Different attribution rules can produce different valid totals
Check attribution windows, event definitions and collection coverage before assuming one total is wrong. Different systems can count or credit the same journey under different rules.
Ad platforms and analytics can assign credit using different windows, identities and event definitions. Consent and missing collection add further differences. A discrepancy requires definition review before assuming one system is wrong.
A worked example
A hypothetical ad platform reports 25 attributed conversions while analytics reports 18 campaign-attributed success events. Some conversions may use different timing or modeled credit. The difference does not identify seven missing people without record-level evidence.
How to apply it
- Align the outcome definition, dates, time zones and attribution windows.
- Check whether each system reports interaction date or outcome date for the selected view.
- Reconcile controlled examples and keep unresolved differences explicit.
What the result can establish
Do not blend incompatible totals into a single precise lead count. For operational follow-up, use actual accepted source records. Attribution helps interpret credit; it does not prove that the campaign caused every credited outcome.
Reference: Google Ads: conversion measurement.
Supporting documentation
Google Ads: conversion measurementGoogle Analytics: recommended eventsGoogle Ads: conversion tracking