Where and How to Use Facebook Attribution Settings

Understanding Facebook Attribution Settings: A Complete Guide

Learn where and how to adjust your Facebook Attribution settings, and discover the best practices for optimising your attribution model.

What are Facebook Attribution Settings?

Facebook Attribution Settings are tools that reveal insights into how and when your ads lead to conversions. These settings let you track user actions, like clicks or views, over specific periods called attribution windows.

By configuring these settings, you can accurately measure the impact of your advertising campaigns. You'll see which ads perform well, how consumers interact with your ads and when they convert. This information is crucial for optimising your ad spend and creating successful campaigns.

Facebook Conversion & Attribution Windows

To provide more context on Facebook's Attribution Settings, let’s go back to before January 2021. During this time, Facebook Attribution settings had two key features: the Conversion Window and the Attribution Window:

Conversion Window: This is the time period between someone clicking or viewing your ad and then taking action.
Attribution Window: This is the time frame during which this conversion is tracked and credited to a specific ad set.

However, thanks to iOS 14 and Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy, these two features have recently been combined into a single setting, Facebook Attribution Settings, simplifying how businesses see ad performance across various platforms and devices. When setting up or editing a campaign in Facebook Ads Manager (also known as Meta Ads Manager), you'll find these attribution settings at the ad set level.

Understanding Attribution Windows

Attribution windows are a crucial aspect of Facebook Attribution Settings. Put simply, they are the time periods or 'windows' during which actions can be attributed to your ads.

There are three primary types of attribution windows:

View-Through Window: This window tracks conversions after someone views your ad but doesn't click on it. It helps you understand the influence of your ads and how long it takes for consumers to convert.
Click-Through Window: This window tracks conversions after someone clicks on your ad. This shows the immediate impact of your ads on its target audience.
Engaged-View Window: Specific to video ads, this window tracks conversions after someone watches at least 10 seconds of your skippable video ad and then takes action.

Each of these windows gives a unique perspective on your ad performance. For example, the view-through window shows the impact of your branding efforts, as users may remember your ad and convert later. And if they are, you know your ad had a lasting impression on them.

Click-Through Attribution Windows:

1-day click: They click your ad and take action within one day.
7-day click: They click your ad and take action within seven days.

View-Through Attribution Windows:

1-day view: They see your ad and take action within one day without clicking it.

Engaged-View Attribution Windows:

1-day engaged-view: They watch 10 seconds of your video ad and take action within one day.

It's important to note that since Meta updated its settings, the 28-day click, 28-day view, and 7-day view windows are no longer available.

Why are Facebook Attribution Windows Important?

Let's explore the primary benefits of using Facebook Attribution windows:

Track Your ROI: Monitor conversions over a set period to calculate your Return of investment (ROI). This information helps to set marketing budgets and optimise campaigns for better results.
Optimise Your Ads: See which ads are performing the best. Look into their creative elements, where they're placed, and who they're reaching. Use these insights to tweak your current ads and improve your future campaigns.
Understand Customer Behaviour: Learn how and when your audience engages with your ads. This can help you adjust the timing and duration of your campaigns for maximum impact.
Multi-Channel Insights: Track your ads' performance across Facebook, Instagram, and Audience Network for a holistic view of your marketing efforts.
Smart Budgeting: Allocate funds to the most effective campaigns and optimise your budget for future ad spend.
Real-Time Data: Get live updates to quickly tweak your strategies, making your advertising efforts more responsive and effective.

Where and How to Change Your Attribution Settings

To change your attribution settings, follow these steps:

Go to Ads Manager, and click the 'Ad sets' tab.
Hover over an ad, and click on 'Edit.'

Scroll down to 'Cost per result goal' and select 'Show more options.'
Until recently, Attribution settings were located in the 'Delivery and Optimization' section. However, this is no longer available.

Click 'Edit' next to Attribution settings and select your preferred attribution window.

You're now ready to track conversions based on your chosen attribution window.

An Example of Attribution Window in Action

To better grasp the concept of attribution windows, let's take a look at an example scenario:

Imagine you're running a Facebook ad campaign for your new fitness app. You launch an ad to drive conversions to download your app. Using multiple attribution windows simultaneously, you end up with the following results:

7-Day Click Attribution: 100 conversions
1-Day Click Attribution: 50 conversions
1-Day View Attribution: 20 conversions
1-Day Engaged-View Attribution: 10 conversions

Breakdown of Results

This information tells us that within 7 days, 100 people clicked on your ad and converted (meaning they downloaded your app). However, it only took a single day for half of those conversions to occur. This tells us conversion rates were highest within the first day of seeing your ad.

