In the world of email and SMS marketing, attribution windows play a crucial role in how conversions are counted and revenue is allocated to specific campaigns or flows. If you’re using Klaviyo to power your retention marketing, understanding how its attribution windows work—and how to adjust them—can make a huge difference in how you evaluate performance and allocate resources.
Attribution should come from a thoughtful decision, not some default settings chosen by Klaviyo. Yet, many brands are unaware they can adjust Klaviyo’s default attribution windows, and some agencies quietly manipulate these settings to inflate their results. In this post, we’ll break down what you need to know about Klaviyo attribution windows, why they matter, and how to use them to generate accurate, actionable insights.
What Are Attribution Windows in Klaviyo Reporting?
Attribution windows define the time frame during which a conversion is credited to a specific marketing touchpoint, such as an email or SMS campaign.
By default, Klaviyo assigns revenue to the following interactions:
Email: Conversions are attributed within 5 days of an open or click.
SMS: Conversions are attributed within 5 days of a click.
Push Notifications: Time frames vary by account but are generally between 12 and 24 hours.
At first glance, these defaults seem reasonable. However, they may not always reflect the true role of email or SMS in driving conversions, depending on the customer journey.
Why Attribution Windows Matter
The length of your attribution window has a direct impact on how performance is reported. Here’s why this matters for your brand:
1. Accuracy in Channel Performance
If someone clicks on an email, browses your site, and makes a purchase four days later after seeing a paid ad, should the email really take credit? A long attribution window might overstate email or SMS contributions and obscure the actual performance of other channels.
Conversely, for brands with longer sales cycles or those that require more customer education, a longer attribution window can capture the true value of nurturing touchpoints like email. For example, an email might help convince a customer to buy, even if they wait three days to make the purchase.
Key takeaway: The “right” attribution window depends on your brand’s sales cycle and marketing strategy.
2. Preventing Misleading Comparisons
Agencies that manipulate attribution windows to inflate results create misleading narratives. For example, changing the email attribution window from 5 days to 30 days after onboarding a client can create the appearance of massive performance improvements—without any real changes in strategy or execution.
Such practices make it harder to measure actual year-over-year (YoY) performance and obscure which marketing channels are truly driving conversions.
3. Delivering Actionable Insights
Accurate attribution ensures you’re basing decisions on real customer behavior, not inflated metrics. This enables better resource allocation across channels and ensures you’re investing in strategies that truly drive revenue.
How to Adjust Attribution Windows in Klaviyo
Customizing your attribution settings in Klaviyo is straightforward and allows you to tailor reporting to your unique needs.
Here’s how to do it:
Access the Settings
Click on the account menu in the lower-left corner of your Klaviyo dashboard.
Select Settings from the menu.
Navigate to Attribution Settings
Go to the Attribution section.
Adjust the Attribution Windows
Under the Attribution Windows section, select the interactions you want to track (e.g., opened email, clicked email, clicked SMS).
Use the picker to adjust the time frame by adding or subtracting days or hours.
Preview Changes
Use the Compare Model tool to see how adjustments will impact reporting.
Save Your Settings
Click Save to apply your changes. Note that updates may take up to an hour to reflect.
Pro Tip: Changes to attribution settings apply only to future conversions, so make adjustments carefully to maintain consistency in reporting.
Best Practices for Attribution Settings
To ensure your reporting is as accurate as possible, follow these best practices:
1. Remove Bot Interactions
Exclude bot clicks from email and SMS attribution to avoid artificially inflated metrics caused by email security software.
Go to Settings → Tracking and Reporting Data.
Select the options to exclude bot interactions for email and SMS.
2. Account for Apple Mail Privacy Protection (MPP)
Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) can cause inflated open rates by reporting “opens” for users who may not have actually engaged with your content.
Exclude MPP opens to better reflect true engagement.
3. Test and Compare Models
Use Klaviyo’s Compare Model feature to test different attribution windows and evaluate how they impact your reporting. Look for trends in total revenue, channel contributions, and engagement metrics to find the settings that best align with your goals.
Finding the Right Attribution Window for Your Brand
Determining the ideal attribution window comes down to understanding your customer journey. For example:
Short Sales Cycles: Brands with fast purchase paths may benefit from shorter attribution windows (e.g., 1–3 days).
Longer Sales Cycles: Brands requiring more customer education may need longer windows (e.g., 7–10 days) to capture the true value of nurturing touchpoints.
Remember, attribution is about measuring real customer behavior. By customizing your settings, you can ensure your data is both accurate and actionable.
Need Help Optimizing Your Attribution Settings?
At Dispatch, we specialize in helping brands maximize their email and SMS performance through strategic execution, clear reporting, and actionable insights. If you’re unsure how to optimize your Klaviyo attribution windows or want to improve the accuracy of your retention marketing data, we’re here to help.
👉 Connect with Dispatch today to ensure your marketing efforts are accurately tracked and driving meaningful results.
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