View-Through Conversion
Paid MediaAlso: View-Through Conversions · VTC
Quick definition
A view-through conversion is counted when someone sees an ad, does not click it and later converts within a set window. It credits the impression rather than a click. View-through conversions try to capture the influence of ads people saw but did not act on immediately, which is real, but they are also easy to overstate, because seeing an ad and being caused by it are not the same thing.
Where it shows up in the data
Unlike a click-through conversion, a view-through credits an ad that was seen but not clicked, then converted within a window.
Seeing an ad and being caused by it are not the same. View-through models claim credit for conversions the ad may not have influenced.
A longer lookback window and broader audience sweep up more conversions, inflating the number regardless of real influence.
What it actually means
A view-through conversion attributes a conversion to an ad impression that was seen but not clicked, provided the conversion happens within a defined lookback window. The logic is sound in principle: brand and display ads influence people who do not click immediately, and view-through metrics try to capture that. The problem is causation. Someone can see your ad, ignore it and convert later for reasons that have nothing to do with it, yet the view-through model still claims the credit. The size of the reported number is highly sensitive to the settings: a longer window and a broader audience mean more conversions get swept up, whether the ad influenced them or not. This is why view-through conversions should be read as a directional indicator of upper-funnel influence, cross-checked against incrementality tests and lift studies, rather than counted as reliably as a click-based conversion.
A view-through conversion counts people who saw your ad and later converted. It does not prove the ad is why.
How it shows up
View-through conversions show up as a separate, usually larger, conversion line in ad platform reporting, alongside click-through conversions. A campaign whose results depend heavily on view-through is one to scrutinise before trusting the reported impact.
Where people get this wrong
Related terms
Common questions
What is a view-through conversion?
It is a conversion counted when someone sees an ad, does not click it and later converts within a set window. It credits the impression rather than a click.
Are view-through conversions reliable?
Treat them as directional, not hard credit. They capture real upper-funnel influence but are easily inflated by long windows and broad audiences, and seeing an ad is not the same as being caused by it.
How should I use view-through conversions?
As a soft signal of whether display and upper-funnel activity is working, cross-checked against click-based results and incrementality tests, rather than counted as reliably as a click-through conversion.
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New Rebellion is a marketing intelligence consultancy. We build tools, score Australian businesses on how their marketing actually performs, and publish Debrief every day. This dictionary is part of how we work in the open.
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