surface-level performance, the Awareness Tracker offers deeper insights into how users engage with creatives and landing pages. A standout KPI--CPQ (Cost per Quality User)--helps identify and optimize for high-value prospecting users who show strong early engagement and awareness, such as during a game announcement, even before a conversion is trackable. For example, this can help drive more qualified users to add your game to their wishlist.

Awareness Tracking is available with TRACKS Standard and Premium.

Question 37

What information can TRACKS provide on landing page performance and the overall marketing funnel?

Accepted Answer

The Web Analytics dashboard offers a comprehensive view of the user journey--from landing page to storefront. By tracking the full customer funnel, it reveals how users move from initial ad impressions to website visits and, ultimately, to conversions on the storefront. These insights help you understand user behavior at each stage and optimize the flow for better performance.

Web Analytics is available with all TRACKS plans.

Question 38

What kind of insights into influencer campaigns does TRACKS provide?

Accepted Answer

The Influencer and Direct Buy Overview offers performance insights into your upper-funnel campaign activations. This dashboard helps you evaluate how initiatives like influencer partnerships and direct media buys on gaming websites contribute to conversion goals and drive installs, bridging the gap between awareness and action.

Influencer & Direct Buy insights are available with TRACKS Premium.

Question 39

Is there any benefit to using TRACKS UTM links in Influencer or Brand Awareness campaigns?

Accepted Answer

In addition to biddable channels, using TRACKS UTM links allows you to track the performance of influencers and other branding activities, such as installs and retention, providing insight into acquired players. This helps you compare branding channels against each other using key side metrics. However, tracking lower-funnel media activation remains more effective and essential.

Question 40

How does TRACKS measure influencer performance in terms of conversions (e.g. installs, wishlist adds), and is tracking based on UTMs, landing pages, or custom links?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS measures influencer-driven conversions -- such as installs and wishlist adds -- using branded, UTM-tagged links (e.g. yourgame.com/CreatorName). These links direct traffic through a TRACKS integrated powered landing page, or Steam store directly to enable accurate tracking of clicks, web visits, store visits and downstream events like game_open or wishlist adds.

All performance data is captured and attributed in the reporting dashboard. To complement this, TRACKS includes a cost import module that allows you to manually input influencer or media house costs. This enables accurate ROAS%, CPI, and cost-per-wishlist metrics alongside conversion performance, ensuring full visibility into the efficiency of each partnership.

Question 41

Can we differentiate organic influencer content from paid partnerships within the TRACKS dashboard?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS can differentiate between organic and paid influencer content within the dashboard -- as long as link tagging is used. Branded links can be labeled as "paid" or "organic" to reflect the partnership type, but a click-through or Website/Steam visit is required for attribution and conversion tracking.

If no click or referral traffic is generated from an organic post, TRACKS won't be able to tie it to an acquisition source. However, overall organic influencer impact -- such as mentions, reach, and engagement -- is still available in the Brand Health report for visibility into social lift and awareness.

Question 42

How does TRACKS monitor brand health?

Accepted Answer

The Brand Health overview delivers actionable insights into your game's brand awareness beyond paid media. TRACKS combines data from social listening, competitive titles, and Steam analytics to capture top-of-funnel awareness driven by social media, media campaigns, and user-generated content (UGC).

This data-driven perspective helps guide strategic decisions around brand positioning and campaign timing. It also allows you to evaluate how your owned and earned channels are performing in driving engagement--benchmarking your title against key competitors. These insights empower you to plan and optimize critical marketing moments that keep momentum strong.

Brand Health monitoring is available with all TRACKS plans.

Question 43

Is influencer-driven content performance (e.g., UGC impact, engagement metrics) natively tracked within TRACKS' Awareness or Brand Health modules, or is third-party tagging required for full visibility?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS supports influencer content tracking through a combination of native integrations and best-practice tagging. While direct tracking pixels aren't possible on influencer platforms, TRACKS enables conversion tracking via branded links (e.g., yourgame.com/CreatorName) that come pre-tagged with UTM parameters. These links capture key signals such as clicks, web visits, wishlists, and game_open events driven by creator content.

