Marketing
Attribution Window
Definition
The period after a click or impression during which a resulting conversion is credited to that marketing source. Its length materially changes which channel appears to have produced the customer.
Key takeaways
- An attribution window is the period in which a conversion is still credited to an earlier click or impression.
- Gambling has a long, irregular click-to-deposit gap, so window length matters more here than in most verticals.
- Last-click attribution inside a short window favours brand search and comparison sites over awareness-building content.
- The window is a negotiated commercial term: a high rate on a short window can be worth less than a lower rate on a long one.
Why it matters
An attribution window is a commercial rule, not a measurement. Set it at seven days and a customer who clicks an affiliate link on Monday and deposits three weeks later is unattributed; set it at 90 days and the same customer is the affiliate’s. Gambling has an unusually long and irregular consideration period, with research, comparison and sign-up often separated by weeks and interrupted by sporting calendars, so window length has more effect in this vertical than in most.
The window interacts with the attribution model to decide who gets paid. Last-click with a 30-day window, the common default, credits whichever source touched the customer most recently inside that period, which systematically favours brand search and comparison sites over the content that created the awareness. Extending the window shifts credit earlier; shortening it concentrates spend on channels that close. Because affiliate commissions are paid against these rules, the window is negotiated alongside the rate, and a generous rate on a short window can be worth less than a modest rate on a long one. Anyone comparing two affiliate agreements should read the window, the model and the deduplication rules before comparing percentages.
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical attribution window?
Thirty days on a last-click basis is the common default, though gambling affiliate agreements frequently run longer because the gap between first click and first deposit is often weeks.
How does window length change who gets paid?
A shorter window credits whichever channel closed the customer; a longer one lets earlier awareness-building sources retain the credit. The same customer can be attributed to different channels under different windows.
Should I compare affiliate deals on commission rate alone?
No. The rate, the attribution window, the attribution model and the deduplication rules together determine what a deal actually pays.