What is conversion window?

How many days after seeing or clicking an ad a sale still counts for it.

The conversion window is how many days after someone sees or clicks an ad a result still counts for it. Platforms usually set separate windows for clicks and for views, and whoever runs the account can often choose them.

Short windows miss some real effects. Long windows sweep in results that happened for other reasons, like a payday, a friend’s recommendation or a new season dropping. When two reports use different windows, you can’t compare them. Ask for the window before you read the number.

Why it matters

A long window lets an ad take credit for sales that happened weeks later for other reasons.

An example

Example (made-up numbers): the same campaign is credited with 400 sign-ups at a 1-day click window and 900 at a 28-day click and 7-day view window. Nothing about the campaign changed. Only the rule did.

Where it misleads

Comparing this quarter with last quarter, or one channel with another, without checking that the windows match.

How Arcus handles it

We note the window behind every reported result, line results up against your own numbers by date, and show every channel at the same window so the comparison is fair.

More in our guide: Pinterest ads: how to tell what worked