In today’s digital age, understanding advertising metrics is crucial for businesses of all sizes. Analyzing these metrics provides insights into how campaigns perform, which in turn influences future marketing decisions. One of the most comprehensive tools for digital advertising analytics is the Insights API, which offers a plethora of parameters and fields for deep dives into advertising data. However, with such a wealth of options, it can be overwhelming to know where to start or how to interpret the available data. This post aims to demystify some of these parameters by providing a clear table of key parameters, their definitions, and practical examples for better understanding. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just dipping your toes into the world of digital advertising, this guide will offer valuable insights to help you navigate the complex landscape of advertising analytics.
| Parameter | Definition | Example / Further Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| action_attribution_windows | Defines the time window for attributing actions to ads. | “28d_click” returns actions happening 28 days after someone clicked on the ad. “1d_view” means actions taken within 1 day of viewing the ad. |
| action_breakdowns | Determines how action results are categorized. | If broken down by “action_device”, actions might be categorized by mobile, desktop, etc. |
| action_report_time | Specifies the report time for action stats. | If set to “impression”, conversions will be reported based on the day the ad was viewed, not necessarily the day the action took place. |
| breakdowns | Specifies how results are categorized. | If broken down by “age”, results might show data for different age groups. |
| date_preset | Represents a predefined time range. | “last_30d” would represent the previous 30 days. |
| default_summary | Determines if a summary is returned. | If set to true, a summary section will be included in the results. |
| export_columns | Selects fields for the exported report. | If left blank, exporting columns will be the same as the fields parameter. |
| export_format | Designates the format for the exported report. | Can be set to formats like “xls” for Excel or “csv” for comma-separated values. |
| export_name | Assigns a name to the exported report. | For instance, “AdPerformance_July” for a report on July’s ad performance. |
| fields | Indicates the fields to be retrieved. | By default, it might return metrics like impressions and spend. |
| filtering | Applies filters to the report data. | This parameter can include various filter objects to refine the results. |
| level | Represents the granularity of the result. | Can be set to levels such as “ad”, “adset”, or “campaign” to view data at that specific level. |
| product_id_limit | Limits the number of product IDs returned. | For instance, if set to 10, only ten product IDs will be returned for each ad when broken down by product_id. |
| sort | Determines how the result is sorted. | For example, “reach_descending” will sort by the reach metric in descending order. |
| summary | Defines if a summary section should be included. | If this parameter is used, the results will include a summary section with the specified fields. |
| time_increment | Specifies the increment for time-based results. | If set to “monthly”, results will be broken down by each calendar month. |
| time_range | Indicates a specific time range for data retrieval. | For example, specifying a range from ‘2023-01-01’ to ‘2023-01-31’ will retrieve data for January 2023. |
| time_ranges | Signifies multiple specific time ranges for data retrieval. | Allows for multiple time_range objects, each with a ‘since’ and ‘until’ value. |
| use_account_attribution_setting | Determines if ad results should display using the ad account’s attribution settings. | When set to true, the ad results show based on the attribution settings defined for the ad account. |
| use_unified_attribution_setting | Indicates if ad results should be shown using unified attribution settings defined at the ad set level. | When set to true, it uses the unified attribution settings and the use_account_attribution_setting parameter will be ignored. |
Understanding the intricacies of advertising analytics is undeniably a complex endeavor. With so many parameters and metrics available, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of data. However, by breaking down these metrics into digestible chunks, as we’ve done in the table above, businesses can gain a clearer understanding of their advertising performance. Remember, the key to successful marketing is not just collecting data, but interpreting and acting upon it effectively. By familiarizing yourself with these parameters, you’re taking a significant step towards more informed and strategic marketing decisions. As you continue to delve into your advertising analytics, use this guide as a reference point to ensure you’re making the most of the data at your disposal. Happy analyzing!
