What attribution window should I use?

Match your window to your sales cycle. For impulse purchases (e-commerce), 7-day click windows work well. For considered purchases (services, B2B), use 28-30 day click windows. For long B2B sales cycles, 60-90 days may be appropriate. Test different windows and compare attributed conversions to find your optimal setting.

Why did Meta change their attribution window?

Meta shortened their default attribution window from 28-day click / 1-day view to 7-day click / 1-day view in response to Apple iOS 14.5 privacy changes (ATT framework). This means Meta now reports fewer conversions by default, even if the ads are still driving them. Businesses should compare on consistent window settings.

How do attribution windows affect budget decisions?

Shorter windows favour bottom-of-funnel channels (search, retargeting) that convert quickly. Longer windows give proper credit to awareness channels (display, social, content). Using too-short windows leads to over-investment in capture channels and under-investment in demand generation.

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Attribution Window

Also known as:conversion windowlookback windowattribution lookback period

The time period after a marketing touchpoint during which a conversion is credited to that touchpoint, typically ranging from 1 to 90 days depending on the platform and business.

In-Depth Explanation

An attribution window (also called a lookback window or conversion window) defines the time period during which a conversion can be attributed to a marketing touchpoint. If a customer clicks an ad and converts within the attribution window, that ad gets credit for the conversion.

Common attribution window settings:

Click-through window: Time after clicking an ad (typically 7-30 days)
View-through window: Time after seeing but not clicking an ad (typically 1-7 days)
Platform defaults: Google Ads: 30-day click, 1-day view; Meta: 7-day click, 1-day view

Factors affecting window length:

Sales cycle length: B2B with long cycles needs longer windows
Product complexity: Complex purchases require more consideration time
Price point: Higher-priced items have longer decision periods
Purchase frequency: Frequent purchases may use shorter windows
Channel type: Display ads often use shorter windows than search

Attribution window considerations:

Shorter windows attribute more precisely but miss delayed conversions
Longer windows capture more conversions but reduce attribution precision
Different channels may warrant different window lengths
Consistency across platforms enables fair comparison
Test different window lengths to find the optimal balance

Platform-specific windows:

Google Ads: 1-90 day click window, 1-30 day engaged view
Meta Ads: 1, 7, or 28-day click; 1-day view
LinkedIn Ads: 1, 7, 30, or 90-day click and view windows
Google Analytics: Session-based or 30-90 day lookback

Business Context

Attribution window settings directly affect how marketing channels appear to perform. Incorrectly short windows make awareness channels look ineffective, while excessively long windows over-credit early touchpoints.

How Clever Ops Uses This

Clever Ops configures attribution windows for Australian businesses based on their specific sales cycle and customer journey. We ensure consistent window settings across platforms and build reporting that accounts for attribution methodology, giving teams accurate performance data for budget decisions.

Example Use Case

"A B2B services company extends their Meta Ads attribution window from 7 to 28 days and discovers that Facebook campaigns are driving 3x more conversions than previously reported, as their typical sales cycle is 21 days."