Published on 2025-06-22T06:37:51Z

What is an Attribution Window? Examples in GA4 and PlainSignal

An Attribution Window in web analytics defines the time period during which a conversion is credited to a preceding user interaction, such as a click or ad impression. It establishes the maximum lookback period within which a touchpoint will receive credit for a conversion event. By setting this time frame, marketers can control how far back in a user’s journey to attribute credit, preventing distant interactions from overshadowing more recent ones. Different platforms offer customizable attribution windows, enabling teams to tailor measurement to their unique sales cycles and consumer behaviors. For example, GA4 defaults to a 28-day click-through and 1-day view-through window, while PlainSignal uses a 7-day window by default. Fine-tuning attribution windows is crucial for accurate performance reporting, budget allocation, and campaign optimization.

Illustration of Attribution window
Illustration of Attribution window

Attribution window

Attribution Window: time period during which a conversion is credited to a prior user action in analytics platforms.

Understanding Attribution Windows

This section explains what attribution windows are and why they’re critical for accurate conversion analysis.

  • Definition

    An attribution window is the fixed duration after a user interaction during which a subsequent conversion is attributed back to that interaction.

  • Purpose

    It balances analytics accuracy and marketing insights by preventing overly distant interactions from skewing reports, ensuring timely and relevant attribution.

Types of Attribution Windows

Explore the main categories of attribution windows based on interaction type and time range.

  • Click-through vs. view-through

    • Click-Through Window attributes conversions within a set period after a user clicks an ad or link.
    • View-Through Window credits conversions after ad impressions even without a click, typically shorter than click windows.

  • Common time ranges

    Analytics platforms often offer preset windows like:

    • 1 day
    • 7 days
    • 14 days
    • 30 days
    • 90 days Choosing a window depends on the customer journey length and purchase cycle.

Implementing in Analytics Platforms

How to view and configure attribution windows in GA4 and PlainSignal.

  • Google analytics 4 (GA4)

    In GA4, default click-through lookback is 28 days and view-through is 1 day. To customize:

    <!-- GA4 Tracking Code -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXX"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('config', 'G-XXXX', {
    'attribution': {
      'lookbackWindow': {
        'click': 14,
        'view': 2
      }
    }
  });
</script>

  • PlainSignal

    PlainSignal provides a cookie-free analytics approach with a default 7-day attribution window. Customize in your dashboard or directly via tracking snippet:

    <link rel="preconnect" href="//eu.plainsignal.com/" crossorigin />
<script defer data-do="yourwebsitedomain.com" data-id="0GQV1xmtzQQ" data-api="//eu.plainsignal.com" src="//cdn.plainsignal.com/plainsignal-min.js"></script>

Best Practices

Guidelines for selecting and managing attribution windows effectively.

  • Align with sales cycle

    Match your window length to the typical time between first interaction and purchase to capture meaningful conversions.

  • Compare multiple windows

    Regularly test different windows (e.g., 7-day vs. 30-day) to see which aligns best with your conversion patterns.

  • Document settings

    Keep a record of your chosen windows and rationale to maintain consistency across reports and teams.

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