Engagement and sentiment signals -- like social mentions, reach, and share of voice -- are surfaced within the Brand Health module, offering a holistic view of UGC impact over time. For full conversion visibility, we recommend tagging influencer links, encouraging consistent hashtag usage, and -- where possible -- coordinating with partner platforms to enrich TRACKS with additional performance data.

No third-party tools are required beyond standard link tagging. Additionally, Streamer Analytics Metrics are currently in development and can be made available in Beta upon request.

Question 44

Is it better to send traffic from media campaigns directly to the storefront or the product website, and why?

Accepted Answer

Whether the goal is awareness or conversion, we recommend first directing prospects to a website with a dedicated marketing landing page. This approach has several benefits:

- It serves as an excellent content platform, featuring game trailers, images, animations, and more.
- The site can support multiple languages, allowing for a more personalized connection with a global audience.
- Most importantly, users who visit the site can be retargeted on advertising platforms, allowing for advanced visitor segmentation and audience targeting with lookalike models.
- SEO efforts naturally increase the brand's digital visibility.
- The website facilitates newsletter signups and direct community engagement.
- It also allows for the creation of an account creation mechanism.
- The site can provide an additional direct storefront for fans, e.g. retailers of physical SKUs or to purchase Collector's Editions directly.
- Finally, it provides a better showcase for outbound social links such as YouTube, Reddit, and Discord.

If the primary goal is conversion, or if you are targeting a remarketing audience, we recommend directing traffic to Steam as it shortens the user flow.

Question 45

What other marketing analytics can TRACKS provide to support my decision making process?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS provides a clear week-over-week overview, helping you monitor media performance trends across markets, channels, and audiences. For Silver and Gold plan customers, we also offer custom Executive Summary reports--highlighting key KPIs at a glance and allowing easy PDF exports to share insights beyond the platform. Additionally, our monthly Brand Health report delivers deeper, off-platform insights to support strategic brand marketing decisions.

Question 46

Is TRACKS compliant with GDPR and privacy regulations?

Accepted Answer

Yes. TRACKS was built with full compliance to GDPR and CCPA in mind. It processes data in pseudonymized and aggregated formats, and stores sensitive data like IP addresses using non-reversible hashes with a 30-day retention limit. TRACKS enhances privacy by minimizing data exposure through a smart and secure hybrid cloud setup -- similar to an on-premise setup, where all granular data is directly processed and stored on the publisher or developer studio's Google Cloud servers. This method can be considered as an enterprise level solution, and we are of the opinion that it is the optimal choice for the video game industry. Clients also receive tools to support GDPR rights through a GDPR API, such as data access, deletion, and opt-out requests.

Question 47

How does TRACKS handle data under GDPR regulations?

Accepted Answer

Second Stage TRACKS is fully compliant with GDPR regulations. For the highest level of security and transparency, on-premise hosting is our recommended option. In this method, all data is sent directly to the customer's server at their location. TRACKS does not collect any data on its side. This means it is the customer's responsibility to ensure that proper opt-in and opt-out mechanisms are in place.

Our suggested deployed method is to use publisher's or studio's configured Google Cloud project. Other Google Cloud microservices used include Cloud Storage, Cloud Run, Pub/Sub, Cloud Functions, Artifact Registry, and App Engine. If you are unable to use GCP for deployment, Second Stage can support you in setting up an account. Support for AWS and Azure cloud infrastructure is planned for the future.

Question 48

Can you provide more details -- are you collecting any PII (Personally Identifiable Information)?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS handles PII in a standard manner, similar to other telemetric data collection vendors. While data is collected at the user level, it is processed in a pseudonymized and aggregated form. The primary PII concern is the client IP, which is collected as a parameter through the API. This information is not stored openly but is instead hashed using a non-reversible method, with a 30-day data retention period. The reporting suite only provides aggregated data, not user-level data, ensuring that no PII is stored or accessible.

Question 49

Can you provide content for our end user privacy agreements or EULA?

Accepted Answer

Please consult with a legal council on your end to manage the required legal steps, such as providing an End User License Agreement (EULA) and ensuring to comply with all obligations.

Question 50

How does TRACKS handle Data Retention?

