Measurement Design
Part of Media measurement planning
Separating channel metrics from whole-campaign results
Keep platform delivery and attributed actions distinct from the campaign's shared business result, and explain why reported totals may differ.
Put channel delivery and platform-attributed actions beside the whole-campaign business result, but do not add them into one total. The figures can use different counting rules, attribution windows and populations. They answer different questions.
Label the question behind each number
A channel report can show whether its ads were served, how people interacted with them and which actions its rules credited to the ads. A business report can show orders, qualified leads or bookings recorded across the organisation. Neither report automatically tells you what would have happened without the campaign.
In a hypothetical search, video and publisher campaign, more than one supplier might credit an action connected to the same customer. Adding attributed conversions could therefore exceed the business's unique orders. It would not demonstrate extra sales.
| Report heading | Put here | Main caution |
|---|---|---|
| Channel delivery | Spend, impressions, clicks and relevant quality measures | Delivery is not a business outcome |
| Channel-attributed response | Actions credited under each supplier’s stated rules | Credit can overlap across systems |
| Whole-campaign result | The agreed outcome from the business record | Observed change is not automatically incremental impact |
Record the reporting rules
Ask each supplier which event it counts, whether it counts one or every action, whether ad views qualify, and how long an action can follow an interaction. Keep the settings beside the figure. Align definitions where feasible; otherwise explain differences instead of calculating a misleading combined rate.
Google Ads provides help on understanding your conversion tracking data and on conversion windows. Treat those as Google Ads rules and do not assume them for another supplier.
Google Analytics 4 provides help on changing the reporting attribution model for key events. Record the model used for any exported comparison; a changed channel breakdown need not mean the underlying business transactions changed.
Key facts about channel attribution and campaign reporting in Australia
- Overlapping credit is commonMultiple platforms may attribute the same conversion, leading to totals exceeding actual business outcomes.
- Business records are the gold standardUnique orders, GST-registered transactions, or ATO-compliant bookings should be used as the primary outcome measure.
Use disagreement to investigate
If the business record rises while platform totals do not, check event coverage, delayed actions, offline sales and reporting windows. If a platform total rises while accepted leads do not, check lead quality, duplicate records and the selected conversion action. The discrepancy alone does not identify its cause.
Present the business total once, with its definition and period. Use channel reports to explain delivery and attributed response. Claims about additional sales caused by media require a suitable effect-estimation method.
How to correctly report channel and campaign performance in Australia
- Step 1Record the business result (e.g. unique orders, qualified leads) from organisational records with clear definition and period.
- Step 3Document attribution rules for each platform: event tracked, counting method (one or multiple), viewability thresholds, and attribution window.
- Step 4Investigate discrepancies between platform totals and business results by checking event coverage, delayed actions, offline sales, lead quality, and duplicate records.
- Step 5Avoid combining platform-attributed conversions with business outcomes; use proper effect estimation methods (e.g. holdout testing, statistical modelling) to assess incremental impact.
