To allow marketers and advertisers to better understand the actions a user takes after an ad is clicked, TikTok has updated its advert attribution offering.

Called TikTok Attribution Manager, users can customise attribution windows via TikTok Ads Manager.

So, what is Attribution Manager, why is it useful and how can marketers make the most of it? Have a read below to find out.

TikTok for Business

“For web and app campaigns, TikTok Attribution Manager enables marketers to select a specific time period to measure success: the click-through attribution (CTA) window can range from one day to 28 days, while view-through attribution (VTA) window options range from off to up to seven days.”

TikTok Pixel and Web Event API advertisers will see their settings at a default seven-day click and one-day view, which means that clicks need to convert within seven days for it to be shown in Ads Manager and views have 24 hours to convert.

What is ad attribution and why does it matter?

Ad attribution is the number of days between a person viewing or clicking an advert and taking action. For the purpose of this story, that action would then be registered as a conversation in TikTok Ads Manager.

It matters because it allows marketers to measure the success of their advertising campaigns. Using that knowledge, brands can then make adjustments to any subsequent adverts to increase their effectiveness.

TikTok for Business

“For example, a major brand marketer may look at views and immediate clicks as key campaign indicators when building brand awareness, while an auto brand might expect a longer consideration cycle from a prospective customer.”

Why is flexibility useful?

The flexible nature of TikTok’s Attribution Manager is also important. Since companies have different needs for customer conversion, a one-size-fits-all approach won’t suit every advertiser. Being able to adjust attribution means that marketers can learn more from each advert and use that to gain better performance in the future.

How does the TikTok Attribution Manager work?

To allow for that flexibility, the following options are available:

• Click-through (CTA): 1, 7, 14, 28 day.
• View-through (VTA): 1 and 7 day.

You can find Attribution Manager under the Assets menu on TikTok Ads Manager. It will be available for advertisers who run web campaigns on TikTok Pixel or Events API and will be available for app promotion campaigns when Ads Manager moves to a self-attributing model. TikTok has not said when that will be.

How does TikTok advise to get the most from attribution windows?

Now, all of this is great – but how do you get the most from these attribution windows?

TikTok for Business

“When choosing the best attribution window for your campaigns, consider the nature of the product or services you’re promoting, and the primary actions you want to trigger.”

If you’re a brand running a limited-time sales promotion, using a seven-day click and one-day view attribution would be handy as it allows time for a customer to consider making the purchase after viewing your ad.

For costlier products, or those that require customers to research their options before making a purchase, allow more time in your attribution window to allow a more in-depth view of campaign effectiveness over time.