Click-through vs view-through attribution window: last click credit vs last view credit

Click-through attribution credits the last clicked message inside a (often longer) window. View-through attribution credits the last opened / seen / delivered message inside a (often shorter) window. The same purchase can land on different channels depending on the model—and credit can continue even after the person left the journey.

One-line definition

When a shopper gets email, then web push, then buys, reporting asks: which prior touch “owns” the conversion?

• Click-through window: the last click inside the time window gets credit.
• View-through window: the last open / view / impression inside a usually shorter window gets credit.

Do not confuse this with conversion record vs path goal: that article splits recording a conversion from a path goal; this one is about which touch gets credit.

Comparison table

Do not copy competitor default numbers unless they are set in your account; the pattern “longer click / shorter view” is the common shape.

Sample timeline (72 hours)

Assume a home-goods store:

• Under last click with a 48-hour window → credit usually goes to web push.
• Under last view with a 12-hour window, if SMS delivered does not count as a view → you may have no valid view in-window or fall back to an earlier email/push—rules matter.
• A sales team on last-click and a marketing team on last-view can both be “right” about different dashboards and still argue about which channel sold.

Attribution ≠ still being in the journey

Journey exit stops new steps; the attribution window is often separate. Someone can leave the path and buy two days later and still attach to the last click inside the window.

For separating exit from goals: exit conditions decoupled from conversion goal and exit on conversion vs global exit criteria.

Iranian team reporting fight

Marketing says “email drove 70% of cart conversions” because last-view sits on opened emails. Performance says “push won” because last-click sits on push. Both read their dashboards correctly; the models differ.

Practical fix:

1. Lock one default model for the weekly exec report (e.g. last-click 7 days for budget).
2. Keep view-through as an assist/analytical report—not the sole budget allocator.
3. Define SMS clearly as “link click / delivered-only” inside the model.

Truthful Leadara mapping

In Leadara, define conversion goals and reporting separately from exit criteria:

• Consider email, SMS, and web push touchpoints in touch analysis;
• Do not invent multi-touch models that are not in public product docs;
• Agree as a team on window length and click vs view definitions;
• Live Chat is human support; AI Chat is an internal assistant—not a customer bot.

Practical steps

1. Rebuild one real purchase from the last 30 days with a touch timeline.
2. Score that purchase under last-click and last-view; write the channel delta.
3. Document current account windows (even if defaults).
4. Lock the exec report to one model; label the second “analytical.”
5. QA exit-on-purchase separately from the attribution window.
6. Test SMS click definitions with a real short link.
7. Review the model with sales each quarter—not mid monthly report.

Common mistakes

• Assuming “exited the journey = attribution stops”;
• Comparing budget with view-through and creative with click without labels;
• A very long view window that steals almost every display;
• Ignoring that one purchase can own two channels under two models;
• Claiming multi-touch attribution without product support.

FAQ

What is click-through vs view-through attribution in a journey?

Click credits the last click in-window; view credits the last open/view in a usually shorter window.

Does journey conversion attribution stop when the user exits?

Often no. Exit stops the path; the credit window can stay open after exit.

Why did revenue show on email when the last message was push?

Likely last-view or an earlier email click still inside the window; last message ≠ last credited touch.

Which model should we use for budget?

Usually last-click for hard allocation; view-through for assist. Lock one for primary decisions.

How does SMS without a link sit in click-through?

With no click, it will not take last-click credit unless you define another rule.

How is this different from a path goal?

A goal says success happened; attribution says which touch owns it.

Does Leadara Live Chat explain attribution models to customers?

Live Chat is human. Model definition is your team’s job; AI Chat is internal only.

What does success look like?

One official model, fewer cross-team report fights, and a monthly timeline QA.

Next step

Sketch one real purchase from last week with its last three touches. Score it once last-click and once last-view. Put that delta on the wall in the weekly performance meeting and write down the official model.

Related reading

• Conversion record vs path goal in journeys
• Exit conditions decoupled from conversion goal
• Exit on conversion vs global exit criteria: goal kill-switch vs property/behavior eject