Difference in visits from Natural Search (Adobe-provided segment) vs visits from Natural Search Marketing Channels

[ya_maryia]

Dear Experts, I've noticed that number of visits from Natural Search (with applied segment) is different from number of visits from Natural Search Marketing Channel? I guess it's calculated in different way but can you please explain the reasoning behind it?

Here are screenshots to compare:

1. Natural Search segment applied

2. Natural Search as a Marketing Channel

[tomwr]

Hi @ya_maryia , it looks like @kainth answered a similar question here: 

Solved: Re: Marketing channel instances not equal to visit... - Adobe Experience League Community - ...

Per @kainth , " it is common for the sum of last touch visits in marketing channel reports to be higher than site-wide visits" 

Hope this helps. Thank you. 

[Jennifer_Dungan · Accepted solution]

Agreed, Marketing Channels have a usually a 7 day or 30 day (or some other attribution), and generally direct traffic after the Natural Search won't overwrite the Marketing Channel... Whereas looking at Natural Search directly, this is based on Visit level attribution.....

Let's look at this scenario:

Day 1 - User comes to the site via search

• Natural Search is set
• Marketing Channel is funneled to Natural Search

Day 2 - User comes back directly to the site

• Natural Search isn't set
• Marketing Channel (with let's say a 7 day retention) will remain as "Natural Search"

Day 10 - User comes back directly to the Site

• Natural Search isn't set
• Marketing Channel (now past the 7 day retention policy) will now say "Direct"

[ya_maryia]

Thanks a lot for your answer! It seems to be clear. Which visits number is 'more correct' to report on? Or both?

[Jennifer_Dungan]

Both

It all depends on the context.

You will need to look at your Marketing Channel expiration, but basically consider it a difference between "visit level attribution" and "7 or 30 or whatever day attribution".