Potential Over-tracking issues caused by View-Through conversions on Meta Ads

Meta Ads offers robust attribution capabilities, but in some cases, they can over-attribute conversions, particularly due to view-through conversions. This article explains how over-tracking can occur, why it matters, and how you can identify it using Meta’s reporting features.

What is Over-Tracking?

Over-tracking occurs when a platform, like Meta Ads, attributes a conversion to an ad interaction that didn’t actually drive the sale. This is especially common with view-through conversions, where Meta credits a conversion to someone simply seeing (not clicking) an ad before purchasing.

Why View-Through Conversions Can Be Misleading

Here’s a common customer journey that often leads to inflated Meta attribution:

1. A user searches for “Nike sneakers” on Google.

2. They click on a Google Shopping Ad and complete a purchase.

3. Later that day, they scroll through Instagram or Facebook and see a retargeting ad for the same sneakers or brand.

4. Meta records this as a view conversion, even though the user had already purchased before seeing the Meta ad.

As a result, both Google and Meta may claim credit for the same sale, leading to duplicated conversion reporting and skewed performance data.

How to Spot View-Through Over-Tracking in Meta

You can compare conversion attribution by click vs. view to spot discrepancies. Here's how:

1. Go to your Meta Ads Manager.

2. In the Columns section, select “Compare Attribution Settings.”

3. Enable both:
   

   • 7-day click

   • 1-day view
   • 1-day engaged view

Pro Tip: If you see a high percentage of conversions attributed to “1-day view”, it could be a red flag for over-tracking, especially if you're also running Google Ads or other paid channels.

Why This Matters for Advertisers

Understanding and identifying over-tracking helps you:

• Avoid over-crediting Meta for conversions it didn’t drive.

• Optimize your budget toward channels that are actually driving results.

• Maintain trust in your reporting and attribution models.

Even though view-through conversions can play a role in brand awareness, relying on them too heavily can distort performance insights, especially in multi-touch journeys.

Best Practices to Reduce Over-Tracking

• Regularly compare Meta’s view vs. engaged-view conversion data.
• Adjust your Meta campaigns to focus on engagement and clicks, rather than passive views.

• Set clear attribution windows aligned with your sales cycle.

Are all view-through conversions worthless? Not exactly - but be cautious.

We recommend checking the ratio between clicks and view-through conversions. In some accounts, we've seen up to 95% of conversions attributed to views, which can be misleading if the actual purchase happened before the ad was even seen.

That said, view conversions can still be relevant, especially for eCommerce stores with longer customer journeys and higher-than-average AOV. In these cases, users might see an ad, take time to consider, and convert later, without clicking.

Meta’s algorithm still benefits from receiving first-party data, helping it better understand and target your ideal customers.

Our recommendation:

If you’re seeing unusually high view-through attribution, consider optimizing for click-through conversions instead. Meta Ads now allows you to choose this setting, helping you focus on users who actually engaged with your ads, and giving you clearer, more reliable performance data.

Check these settings when you create your Meta Ads campaigns: