Attribution Explained
Learn how AnyTrack uses click-based attribution with first-party data and UTM parameters to track conversions across multiple ad platforms and traffic sources. Understand the difference between ad platform attribution and multi-channel attribution, how the default maximum attribution window works and when customizing it requires the Personal plan, and how to switch between First Click and Last Click models in the Campaign Report.
What Is AnyTrack Attribution?
Section titled “What Is AnyTrack Attribution?”AnyTrack attribution is the process of matching conversions to the ad campaigns and traffic sources that drove them. AnyTrack uses click-based attribution with first-party data and UTM parameters to credit conversions across all your marketing channels in a single report. Unlike ad platforms that only see their own traffic, AnyTrack considers every source (paid ads, organic, email, social, and direct) to give you a complete picture of what drives results.
Requirements for Attribution
Section titled “Requirements for Attribution”AnyTrack attribution relies on UTM parameters to identify the traffic source behind each conversion. For attribution to work, your ad campaigns and traffic sources must include UTM parameters in the destination URLs.
When a visitor arrives on your site, the Tracking Tag collects the UTM values and stores them as first-party data. When a conversion occurs, AnyTrack matches it back to the originating campaign using those stored UTM values.
Attribution Models
Section titled “Attribution Models”AnyTrack supports two click-based attribution models. You can switch between them directly in the Campaign Report.
| Model | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Last Click | Credits the conversion to the last ad click before the conversion | Identifying which campaign closed the deal |
| First Click | Credits the conversion to the first ad click in the visitor journey | Identifying which campaign introduced the visitor |
In AnyTrack, First Click and Last Click always mean ad clicks: visits from a paid channel, such as paid social, paid search, or paid display. Organic, email, referral, and direct visits never take the credit from an ad click. AnyTrack docs also call the two models First Ad Click and Last Ad Click.
To switch models, open the Campaign Report and use the Attribution dropdown at the top of the report. For a side-by-side comparison with a worked example of how campaign numbers shift between models, see First Click vs Last Click.
AnyTrack does not support post-view attribution: an ad view never gets the credit.
Multi-Touch Attribution Reporting
Section titled “Multi-Touch Attribution Reporting”AnyTrack provides multi-touch attribution reporting. In the Campaign Report you switch between first and last ad click and compare that view with the attributed results that each ad platform reports (post-click, and post-view on the platforms that report it). A credit-splitting model, which divides the credit for one conversion across several touchpoints, is not part of AnyTrack. AnyTrack credits each conversion to one ad click, the first or the last, and it does not record who viewed an ad. Only ad platforms see ad views.
AnyTrack sends every mapped event to every connected ad platform through the Conversion API. Each platform matches the conversion to its own ad views and clicks and applies its own attribution model, for example data-driven attribution in Google Ads or incremental attribution in Meta. One sale can appear as an attributed result on several platforms. AnyTrack’s own report credits it to one ad click.
The Campaign Report shows both views side by side: AnyTrack’s results for the model you select, and the Attributed Results that the ad platform reports. Attributed Results exist for Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok Ads, ChatGPT Ads, and Microsoft Ads. They do not exist for Taboola and Outbrain.
Attribution Settings
Section titled “Attribution Settings”AnyTrack records every conversion with the ad clicks that led to it. The model only decides which of those clicks the Campaign Report credits, so you select it in the report. Property Settings has no model setting: its Attribution Model field shows Automatic (Last Click), and the field does not change your reports.
Property Settings holds the two settings that change attribution: the attribution window and Ignored Sources.
The attribution window defines how long after an ad click AnyTrack can still credit a conversion to that click. Available options: 1-day click, 7-day click, 30-day click, or Maximum available. Every Property starts with the maximum window. The Campaign Report credits the first or the last ad click inside the window. When the journey has no ad click inside the window, AnyTrack does not credit an ad. The conversion goes to the channel of the first or the last visit instead, such as Direct, Referral, Email, or Organic.
