Measurement, Reporting, and Attribution
Domain 6: Measurement, Reporting, and Attribution
This domain tests conversion tracking, attribution windows, reporting dimensions, and lift measurement. Expect questions on why platform conversions differ from analytics.
Core rules and concepts
- A conversion pixel or server-to-server event records actions; attribution windows decide which impressions or clicks get credit (for example, click-through and view-through windows).
- Report by dimensions such as advertiser, campaign, Ad Group, creative, supply partner, and audience; metrics include impressions, clicks, CPM, CPC, conversions, and viewability.
- Cross-device attribution depends on identity (UID2, logged-in data) and match rates; without it, mobile and desktop paths split.
- Brand lift, sales lift, and foot-traffic studies need clean control groups and sufficient sample; they are not real-time optimization metrics.
Worked example
A campaign reports 100 conversions in TTD but 80 in web analytics. The pixel uses a 7-day click, 1-day view window; analytics uses last-click only. The 20-conversion gap is expected from view-through and cross-device credit. Reasoning: align windows and deduplication before calling it a discrepancy.
Traps that cost marks
- Comparing platforms with different attribution windows.
- Double-counting a conversion from both click and view.
- Forgetting time zone and currency in reporting.
- Treating a pixel that fires on page load as a purchase event.