The Attribution Debate: Meta vs. 3rd Party Tools

The Attribution Debate: Meta vs. 3rd Party Tools

When it comes to click attribution, there's a debate: should we trust Meta's 7/28-day click attribution or use third-party tools like Triple Whale? The differences can be huge — sometimes up to 99%. This gap happens because each tool collects and analyzes data differently. So, what’s going on?

I’ve been working on a favorite account, where I started noticing huge discrepancy between what Meta is showing and Triple Whale is showing.

Click-Based Attribution Differences

View-based attribution differences make sense because it's hard to measure impressions. But click-based attribution differences are confusing. If you're trying to understand your ad performance, it can be frustrating to see such different numbers. Why is there such a big difference?

Triple Whale reported ROAS 0.16

Meta 28-Day reported ROAS: 1.06

Meta's default attribution is 7-day click or 1-day view for new ads, but you can change it. For ads already running, old settings are kept to avoid affecting delivery. However, this might reduce reported conversions for those using longer settings like the 28-day click window.

Meta Ads Manager uses a last-touch attribution model. The last ad clicked or interacted with gets the credit. If nobody clicks, the last viewed ad gets the credit. Ads Manager reports based on when the impression happened.

For example, if someone clicks an ad on Monday, it’s reported as happening on Monday. This is simple but limited. On the other hand, Triple Whale claims to offer a more complete view by using data from multiple sources.

But third-party tools aren't always clear about their methods. For example, Triple Whale doesn’t explain well how they handle different data sources or decide on attribution windows.

Another tool, Rockerbox, also lacks clarity about how they collect data and assign credit. This lack of transparency makes it hard to trust their insights compared to Meta’s.

Meta vs. 3rd Party Attribution

Meta uses last-touch attribution, meaning the last ad clicked or viewed gets the credit. Meta's documentation explains more. While straightforward, it doesn’t show the whole customer journey.

Triple Whale offers "Multi-Touch Attribution" (MTA), which looks at all user interactions before converting. MTA tries to give a detailed view by considering all ads and content, including those outside Meta.

But without knowing the exact methods, it’s hard to judge accuracy. Are they giving too much credit to some channels? Missing key conversions? Without transparency, it’s tough to tell.

Consideration Cycles

Attribution differences can also come from consideration cycles. The longer a customer takes to decide, the more touch points they have, making it harder to tell which interactions mattered.

For example, buying a car is a big decision that can take months, involving many searches, visits, and clicks. Meta’s 7/28-day window may miss key interactions. In theory, an MTA tool could capture all the steps, but it can still be misleading if not precise.

Transparency Matters

The challenge is finding out what actually works. Without clear attribution, we’re left guessing. Meta needs to share more about how they assign credit, and MTA tools need to be clearer about what they track.

They should be more open about data collection, attribution windows, and handling conflicting information. Marketers need this data to make good decisions. If both Meta and MTA tools improve transparency, marketers could make better decisions.

Moving Forward

What’s the best way forward? Should brands stop using Meta's attribution or ignore MTA tools that aren’t clear? The answer is likely in the middle. Both Meta and MTA tools have strengths and weaknesses, so using them together might be best. Compare insights, understand limits, and use this knowledge to make better decisions.

What Are Your Thoughts?

If you're using tools like Triple Whale, how do you handle attribution differences? How do you figure out what’s driving your campaign success?