Why it flatters the platform
View-through attribution counts a conversion from a mere impression, as long as it happens inside the view window, which on Meta is 1 day. On a warm retargeting audience that can be fair. On cold prospecting it lets the platform claim purchases it may have had little to do with, which is a big reason platform-reported numbers run higher than your CRM.
How to treat it
Separate view-through from click-through when you read results, lean on click-based results, and read view-through with skepticism. Meta now also reports likes, shares, saves, and 5-second video plays separately as engage-through, so check which of the three columns is carrying your results. The cleanest defense is a single source of truth and blended ROAS, so no platform grades its own homework. See the attribution window for how the view period is set.
Common questions
What is a view-through conversion?
A conversion credited to an ad that was seen but not clicked, provided the conversion happens within the view window. On Meta the view-through window is 1 day.
Should I trust view-through conversions?
Treat them with caution, especially on cold prospecting, where they can overstate impact. They are more defensible on warm retargeting. Always reconcile against a source of truth.