Click-Through Attribution

What This Page Answers

Click-through attribution gives conversion credit to an ad after a user clicks it and converts within the attribution window. It is usually stronger evidence of user intent than view-through attribution, but it still does not prove incrementality by itself.

How It Works

A typical click-through attribution rule:

User clicks ad -> user converts within X days -> platform reports conversion

The time window differs by platform and settings. Common windows include 1-day, 7-day, 14-day, or 30-day click attribution.

Why It Matters

Click-through attribution is useful because it shows an explicit interaction. The user did more than passively see the ad. Use it for:

Search campaign analysis
Shopping campaign analysis
Direct-response paid social
Lead generation
Landing page and offer testing
Comparing high-intent campaigns

Where It Can Mislead

Click-through attribution can still over-credit ads when:

Users were already going to convert.
Retargeting captures warm users.
Brand Search captures existing demand.
Multiple platforms get click credit for the same journey.
Conversion windows are too wide for the sales cycle.

Platform Notes

Google Search click-through attribution often reflects strong explicit intent, but brand and non-brand should be separated. Meta and TikTok click-through attribution is stronger than view-through, but retargeting can still inflate reported results. ChatGPT Ads click-through attribution should be interpreted with context: a click from a decision conversation may be high value, but conversion may happen later through another channel.