Meta Ads Attribution Windows: 1-Day vs. 7-Day Click Explained (2024)

The "View-Through" Illusion. You run a Retargeting ad. A user sees it, scrolls past, but buys later that day because they received an email. Facebook claims the sale: "1-Day View Conversion." Email claims the sale. You pay double CPA on paper.

Understanding Attribution Settings is the only way to know the truth.

Part 1: The Settings

7-Day Click / 1-Day View (Default):

• If they click and buy within 7 days -> Credit.
• If they view and buy within 24 hours -> Credit.
• Pros: Shows the most data. Helps the algorithm learn.
• Cons: Inflates reporting with View-Throughs.

1-Day Click (The "Truth" Setting):

• Only counts if they click and buy today.
• Pros: Conservative. High confidence that the ad caused the sale.
• Cons: Kills performance for high-ticket items (where people need time to think).

Part 2: Which One to Choose?

Scenario A: Low Ticket Impulse (<$<$50)

• Setting: 1-Day Click.
• Why: If I sell a $20 gadget, they should buy immediately. I don't want to optimize for "browsers."

Scenario B: High Ticket / B2B (>$500)

• Setting: 7-Day Click.
• Why: Nobody buys a $1,000 course on the first click. They need time. The algorithm needs to know that a click on Monday led to a sale on Friday.

Part 3: Assessing "Incremental Lift"

How much of your "View-Through" revenue is real? The Lift Test.

1. Run a "Holdout Test" in Experiments.
2. Meta holds back ads from 10% of your audience.
3. It compares sales in the "Exposed Group" vs "Holdout Group."
4. If the Lift is 0%, your View-Through ads are doing nothing (cannibalizing organic).

Summary

If you are scaling aggressively, use 7DC/1DV to give the algorithm maximum signal. But when reporting to your CFO, look at the Click-Only breakdown.

• Dashboard: "Compare Windows".
• Check: If 50% of your sales are "View-Through", your ads are likely taking credit for email/organic traffic. Be skeptical.