Leaderboard appearances are breadth, not independent wins
Analysis
By Isaac Turner, Measurement Editor — 2 min read
View author profile
Repeated rankings can share data and definitions; count the comparison behind each placement.
Singular reports 29 leaderboard appearances for Google Ads, Meta, Mintegral and TikTok across its 2026 cuts. Repetition across cuts is not the same as winning 29 independent experiments. Index announcement.
Ask how the cuts overlap
The same campaign can potentially contribute to more than one segmentation or model view. Our recommendation is to list the relevant boards, their eligibility criteria and the population behind each. Without that map, a simple appearance count can exaggerate the amount of independent evidence.
The MTA documentation explains that modelled credit depends on configured rules. A placement under one estimator should therefore not be treated as a direct replication of a placement under another unless the comparison has been specified carefully.
Use breadth for a shortlist, not an allocation formula
A network appearing across several relevant environments may deserve a closer look. The useful next step is to match the game’s geography, operating system, monetisation and measurement needs to the actual board. A global appearance count cannot establish the expected return of a new campaign.
The card separates report coverage from campaign proof. It is suitable for explaining why a buyer added a network to a test shortlist, while leaving budget size and expected payback to the studio’s own evidence. That is a stronger use of a leaderboard than converting position or frequency into an unsupported performance forecast.
Inspect the evidence
Download the source-population and comparability card. The extraction separates documented facts from our analysis and unknowns.
| Field | Evidence or limit |
|---|---|
| Report / publisher | Singular ROI Index 2026 introduces multi-touch attribution leaderboards / Singular |
| Period | 2026 ROI Index edition |
| Population | Index cuts across OS, verticals and attribution models |
| Metric under review | 29 leaderboard appearances reported for four named platforms |
| Aggregation | Count of leaderboard appearances |
| Critical limit | Cuts can share underlying campaigns; the announcement does not provide independent experimental replications. |
| Comparable with | Coverage across disclosed report segments |
| Not comparable with | Twenty-nine independent causal tests or a forecast for one game |
Further reading in the existing archive: AppsFlyer, Adjust, Singular: a buyer's comparison; The benchmark report is selling you something. These links provide background; this check does not independently verify their full contents.
Featured
Related posts

market intelligence
measurement
·1 min read
Retention percentile charts for F2P: what GameAnalytics-style cuts miss
market intelligence
measurement
·2 min read
Sensor Tower’s $82 billion figure is an IAP measure
market intelligence
measurement
·2 min read
The 52 billion download headline crosses platforms
market intelligence
measurement
·2 min read
One casual-gaming report contains several data populations
More from the Market Intelligence desk

market intelligence
media buying
·1 min read
Lunar New Year UA gates from an official calendar, not a CPI myth

market intelligence
media buying
·2 min read
WeChat Mini Games upgrades 2026 IAP / virtual-payment incentives for debut titles

market intelligence
media buying
·2 min read
WeChat Mini Games IAA incentives from 20 August 2026: 3-minute lifetime, 180-day option

creative strategy
market intelligence
·1 min read