Additionally, the 1-day view attribution reveals that 20 people viewed your ad and took action within one day without clicking it. This shows that while the ad didn't directly lead to a click, it still influenced conversions.

Furthermore, the 1-day engaged-view attribution shows that even though only 10 people watched at least 10 seconds of your video ad, they still converted within one day. This highlights the importance of engaging and captivating ad content.

Choosing the Right Attribution Window

Every business is unique, and your chosen attribution window should reflect your specific goals and sales cycle. Here are some guidelines to help you choose the right settings:

1-Day Click Attribution:

Best For: Low-cost items or impulse buys where decisions are made quickly.
Use When: You want to convert leads immediately after they see your advert. This setting is ideal if your product or service isn't a big investment and doesn't require much consideration from the consumer.
Who By: E-commerce stores selling inexpensive or everyday items, or businesses running limited-time offers.

7-Day Click Attribution

Best For: Products or services that require more consideration or a longer sales cycle.
Use When: You want to track conversions within a week of clicking on your ad. This suits higher-value items, i.e or B2B services with a longer decision-making process.
Who By: Companies offering high-value products, subscription services, or B2B solutions. This setting is also suitable for B2B businesses with standard buying processes that require a superiors' approval.

1-Day Click or View Attribution:

Best For: Limited discounts or flash sales.
Use When: You need conversions within the day, which allows you to quickly optimise your campaign and improve results.
Who By: Businesses offering limited-time promotions and needing immediate conversion data to optimise their campaigns effectively.

7-Day Click or 1-Day View Attribution:

Best For: Higher-value items that require careful consideration before a purchase.
Use When: You want to track conversions over a week for clicks and a day for views, providing a balanced approach for products needing more deliberation.
Who By: Companies selling high-end cosmetics, high-value technological appliances, or other products that make consumers think carefully before committing to a purchase.

1-Day View Attribution:

Best For: Brand awareness campaigns where you want to see how people immediately respond to your ads.
Use When: You want to measure the effectiveness of your ad impressions in driving quick conversions, even if the user doesn't click on the ad.
Who By: Businesses focusing on increasing brand visibility and recall.

1-Day Engaged-View Attribution:

Best For: Video ad campaigns aiming to engage viewers asap.
Use When: You want to track conversions after someone watches at least 10 seconds of your video ad within one day. This setting helps determine if your videos compel viewers to take action.
Who By: Brands using video content to engage their audience, such as e-commerce stores with product demos or entertainment companies promoting new releases.

By evaluating your own objectives and the most relevant attribution options, you can effectively track and measure your ad campaigns' success. However, if you're not sure, feel free to experiment with multiple attribution models to see which best suits your objectives and goals.

How to Optimise Your Ad Campaigns Using Attribution Models

Now that you understand the different types of attribution models and their best uses, here are some tips on how to make the most out of them in your ad campaigns:

Experiment with Different Attribution Windows

If you're unsure how responsive your target audience is to your ads, try experimenting with different attribution windows. For example, if you're running a 1-day click attribution model and notice a high percentage of conversions happening after one day, you can use a longer window, such as 7-day attribution. This experimentation will help you identify the optimal attribution window that aligns with your customer behaviour and sales cycle.

Analyse the Results

Look at which attribution window provides the most accurate insights into your ad performance and adjust your strategy to focus on the best-performing windows. This analysis will help you understand how different windows impact your ROI and customer engagement.

Optimise Ad Creatives and Placements

Use the insights from attribution data to optimise your ad creatives and placements. If certain ads or placements drive more conversions, focus your efforts on those areas. For example, if viewers aren't converting after viewing a particular ad within a day, try changing the ad content or placement to see if it improves conversion rates.

Adjust Your Budget Allocation

If running multiple ads within one campaign, allocate your budget based on attribution data. For example, if you notice that a particular ad set within a 7-day click attribution window is driving more conversions than others, shift more of your budget toward that ad set. Conversely, reduce the budget for ad sets that are underperforming.

Enhancing Facebook Attribution with MagicBrief

MagicBrief isn't just your average marketing tool; it provides access to the world's largest ad library, letting you explore and save the best Facebook ads worldwide.By connecting your Facebook ad account, you can dive into your own ad data, generate customised reports and optimise your campaigns.

In 2024, MagicBrief rolled out its new Attribution Windows feature, allowing users to configure their attribution settings within the platform.

Here's how to do it:

Head over to the ‘Insights’ tab, and select ‘Overview.’ You can now connect your Facebook ad account to bring in your data and tap into the platform's analytics.

Pick metrics that matter most to you if you wish to generate a report. We provide customised metrics ranging from ‘3-Second video views’ to ‘Cost-per-click.’