Facebook Ads Attribution: A Complete Guide for Marketers

Attribution is tricky. 

Facebook tries to track what might have influenced a conversion, but attribution doesn’t prove that an ad directly caused a sale.

Attribution ≠ causation

All we can do is piece together a lookbook of touchpoints to get an idea of what’s driving conversions.

That’s why marketers have mixed feelings about Facebook ads attribution—and the Facebook algorithm. It’s great to see clicks from ads…but when that data doesn’t line up with other data, the gap makes us itchy. 

When Meta shows one number and Google Analytics shows another, which one do you trust? 

Plus, updates to iOS14 changed Facebook’s attribution window and how it processes conversion events.

Let's open the box on Facebook's attribution settings and Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature, and figure out how to use Facebook ad attribution the best way.

Facebook Ads attribution follows a user around to try to pin down what ads led customers to take desired actions (like a form fill), and how your ads impacted a conversion after many touchpoints when it finally happens.

Attribution is tracked on and off of Facebook with a Facebook (or Meta) Pixel—a small piece of code you add to your website. The pixel sends data to Facebook to show how users interact with your ads and website.

Navigate Facebook ads attribution in a multi-device world

Multi-device usage is the norm. In 2015, about 50% of consumers used three or more devices—today, that number has surged to 85%. Shopping journeys are more complex, which affects Facebook Ads attribution. 

Privacy regulations, cookie depreciation, and iOS14.5+ tracking limitations complicate attribution further. 

Facebook’s attribution models have to correct for fragmented user journeys and shifting data collection practices. Smart marketers adapt with Facebook attribution tools like the Facebook Conversions API and cross-platform analytics to optimize ad performance among constantly changing consumer behavior. 

Here’s a typical example of a conversion journey:

• Someone visits your website (yay!)
• They add a product to their cart and leave the page (boo)
• Two days later, they see the same product on a Facebook ad—with a free shipping code. That nudges them to click and complete the purchase. (yay!)

Without that ad, you'd have one less sale. 

Attribution shows the value of your Facebook campaigns. 

Facebook ad attribution is critical for marketers. It tells you if your ads are working. Without it, marketers couldn’t show a return on ad dollars. 

Facebook uses a delayed attribution model to measure ad performance. It’ll attribute a sale to the first point of contact instead of the last click before purchase. 

Let’s explain. Suppose John sees an advertisement for a pair of jeans while scrolling through his Facebook News Feed. He clicks on the ad, which directs him to the brand’s website.

John liked the jeans but didn’t purchase them because he wanted to try other brands before placing a final order. This is normal. Buying cycles can be longer for some products and customers.

Three days later, John types the brand website directly in his search engine and purchases the jeans.

A last-click attribution model gives the direct site visit credit for the sale. With Facebook’s delayed attribution model, the sale is posted on the day John first saw the ad, which led to the technical purchase three days later.

Facebook’s delayed attribution is preferable to last-click attribution—it tells the full story. It shows how many conversions came from your paid ads and their value. 

When you run an ad campaign, you need three things set up for Facebook to report a conversion:

• A Facebook Pixel on your website
• Events (standard and/or custom) within your Facebook Event Manager
• Conversions API

You tell Facebook what you consider a conversion, so it tracks them. Conversions are any action (events) that matter to your business—lead submissions, registrations, appointment bookings, etc.

Facebook has standard events like page views or clicks. Or you can create custom events to measure the conversions you’d like.

However, knowing when the conversion happens vs reporting is a different ball game.

For example, Facebook shows the total number of times a webpage is visited, but this won’t always be the number of conversions. So, numbers on other reporting tools may be different from your Facebook ad campaign results.

Suppose you’re online advertising an event and want to track the number of registrations. If you see 50 reported conversions on your campaign dashboard, this will include

• Users who click the ad and convert within seven days
• Users who see the ad (without clicking) and convert on the first day

Marketers assume the 50 reported conversions are users who click the ad and convert immediately. That’s wrong. Thanks to the Meta Pixel, Facebook knows every user who saw the ad and those who clicked on it.

The majority of your conversions may happen immediately or soon after a click. Or they may not. It depends on the buying behavior of your industry, which is influenced by commitment level, price, etc. To understand the conversion process better, you can change the attribution reporting rules or see how each supported window makes up your conversions.

If you want Facebook to report whenever someone converts after clicking on your ad, apply those rules.

In 2021, Apple implemented its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. It made apps like Facebook ask users permission to track them across sites owned by other companies.

Remember this?

This is what it meant on the back end for advertisers:

Further reading: How iOS14 Impacts Facebook Ads (And How To Get Around It)

In response, Facebook made a new “Attribution setting” on the ad set level for marketers. It also added an Attribution setting column in the reporting table.

