View-through Conversion

Definition

A view-through conversion is credited to an ad impression when the user saw the ad but did not click before converting within a lookback window.

Example

A user views an ad, does not click, but buys within 7 days; the platform credits a view-through conversion.

How to use it

• Treat view-through as directional; it is often heavily over-credited without lift tests.
• Compare with click-through and with MER trends to avoid budget waste.
• Check lookback windows; long windows inflate view-through credit.
• Report by placement and device; view-through is usually higher on mobile and upper-funnel placements.
• Use a holdout or PSA test to estimate what share is truly incremental.

Common mistakes

• Reporting view-through without separating it from click-through conversions.
• Using view-through to justify spend without incrementality validation.
• Attributing view-through to retargeting and treating it as prospecting lift.
• Ignoring overlap across platforms when the same user sees multiple impressions.

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 "View-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., MER Calculator) to sanity-check assumptions.
• Read the related guide (e.g., Attribution vs incrementality: what to trust, when, and how to test) for context and common pitfalls.

Where to use this on MetricKit