On the Free and Starter plans, the window and the Ignored Sources list are locked and show Upgrade to Customize. Customizing them requires the Personal plan or above. The Attribution dropdown in the Campaign Report works on every plan.
A longer window credits more conversions, including conversions from older clicks. A shorter window credits only conversions from recent clicks.
Ignored Sources tells AnyTrack which intermediate platforms (PayPal, ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp) to skip. AnyTrack does not count them as the source of a visit, so they do not replace the channel that brought the visitor. Known issue: the Campaign Report does not apply the Ignored Sources list yet, so an ignored platform can still show as the source when the journey has no ad click.
Attribution Methods by Platform
Section titled “Attribution Methods by Platform”| Platform | Post-view | Post-click | Rules | Multi-channel | Data Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Ads Manager | Yes | Yes | Platform and account settings | No | First-party data |
| AnyTrack | No | Yes | First Click or Last Click | Yes | First-party data and UTM |
How Ad Platform Attribution Works
Section titled “How Ad Platform Attribution Works”Ad platforms report the conversions they attribute to your ads, with platform-specific rules and your campaign settings. Each ad platform:
- Considers only traffic from its own network, not other sources
- Applies its platform defaults together with your attribution window settings
Ad Platform Attribution Process
Section titled “Ad Platform Attribution Process”On plans with Conversion API (Starter and above), the process has six stages:
- A visitor views or clicks an ad.
- The visitor goes to your website and converts.
- AnyTrack sends the conversion to the ad platform with Event Attributes (customer data, product data, click identifiers).
- The ad platform matches the conversion to a user with the click identifiers and customer data it receives.
- The ad platform applies its own attribution rules and statistical modeling.
- If attribution succeeds, the ad platform reports the conversion in its dashboard.
How AnyTrack Attribution Works
Section titled “How AnyTrack Attribution Works”AnyTrack takes a different approach from ad platforms. Instead of looking at a single ad network, AnyTrack considers all traffic sources on the path to conversion using UTM parameters and first-party data.
| Capability | AnyTrack |
|---|---|
| Attribution models | First Click and Last Click |
| Post-click attribution | Yes |
| Post-view attribution | No |
| Attribution window | Maximum by default; 1, 7, or 30 days on Personal and above |
| Multi-channel attribution | Yes |
| Data basis | First-party data and UTM parameters |
You can switch between First Click and Last Click attribution directly in the Campaign Report to compare how each model credits your campaigns.
Comparing AnyTrack and Ad Platform Attribution
Section titled “Comparing AnyTrack and Ad Platform Attribution”AnyTrack and ad platforms show different numbers. This is expected. The Conversion Attribution Matrix gives a side-by-side comparison of Meta Ads Manager, Google Analytics 4, and AnyTrack attribution.
Common reasons for discrepancies:
- Attribution model differences: Ad platforms use post-click and post-view attribution. Meta Ads defaults to 7-day click and 1-day view. AnyTrack uses click-only attribution.
- Attribution window differences: Each ad platform applies its own window. AnyTrack uses the maximum window by default; on Personal and above, you can set a custom window in Property Settings.
- Data freshness: AnyTrack reports in near real-time. Ad platforms can take up to 72 hours for attribution processing.
- Duplicate data from other systems: If another tracking system also sends the same conversions to the ad platform, the ad platform can count the same sale twice.
Attribution FAQ
FAQ was last reviewed on 2026-10-28
Does AnyTrack support post-view attribution?
Does AnyTrack support multi-touch attribution?
Can I switch between First Click and Last Click attribution?
What UTM parameters does AnyTrack need for attribution?
utm_source, utm_medium, and utm_campaign, plus the ID parameters utm_id, adset_id, and ad_id. AnyTrack uses the ID parameters to match sessions to the exact campaign, ad set, and ad in the Campaign Report. See UTM Parameters for the templates.