When managing marketing campaigns, one of the most common frustrations businesses face is the discrepancy between the data reported by ad platforms (like Facebook Ads, Google Ads, etc.) and CRM systems such as HubSpot. If you've ever compared conversion data between your ad account and HubSpot, you’ve probably noticed that they rarely match up. This can lead to confusion, questions about data accuracy, and doubts about which platform or source to trust and report on.
However, the mismatch is not a sign of faulty data. Let’s explore why this is the case.
1. Attribution Models
One of the primary reasons why ad platform data and HubSpot CRM data don’t align is due to the different attribution models used by each platform.
- Ad Platforms: Most advertising platforms like Facebook and Google use click-through attribution or view-through attribution. They typically attribute conversions to ads if someone clicked (or in some cases, viewed) an ad within a specific time frame. This means even if someone interacts with your ad but converts days or weeks later, the ad platform may still - rightfully - count it as a conversion as it contributed to the conversion.
- HubSpot: HubSpot, on the other hand, often attributes contacts based on the first touch (the very first interaction the contact had with your business) or last touch (the final interaction before converting).
This difference in attribution models means the same conversion may be credited to different sources, resulting in a mismatch between the two data sets.
2. Tracking Gaps and Data Loss
Another reason for discrepancies is technical: not all interactions are tracked perfectly. Here are some common tracking gaps that lead to data mismatches:
- Ad Blockers and Privacy Settings: Increasing use of ad blockers and privacy-focused browser settings (e.g., Safari's Intelligent Tracking Prevention) can prevent ads or website tracking pixels from working effectively.
- Cookie Consent: With evolving privacy regulations such as GDPR, many users need to consent to tracking when visiting a website. If users decline to accept cookies or tracking scripts, their data might not be captured in HubSpot, even if the ad platform still registers the click or conversion. If you have cookie banners setup, then you might have noticed an increase in Direct Traffic leads. These are likely from other sources but since their behaviour cannot be tracked, it is defaulted to Direct Traffic.
- Browser and Device Differences: Tracking can vary across devices and browsers. For instance, a lead might click on an ad from their mobile device but later fill out a form on their desktop without being properly tracked. HubSpot may not connect the two interactions, but the ad platform might still record a conversion.
- Ad Campaign Types: Depending on the campaign type, there are some that cannot be tracked in the CRM. This is not within the control of CRM systems. Often it’s due to API limitations of the ad platform.
- Contacts Might Already Exist in HubSpot: As conversion reporting requires comparison within the same time period, if the contact already exist in HubSpot via a different source, the conversion may not be in the right time frame as the ad conversion.
- One or Every Conversion in Ad Platform: In the ad platform, you would be prompted to choose whether to count conversions as one or every. In HubSpot, the contact is one human and will only ever be 1.
3. Time Lag Between Clicks and Conversions
Ad platforms often count conversions over an extended period (e.g., 7-day or 28-day attribution windows). HubSpot, however, records when a lead enters your CRM. This time lag can cause discrepancies if someone clicks on an ad today but doesn’t become a lead until weeks later.
For example, Google Ads may report a conversion on the day someone clicks on an ad, but HubSpot will only report the conversion when the lead is captured through a form submission or other interaction.
4. Duplicate and Merged Contacts in HubSpot
- Duplicate Contacts: If someone fills out a form with different emails or identifiers, HubSpot may create duplicate contacts. Ad platforms may track these interactions as separate conversions, while HubSpot might eventually merge them into a single record.
- Merged Contacts: When merging contacts in HubSpot, it consolidates the data into one contact record. This may cause a loss of historical attribution data for the original lead source and affect the timeframe of the conversion, leading to discrepancies when comparing with ad platform data.
5. Click vs Conversion Intent
Not all clicks result in conversions. It’s important to remember that ad platforms report on clicks, impressions, and engagements, while HubSpot records actual conversions (form submissions, email sign-ups, etc.). Many people may click on your ads but never submit a form or provide their contact details, meaning they won’t appear in HubSpot.
6. Custom UTM Parameters and Tracking Limitations
For companies that use custom UTM parameters to track ad campaigns, discrepancies can arise when UTM tags aren’t implemented correctly. HubSpot relies heavily on UTM parameters to attribute traffic and conversions to specific campaigns. If there’s an issue with the UTM structure, HubSpot may misattribute the lead source.
On the other hand, ad platforms use their own tracking mechanisms (i.e. Facebook Pixel and Google Ads tags), which don’t rely on UTM parameters. Even this setup needs to be ensured and checked periodically that it is firing as expected.
Conclusion
While it’s idealistic to strive for 1-1 matching between the ad platform and HubSpot CRM data, remember that each system is built with different goals, technologies, and tracking methodologies. These platforms offer valuable insights into your marketing performance, but no single platform tells the entire story. You just need to use the data from the source and interpret the data and tell the story appropriately.
Rather than focusing on matching numbers perfectly, marketers should focus on understanding the trends and insights each system provides. HubSpot will give you a clear picture of how leads and customers move through your pipeline, while ad platforms provide insights into the effectiveness of your paid campaigns.
By leveraging both types of data together, you can make more informed decisions about your marketing strategy without getting hung up on perfect alignment.
Contact us if you’d like to learn more about how you can analyse your data in the ad platform vs HubSpot CRM and how to tell the story properly.