Facebook now supports four attribution settings:

• 1-day click
• 7-day click (default after prompt ATT enforcement)
• 1-day click or view
• 7-day click or 1-day view (initial default)

RIP to 28-day click, 28-day view, and 7-day view attribution settings. Businesses with longer buying cycles will miss you.

There’s also more focus on first-party data, so Meta encourages marketers to use tools like Conversions API that send data directly from servers. 

Choosing which attribution window depends on your business. 

The default 7-day click or 1-day view generally works for most businesses. 

But not everyone.

If you sell low-cost products that are impulse purchases, a 1-day click window may be best (and reflect better results).

Choose the right Facebook attribution settings for your campaign objectives and customer behavior.

For example, Still Novel sells a custom-framed Birth Stat product.

It’s a $60 product that you can order in minutes. Many people who see the ad will likely purchase without much thought. So, it’s worth testing both 1-day and 7-day windows. 

Then there’s this example from Lessonly:

This isn’t an instant purchase. Buying a team training program needs to meet budget and other approvals. You could test a link click or demo conversion with 1-day attribution. But, a 7-day window will likely give better results for this product. 

Use your best judgment to choose a window that aligns with your product, price point, and typical buying cycle. When in doubt, test.

It’s freakin’ hard to prove Facebook Ads attribution across multiple data sources. Data discrepancy is a problem. Google Analytics will never perfectly match your Facebook Ads report. Neither will your customer relationship management (CRM) tool. 

It’s an issue that’s hard to avoid. 

For example, cross-device shopping affects data collection (60-85% of consumers use multiple devices when shopping online). It’s hard to track the full customer journey. Someone can see an ad on their work computer (which isn’t signed into their personal Facebook or email) and purchase the item later on their phone. Even with the best tracking, Facebook may never get the credit.

Also, platform competition affects results. Platforms like Google and Meta can claim credit for the same conversion, which leads to over-attribution across platforms. And it’s hard to Facebook’s contribution to offline conversions when customers see an ad and purchase in-store. 

You must choose a source of truth. Switching between different reporting tools makes it impossible to track progress. If you’re reporting solely on Facebook Ads, use reports in the Facebook Ad Manager. It’ll show more accurate results because of how it tracks marketing data.

Google tracks via cookies, which works best when users are signed into their Google account on Chrome. Facebook relies on a User ID, which tracks users across devices when signed into their Facebook account. 

Accurately track data from users who opted out of iOS14 with a Facebook pixel on your website, proper events, and a Conversion API. And always use UTM parameters (with a consistent format) to track traffic and verify Meta's attribution.

If you’re measuring Facebook Ads’ impact across all your marketing, also use Google Analytics to compare their performance with other channels, especially for assisted conversions. 

Stay consistent with data tracking, Don’t switch between platforms each month. But also compare data from different sources to get a clear picture instead of blindly following reports from one tool.

Pro Tip: Set up conversion events in Google Analytics as you did for Facebook.

Apple’s iOS14 update forever changed digital advertising. Setting up and monitoring Facebook analytics with other reporting tools can also be complicated.

But that’s the thing—the process is complicated, not impossible.

Track your conversions with Facebook‘s attribution setting, Conversions API, Events Manager, and Google Analytics to understand your audience and optimize the heck out of your ads.

Meta pixels and conversion windows work together for Facebook ad campaign tracking. Facebook’s pixel follows a user from an ad to your website and tracks clicks, views, and conversions. A conversion window is the timeframe you set for Facebook to attribute a conversion to an ad. 

Install a Facebook pixel on your website and choose the right attribution setting for your campaign. Shorter windows work better for impulse purchases, while high-consideration products need longer conversion windows. 

Facebook's evolving approach to cookies and browser settings reflects changing privacy standards. Historically, user data has been used to track performance and show you ads based on your online actions. As a user, you can now set ad preferences and decline optional cookies to manage your ad experience. So, marketers have to adapt their attribution-setting strategies.

Conversion API’s value

Facebook’s Conversion API is a tracking tool that sends conversion data directly to Facebook, bypassing browser limitations like cookie restrictions and ad blockers. It uses server-based tracking, unlike the Facebook Pixel which uses browser-based tracking. So, it ensures more reliable data collection and improves attribution accuracy.

Cross-platform tracking is a challenge because users often switch between devices and browsers, limiting ways to attribute conversions. Ideally, marketers would have a tool that provides features like maps and contact details to track the customer journey across platforms. However, recent privacy changes like Apple’s iOS14 update make this impossible.  

To combat this, use Facebook’s Conversions API, the Meta Pixel, and find a source of truth for your data. Also, look beyond a default attribution setting. Consider your goals and customer journey and choose what’s best for your product.  

Attibution ≠ causation

Attribution shows an ad influenced a conversion. It doesn’t prove that the ad directly caused the sale.