Accepted Answer

Event data retention is by default 18 months and resets with new activity. This period can be adjusted upon request. Event data tables will contain one-way SHA256 hashed user IPs, user_ids, event and other supplied parameters like os_platform, storefront, acquisition source etc.

However, granular log history of the attribution inserts, such as in-game events and web visits, have a 30-day data retention period and can not be increased for only logging, error handling and record keeping purposes and doesn't get stored in any database.

Question 51

How does TRACKS handle the right to Access / Erasure?

Accepted Answer

Under both the GDPR and the CCPA, players have the right to request the deletion of their personal information from data controllers at any time. To facilitate this, we provide two opt-out mechanisms that enable our clients to effectively handle player requests.

If your users consent to tracking, it is your responsibility to protect that data. As the game publisher and data owner, you need to ensure proper opt-in, opt-out and right to be forgotten mechanisms. Second Stage helps you meet these obligations. For those with existing data management systems, TRACKS' GDPR APIs can be integrated to centralize your GDPR compliance.

For marketing campaigns involving a website, TRACKS distinguishes between marketing, analytics and necessary cookies and configures the required tags according to the cookie consent mechanism.

Our service is designed to comply with our customers' DPAs, which we execute as part of our service agreements.

Question 52

How does the TRACKS GDPR API work exactly?

Accepted Answer

For those with existing data management systems, TRACKS' GDPR APIs can be integrated to centralize your GDPR compliance.

Under GDPR, personal data includes the following: Online identifiers, IP addresses, User location data, Behavioral and demographic profiling data. User opt-outs are managed through the GDPR Forget API, which will be provided once TRACKS is integrated into production.

Data Removal by User_id and Data Request by User_id is available via GDPR API.

The parameter for identifying a user is the user_id, using this key in your GDPR forget API call, deletes all records of the user_id permanently, and blocks the same user_id from new entries.

IP parameters will not be returned openly from the GDPR API call as they are stored with SHA256 hash.

Question 53

Does TRACKS offer IP Truncation?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS applies one-way hashing (SHA-256) to all user IP address information before storage, following best practices for attribution tracking even under strict privacy standards, given the minimal data collected by TRACKS.

If required, you can choose to truncate IP addresses in certain regions by removing the last octet (IP obfuscation or anonymization). To enable this option, please reach out to us. Please note that doing so will reduce the accuracy of attribution for your game.

Question 54

What are the different pricing options and tiers to use TRACKS?

Accepted Answer

TRACKS is available with a monthly fixed subscription or a more flexible plan based on tracked marketing spend.

Please contact us to find out more about our pricing and offer.

Question 55

Can the TRACKS platform be paused and reactivated, particularly for seasonal or event-based campaigns?

Accepted Answer

Yes, TRACKS can be paused and re-activated for games within the TRACKS Flex pricing model.

Question 56

Is reporting access or historical data retention affected once a subscription is paused or terminated?

Accepted Answer

Typically, for privacy reasons, access to historical data is revoked upon termination of a subscription unless another agreement is in place. However, as part of a customized arrangement, we can accommodate continued access to historical data if required.

Question 57

Are there usage thresholds (e.g. data volume, number of dashboards or users) that could impact campaign scaling?

Accepted Answer

No, there are no usage thresholds tied to any specific plan or game. Since we utilize or deploy a dedicated cloud instance on your side, there are also no hidden fees or additional costs based on data usage from our end.

Question 58

Is there a discounted rate or bundled pricing if we want to run TRACKS across multiple games within the same calendar year?

Accepted Answer

Yes, depending on the number of games and campaign windows, we would be happy to provide a customized offer for using TRACKS across multiple titles from a clients' lineup.

Question 59

How is cross-title data handled -- can we compare campaign performance across games within the same dashboard or are they fully siloed?

Accepted Answer

Yes, this can be provided as an on-top solution, tailored specifically to your requirements. Alternatively, we could also provide a bespoke dashboard to compare pre-defined KPI across multiple projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

TRACKS / Product Overview

TRACKS Attribution

TRACKS Marketing Analytics

Privacy, Compliance & Data Handling

Plans, Pricing & Flexibility

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