Understanding Discrepancies Between Clicks and Sessions

When reviewing your ad campaigns on ad:personam Self Serve DSP and comparing the data to Google Analytics, you might notice some differences between click metrics and traffic statistics. Recognizing the distinct nature of these metrics is key to interpreting your campaign data effectively.

• Clicks: This metric counts each time a user clicks on one of your ads. It directly measures user interaction with your advertising content.
• Sessions: Represents unique instances of users engaging with your website over a specified period. A session can include various activities such as page views, events, or transactions.

Essentially, while a click is a singular action of engaging with an ad, a session encompasses all the actions taken by a user on your website during their visit. Notably, a single user can initiate multiple sessions, which might occur on the same day or over several days, weeks, or months.

Discrepancies between these metrics can arise for several reasons:

1. Multiple Clicks, Single Session: A user might click your ad multiple times in a short period, which ad:personam tracks individually, but Google Analytics may count as one session.
2. Returning Users: A user who clicks an ad, bookmarks the page, and returns later is counted as additional clicks by ad:personam but as separate sessions by Google Analytics.
3. Quick Exits and Bounces: If a user clicks an ad but leaves before Google Analytics can log a session, only a click is recorded by ad:personam.
4. Session Timeouts: Sessions in Google Analytics time out after 30 minutes of inactivity. A return visit after this period counts as a new session but not as an additional click in ad:personam.

• An additional factor contributing to discrepancies is users not opting into the Privacy CMP (Consent Management Platform) to accept cookies. When users decline cookies, their sessions might not be fully tracked in Google Analytics, leading to lower session counts compared to clicks recorded by ad:personam. This discrepancy highlights the impact of privacy preferences on data collection and underscores the importance of considering consent management's role in analyzing digital campaign performance.

• Understanding these differences is crucial for accurately assessing your campaign's performance. Click data from ad:personam offers insights into the immediate response to your ads, while session information from Google Analytics provides a broader view of user engagement on your website.

• Discrepancies between clicks and sessions are expected due to the distinct ways these metrics are captured. While they may not align perfectly, each offers valuable perspectives on your campaign's effectiveness. By considering both clicks and session data, alongside understanding the impact of privacy settings on tracking, advertisers can gain a well-rounded view of their digital advertising efforts.