Click-through attribution credits an ad with a conversion that happens after someone clicks it. In Meta ads, a click-through conversion is a purchase, sign-up or other result that follows a link click on your ad within the click window you set.
Click-through and view-through
The difference is what the customer did with the ad.
| Type | The person | Credit goes to the ad when |
|---|---|---|
| Click-through | Clicked the ad | They convert within the click window |
| View-through | Saw the ad and didn't click | They convert within the view window |
| Engage-through | Interacted without a link click, such as a video play | They convert within the engagement window |
Meta's attribution settings page offers 1-day or 7-day click-through windows for website and in-store conversions, and a 1-day view-through window. It also lists engage-through, for clicks that are not link clicks. The attribution window entry covers each setting in full, including the default Meta states on its Results page.
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Try for Free ($0 Trial)Why click-through is the stricter count
A click is a deliberate step. The person chose to leave the feed and visit your page, so a conversion that follows is easier to tie to the ad. A view only shows that an ad was on screen, and some of those people would have converted anyway. That is why many advertisers lean on click-through numbers for budget decisions and treat view-through as extra context.
The click is also what last-click attribution and most analytics tools count, so click-through results are the ones most likely to line up across Ads Manager and an outside report. They still won't match exactly, because each tool uses its own window and model. Read the click vs impression guide for how the two differ before comparing.
How the click window changes the numbers
The longer the click window, the more conversions an ad can claim. A buyer who clicks on Tuesday and buys on Saturday is a 7-day click conversion and not a 1-day one. Nothing about the ad changed, only the rule for counting. This is why you must compare results across ad sets only when they use the same window, and why Meta says results can't be compared across ad sets with different attribution models in the overview table.
How to use click-through numbers
- Match the window to the buying cycle. Impulse purchases fit a 1-day click window. Considered purchases fit 7 days.
- Check the click quality. A high click-through rate with few click-through conversions often points to a mismatch between the ad and the page.
- Compare windows in Ads Manager with its compare attribution settings feature before you change a setting.
- Read alongside other models. A click-through count shows what ads gets credit for after a click. Multi-touch attribution and an attribution model that shares credit show the path around it.
Example. A meal-kit company runs a Meta ad for a first box at $40 off. A visitor clicks on Tuesday, browses, and subscribes on Saturday, four days later. With a 1-day click window, Ads Manager records no conversion for that click. With a 7-day click window, it records one. Over a month, the company sees 300 conversions at 7-day click and 180 at 1-day click for the same ad set. The extra 120 are people who took more than a day to decide, so the company keeps 7-day click for reporting and uses 1-day click to judge its fastest-acting audiences.
In Madgicx. The One-Click Report shows Meta, Google Ads, TikTok and Klaviyo results side by side, so you can compare each platform's credited conversions with your store orders and see which window each one uses.
FAQ
What is click-through attribution?
It is a way of giving an ad credit for a conversion that follows a click on it, as long as the conversion happens inside the click window.
What is the difference between click-through and view-through attribution?
Click-through credits the ad after a click. View-through credits it after someone saw the ad and didn't click. Meta offers 1-day and 7-day click windows and a 1-day view window.
What click-through window does Meta offer?
Meta offers 1-day and 7-day click windows for website and in-store conversions under standard attribution. You set them for each ad set.
Is click-through attribution the same as last-click attribution?
No. Last-click gives all credit to the final click among all channels. Click-through attribution is about one platform crediting its own ad after a click on it, and several platforms can each claim the same sale.
Why do my click-through conversions differ from Google Analytics?
The two tools use different windows and models, and each credits its own ads. Match the window and the date range before comparing, and expect a gap rather than an exact match.
Related
- Related terms: Click-through rate, Ad impressions
- In depth: Clicks vs impressions
Sources
- About attribution models and attribution settings, Meta Business Help Center
