There are a few reasons why the data being reported on may not match what you're now seeing in the platform or dashboard, almost all of which are due to data/conversion lag for one reason or another.

This means if we're reporting on data within a given period of time on the 1st of the month, that data within the same period of time may be slightly altered when someone else views it on the 4th of the month.

The specifics of why this may happen are outlined below.

• Modeled Reporting/Privacy Restrictions: Platforms like Google Ads and Meta use machine learning to estimate conversions that can't be directly observed, providing a more complete picture of campaign performance, especially when user privacy or technical limitations prevent direct tracking. This, however, can cause delays in reporting. Specifically, Apple’s App Tracking Transparency forces platforms like Meta to use Aggregated Event Measurement, which can delay or obscure reporting by up to 72 hours.

• Time-to-convert behavior: If your product or service typically involves research or delayed decision-making, conversions will naturally lag behind the initial interaction. Platforms like Google Ads report on conversions by impression date, which may cause conversions to retroactively be attributed after that date range is reviewed.

• Platform batching: Google Ads and Meta sometimes process data in batches, especially during high-traffic periods. This can delay real-time reporting.

• Third-party tool lag: Tools like Google Tag Manager, Zapier, or CRM integrations can add delay before conversions are sent back to the platform.

• Offline conversions: If you’re uploading conversions manually or via API (e.g. in-store purchases, phone calls), reporting will be delayed until that data is ingested and matched.