Attribution Window
The period during which an ad platform 'credits' a sale to an ad shown. Meta default: 7-day click + 1-day view. Google: 30-day click. A wider window means more attributed conversions.
In practice
The attribution window determines how many sales each platform 'sees.' Meta with a 7-day window will see more attributed conversions than Meta with a 1-day window — the same reality, a different story. This causes Meta and Google to together 'report' double the actual number of your sales.
Common misconception
'The attribution window is the truth.' No. A 28-day window means: 'a sale that happened 28 days after a click is credited to the ad.' But the customer also saw 5 other ads, searched Google, and got a newsletter. The window is arbitrary.
How to fix it
Attribution window confusing you? (1) Compare Meta reports + Google reports — usually 150-200% of actual sales (double-counting), (2) Use MER — not window-dependent, (3) Shorten Meta's window to 1-day click for a more conservative picture, (4) Run an incrementality test — check what would happen without the ad.
Example
Cosmetics store: Meta reports 340 sales (7-day window). Google reports 180 sales (30-day). Combined: 520. Actual (from WooCommerce): 310 sales. Double-counting: 67%. MER: revenue $26K / spend $7.8K = 3.3 — sufficient for management decisions.
Priority
Understand each platform's attribution window before comparing them. Set a consistent window (1-day click) if you want to compare directly. For decision-making: MER beats platform-reported ROAS.
Related terms
Keep learning. Metrics that touch the same area:
- AttributionAnalyticsIdentifying which marketing channel 'deserves credit' for a conversion. Models: First-Touch, Last-Touch, Linear, Time-Decay, Data-Driven. Each model tells a different story.
- ConversionAnalyticsA desired action a visitor takes — a purchase, sign-up, form submission. The basis for measuring marketing success.
- Conversion Rate (CR)AnalyticsThe percentage of visitors who completed a desired action. Average: 1-4% for purchases, depending on category.
- ATC – Add To CartAnalyticsThe action where a visitor adds an item to the cart. Average ATC rate: 8-10% of product page visits.
- Cart AbandonmentAnalyticsA customer added an item to the cart but didn't complete the purchase. Average: 70-75%. One of the biggest opportunities.
- Open RateAnalyticsThe percentage of recipients who opened the email. Average: 20-25% in eCommerce.
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