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FAQs About Reports

General Data Issues

Reports generated using different attribution rules show different totals.

If you generate a report multiple times using the same report parameters but with different attribution rules, the data may differ for either of the following reasons:

  • Click date-based data may fall outside the specified date range.
     
    If you use the report parameter "Conversions based on click date," the specified date range applies to the date of the click instead of the date of the transaction. If the report also uses the attribution rule "First Event" or "Last Event," the first or last event that led to the conversion may be outside the specified date range. For example, assume a user clicked on Keyword_1 on April 30, clicked on Keyword_2 on  May 20, and converted on May 21. If the report uses the "First Event" attribution rule and a date range of May 1-21, the first event (a click on Keyword_1 on April 30) will not be included in the report. If you run the report with the same date range but using the "Last Event" attribution rule, the conversion will be included in the report because the last click occurred within the specified date range.

  • The portfolio filter selection excludes some of the events leading to the conversion.
     
    If you report on a subset of portfolios, you may not be including the campaigns that included the event to which the conversion was attributed under one of the attribution rules. For example, assume a user clicks on Keyword_1 from Portfolio_1, clicks on Keyword_2 from Portfolio_2, and then converts. If the report uses the "First Event" attribution rule, Portfolio_1 must be included for the conversion to be included in the report; however, if the report uses the "Last Event" attribution rule, Portfolio_2 must be included.

Tip:  If you want to compare conversion totals under different attribution rules, run reports using the report parameter "Conversions based on transaction date" and select all search engines or all portfolios. If you set no other filters, the conversion totals should match.

Some advanced reports don't include conversion data provided by an advertiser feed.

The Search Term Report, Geo Distribution Report, and Domain Referral Report use data captured through the Media Optimizer conversion tracking service and can be generated only for advertisers with the service. The reports don't include conversion data that is tracked outside the Media Optimizer conversion tracking system.

Individual data fields are incorrect, although the totals are correct.

If you create a derived metric with the format Number w/out Decimal Points (which shows data as integers) and include it in a view or a report that uses a weighted conversion attribution rule (Weight First Event More, Weight Last Event More, or Even Distribution), the output will be shown in integers, not decimals, so individual data fields may be incorrect (although the totals will be correct). For example, if an order is divided evenly between three events, one order (rather than 0.33 order) will be attributed to each of the three events. To resolve the issue, change the metric format to Number to 2 Decimal Points.

Similarly, if you have a revenue metric that is sent as in integer, the same issue will occur. (The revenue format is controlled by the conversion tag that submits the data.) To resolve the issue, create a derived metric consisting solely of the revenue metric and with the format Number to 2 Decimal Points, and include it in views and reports rather than the original metric.

My report shows no conversion data.

The report may not include conversion metrics for which conversions occurred.

Performance data in Media Optimizer is different than data in the search engine editor or Facebook.

When the search engine or social network sends updates to previous data (often because they've attributed click fraud to some clicks), Media Optimizer won't update the data unless there is more than a 5% discrepancy and the account manager files a request.

Performance data in Google Analytics is different than data in Media Optimizer reports.

The two systems measure different data, so you should expect to see different data. For example:

  • Media Optimizer (and Google AdWords) track clicks, whereas Google Analytics tracks visits per 30-minute browser session. For example, if a user clicks your ad once, clicks the Back button, and then clicks the ad again, Media Optimizer will record two clicks but Google Analytics will record one visit.

  • Google Analytics shows all traffic data, whereas Media Optimizer (and Google AdWords) filters invalid clicks (such as excessive, repeated clicks).

  • Google Analytics will include click and revenue data for all clicks. Media Optimizer can't track click and revenue data for ads and keywords with incorrect or missing tracking URLs.

When click or revenue data is missing, how I prevent it from affecting future bids?

Click data issues occur when Media Optimizer is out of sync with the ad network; contact Customer Care to manually sync the account. If click data is missing for an entire day, ask your account manager to exclude that day from the cost models.

Revenue data issues can occur because of a tracking or feed file issue; contact Customer Care to investigate the issue. If revenue data is missing for an entire day, ask your account manager to exclude that day from the revenue models.

Why do I see decimal values for a transaction property that should be a natural number (1, 2, and so...

If you ran the report using any conversion attribution rule parameter other than Last Event or First Event, the revenue may be split between multiple events in the conversion path.

In addition, in Transaction Reports, if multiple bid units with different match types have the same transaction ID, the revenue for the tracking ID is split according to the number of clicks on the specified click date.

Monetary data is shown in the wrong format.

By default, all monetary data in reports is shown in the format for US dollars (such as 1,000.00). To display the value in the correct currency format (but without any currency symbols in CSV and TSV formats), add the "Currency" column to the report. If the report includes data for accounts with different currencies, then any "Total" monetary values are simply the sum of all numbers in the column, regardless of currency.