Glossary · MeasurementTOFU
View-through conversion
The short answer
A view-through conversion is a conversion credited to an ad that the person saw but did not click, within a set window — often one day on Meta or longer on some video and display platforms.
View-through credit exists because video and display ads can genuinely influence people who never click. But it's also easy to over-credit: someone who was going to buy anyway may have simply scrolled past your ad on the way.
When to trust it, and when not
- More credible for video and CTV, where clicks are rare by nature
- Less credible for retargeting audiences who were already likely to buy
- Most credible when validated by incrementality tests
- Least credible when it's the majority of a campaign's reported conversions
View-through vs click-through
| Click-through conversion | View-through conversion | |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Ad click | Ad impression only |
| Typical window | Days | Often shorter (e.g., 1 day) |
| Strength of evidence | Stronger | Weaker without tests |
| Most relevant for | Search, retargeting | Video, display, social prospecting |
See incrementality.
View-through conversions in practice
Someone sees a YouTube ad without clicking and buys within the view-through window. The platform counts a view-through conversion — useful, but easily over-credited.
Common mistakes
- Counting view-through conversions as fully incremental
- Long view-through windows
- Ignoring them entirely for video
Frequently asked questions
Should we include view-through conversions in ROAS?
Report them separately. Judge channels with blended metrics and holdout tests rather than view-through totals.
What's a reasonable view-through window?
Shorter is more conservative. One day is a common default on Meta for view-through.
Should view-through conversions count in ROAS?
Report them separately; include them only when tests show they're incremental.
Why does Meta report view-through conversions?
Its default attribution settings can include them; check the attribution setting in reports.
Should view-through conversions be counted in ROAS?
Treat them carefully; incrementality tests show how much they really contribute.
What view-through window is reasonable?
Short windows, such as one day, are common; validate with lift tests.
Related terms
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