Vanity metrics and attribution manipulation

Lauren and Ralph discuss how attribution windows and in-app modeling can inflate contribution and hide real revenue.

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Stop guessing. Get the blueprint to scale: https://www.tiereleven.com/audit

Are your ads working, or are the dashboards just telling you what you want to hear? Too many marketers celebrate high ROAS inside Meta or Google while revenue in Shopify tells a very different story. If your agency is “reporting well” but the business isn’t growing, something is broken.

In this episode, we break down why in-app metrics are often misleading, how platforms double-count conversions, and why your CRM or store data must always be the source of truth. We also share the questions every VP of Marketing should ask their agency to force better thinking, stronger accountability, and a real growth strategy.

You’ll learn how to challenge reporting, uncover hidden attribution issues, and turn agency meetings into strategic conversations instead of dashboard reviews. If you manage paid media or manage the people managing it, this one will help you evaluate performance.

In This Episode:

- Vanity metrics vs real revenue

- Why attribution models conflict

- View-through vs click attribution

- Addressing tracking setup mistakes

- Three questions to ask your agency

- Which answers should raise red flags?

- Questions for monthly and quarterly reviews

- Challenging agencies to think of your money as theirs

- Agencies should perform, not report well

Mentioned in the Episode:

Stop guessing. Get the blueprint to scale: https://www.tiereleven.com/audit