Click-through Conversion

Definition

A click-through conversion is credited to an ad click when the user clicked and converted within the attribution window.

Example

A user clicks an ad and purchases within 7 days; the platform credits a click-through conversion.

How to use it

• Align click window definitions when comparing platforms and GA4.
• Combine with conversion lag to avoid premature decisions.
• Use incrementality tests to validate whether clicks were causal.
• Separate brand and non-brand clicks; intent levels change the meaning of click-through credit.
• Pair click-through ROAS with margin or payback to avoid optimizing for low-quality orders.
• Use consistent conversion definitions so click-through rates stay comparable.

Common mistakes

• Assuming every click-through conversion is incremental.
• Comparing channels without matching attribution windows.
• Changing the attribution window mid-quarter and breaking trend continuity.
• Ignoring post-click refunds or cancellations when evaluating true impact.
• Counting duplicate events when both pixel and server send conversions.

Why this matters

This term matters because it affects how you interpret performance and make budget decisions. If you use inconsistent definitions or windows, ROAS/CPA can look "better" while profit gets worse.

Practical checklist

• Write a 1-line definition for "Click-through Conversion" that your team will use consistently.
• Keep the time window consistent (weekly/monthly/quarterly) when comparing trends.
• Segment results (channel/plan/cohort) before drawing big conclusions from blended averages.
• Use a calculator that references this term (e.g., Click-through Conversion Rate Calculator) to sanity-check assumptions.
• Read the related guide (e.g., UTM + GA4 attribution: practical tracking for paid ads (without lying to yourself)) for context and common pitfalls.

Where to use this on MetricKit