# What is a click-through conversion?

> A click-through conversion is a sale or sign-up that follows a click on your ad. Meta now counts link clicks only. Windows, an example and what it changes.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-14
- **Category**: Measurement
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/click-through-conversion

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A click-through conversion is a sale, sign-up or other action that happens after someone clicks your ad. On Meta it counts events within 1 day or 7 days after a link click ([Meta Help Center](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/460276478298895), checked 2026-10-20).

## What changed in 2026

Meta used to count every type of click as a click, including shares, saves and likes. On 3 March 2026 it said click-through attribution for website and in-store conversions would count link clicks only ([Meta](https://www.facebook.com/business/news/click-attribution)). Conversions that follow a share or save now sit under engage-through attribution. Meta says some accounts may still use the older version while this rolls out.

## The three types

| Type | What Meta counts |
|---|---|
| Click-through | Events 1 or 7 days after a link click |
| View-through | Events 1 day after someone saw the ad |
| Engage-through | Events 1 day after a non-link action, such as a save |

## A worked example

Say a shopper sees your ad on Monday and taps the link on Tuesday. She buys a INR 1,800 kurta on Friday, three days later.

- With a 7-day click window, Meta counts this as a click-through conversion.
- With a 1-day click window, Meta does not count it.

Now see what the window does to your numbers. You spend INR 10,000. Meta credits INR 32,000 of sales on a 7-day click window and INR 24,000 on a 1-day click window.

- 7-day click: 32,000 / 10,000 = ROAS **3.2**
- 1-day click: 24,000 / 10,000 = ROAS **2.4**

The sales are the same. Only the counting window moved. See [attribution windows](/glossary/attribution-window) and [ROAS](/glossary/roas).

## Why it matters

- Meta hopes link-click counting brings its reports closer to Google Analytics. See [GA4 vs Meta Ads Manager numbers](/compare/ga4-vs-meta-ads-manager-numbers).
- Recent days look low because buyers take time to convert. See [conversion lag](/glossary/conversion-lag).
- Pick one window and keep it, so old and new results stay comparable.

## FAQ

### What is the default attribution setting on Meta?

Meta's Results page says it uses 7-day click, 1-day view and 1-day engagement by default (checked 2026-10-20). You can pick another setting at the ad set level.

### Is a click-through conversion the same as a view-through conversion?

No. Click-through needs a link click. View-through counts people who only saw the ad.

### Does Google Ads use click-through conversions too?

Yes, in its own way. Google Ads lets you set a conversion window for each conversion action. The default click-through window is 30 days. For Search and Display you can set it up to 90 days, depending on the conversion source ([Google Ads Help](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/3123169), checked 2026-10-20). Expect gaps between the two platforms.

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