No, Facebook’s view-through attribution is not a scam. View-through attribution is a recognized metric in the digital advertising world, both on Facebook and across other platforms. Here’s a breakdown:
What is View-Through Attribution?
- View-through attribution refers to conversions that occur after someone has seen an ad but did not click on it. If they take a desired action (e.g., make a purchase, sign up) within a set attribution window after seeing the ad, that action can be attributed to the ad, even without a direct click.
Why It’s Considered Valid:
- Ad Impact Without Clicks: Not every effective ad will lead to an immediate click. A user might see an ad, remember the brand, and then search for it later or visit directly. View-through attribution aims to capture these indirect conversions.
- Brand Awareness: Some campaigns aim to increase brand awareness rather than immediate conversions. In such cases, view-through attribution can be a valuable metric to understand an ad’s impact.
Controversies and Considerations:
- Attribution Windows: Facebook allows advertisers to choose the length of their attribution window (e.g., 1 day, 7 days). The longer the window, the more likely other factors could have influenced the conversion, making it harder to attribute directly to the ad view.
- Cross-Channel Attribution: If an advertiser is running ads on multiple platforms, it can be challenging to determine which ad genuinely led to the conversion. A user might see ads on both Google and Facebook and then make a purchase. Both platforms might claim the conversion through view-through attribution.
- Over-reliance: Solely relying on view-through can paint an incomplete picture. It’s essential to balance view-through with clickthrough conversions and other metrics.
In conclusion, while view-through attribution is a legitimate metric, it’s crucial for advertisers to understand its nuances and use it as part of a broader set of tools and metrics. It’s also essential to critically evaluate results, especially when budgeting for future advertising campaigns.