Why conversion numbers differ from registrations
Why conversion numbers differ from registrations
Your advertising platform will usually show fewer conversions than the DistantRace registration list. This is expected and does not by itself mean tracking is broken.
Common differences #
| What you see | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer platform conversions | Visitors who decline the relevant cookie category receive no tags | Treat DistantRace registrations as the complete operational count |
| Bank-transfer registrations appear later or are missing | Payment is confirmed when no browser is present | Set up the Google Ads offline conversion feed |
| Conversion value is lower than order revenue | Only registration fees are reported; merchandise and add-ons are excluded | Compare the platform value with registration-fee revenue, not the full order total |
A free registration has value 0 |
A registration that costs nothing is still reported with value zero | Compare both conversion count and value |
| A refresh or offline import does not add another conversion | The order number is reused as the event or transaction ID for deduplication | No action is needed |
| A multi-event order is split | Events with different pixels report only their own value and items | Reconcile each platform or event separately |
Consent is the biggest difference #
Lower counts are expected
Marketing-cookie consent controls Google Ads, Meta Pixel, TikTok Pixel, and Microsoft Advertising (UET). Analytical-cookie consent controls GA4. Visitors who decline receive no matching tags.
Consent-related gaps are expected and legally required. Do not try to make platform counts equal the registration list by bypassing consent.
Some orders are intentionally excluded #
No conversion is reported for:
- On-site or race-day sales
- Add-on or after-sale orders
- Merchandise-only orders
Use the right comparison #
- Use DistantRace as the source for the real number of registrations.
- Use advertising platforms to evaluate the conversions they were allowed and able to observe.
- Use Export attribution XLSX when your agency needs order-level campaign reconciliation.
Related #
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