Attribution Window
What is ?
An attribution window is the time period after someone clicks or views your ad during which a conversion is credited to that ad. Meta default window is 7-day click and 1-day view. If a user clicks your ad on Monday and purchases on Thursday (within 7 days), the conversion is attributed to that ad. Attribution windows directly affect your reported ROAS and CPA numbers.
Example
With a 7-day click attribution window, a user clicks your ad on March 1 and purchases on March 6. The purchase is attributed to the ad. If they purchased on March 9 (8 days later), it would NOT be attributed. Switching from 28-day to 7-day windows typically reduces reported conversions by 15%–30%.
Industry Benchmarks
| Platform / Segment | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Meta Default | 7-day click, 1-day view | Post-iOS 14 standard |
| Google Ads Default | 30-day click | Longer window, more attributions |
| TikTok Default | 7-day click, 1-day view | Aligned with Meta |
| Short Purchase Cycle | 1-day click | Impulse buys, low-ticket items |
Post-iOS 14 standard
Longer window, more attributions
Aligned with Meta
Impulse buys, low-ticket items
Benchmarks are approximate averages and vary by industry, targeting, season, and geography.
Optimization Tips
- 1
Match your attribution window to your typical purchase cycle, 7-day click works for most e-commerce, but high-ticket items may need longer consideration.
- 2
Compare your Meta-reported conversions to your actual store data to understand the gap caused by attribution limitations.
- 3
Use UTM parameters alongside platform attribution to build a more complete picture of your ad performance.
- 4
When comparing performance across platforms, ensure you are using the same attribution window settings for an apples-to-apples comparison.
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