How Do You Read Breakdowns Without Fooling Yourself?

A breakdown splits your results by age, placement, device or time so you can see where they came from. It fits when you want to find a slice that deserves a closer look. It does not fit when you want a final answer, because some numbers in a breakdown are estimated, some rows will not add up to the total, and some combinations are not available. Read each slice as a lead to check.

Why don’t breakdown rows add up to the total?

Meta lists reasons for mismatches. The first is unique metrics. These count Meta accounts, not actions. Reach is one, and most of the others carry the word unique, such as unique link clicks. They are de-duplicated, so numbers change by level. Meta’s example: ad set 1 reaches person A and B, ad set 2 reaches person B and C. Each ad set has a reach of 2, and the campaign has a reach of 3, not 4.

The second is sampling. Reach and all unique metrics are estimated and may rely on sampled data. Meta says this may cause differences between the sum of your breakdowns and the summary row, because the totals are sampled separately. You may even see a total lower than the breakdown figures. Do not force the rows to equal the total.

Which numbers in a breakdown are estimated?

Meta says estimated metrics come from statistical sampling or modeling rather than a straight count. Meta samples metrics that count Meta accounts, and says other metrics, such as impressions and clicks, are based on all available data. It describes estimated metrics as directional guidance, and says they can be used to gauge advertising performance.

Modeling can also reach conversions. Meta says statistical modeling may be used in breakdowns when conversion data may be missing or partial. Check the metric’s definition for a note that it is estimated before you quote it.

Which breakdowns can you combine?

• Not within one category. Meta says you cannot combine breakdowns under the same category, such as two delivery breakdowns.
• Offsite conversions are limited. For offsite conversions, Meta’s Ads Manager page lists these supported delivery breakdowns: age, gender, age and gender, country, impression device, platform, platform and device, and placement. Meta’s Ads Reporting page says you can combine the available delivery breakdowns only with a time breakdown or a dynamic creative asset breakdown. The two pages list slightly different sets, so trust the options your own table offers.
• Hourly is narrower still. The hourly breakdown cannot be combined with other delivery breakdowns or with action breakdowns, and it does not show unique metrics such as reach. It does show general metrics such as results, cost per result and amount spent. You choose the ad account’s time zone or the viewer’s.

If a combination is unavailable or a number is missing, check these limits first.

Why might a slice show people you did not choose?

With Advantage+ audience, age, gender and detailed targeting entered as suggestions guide delivery but do not always limit it. Meta’s example: if you suggest women, ads could also deliver to men if Meta finds them likely to respond. A gender breakdown can then show delivery to men even though you suggested women. If reaching a specific audience matters more than best performance, Meta says to set them as audience controls instead.

Geographic breakdowns follow how you set location targeting. Meta says the data reflects where people live or were located when they saw your ads, depending on that setting. Check which one you chose before you compare countries or regions.

How do you check a breakdown before you act on it?

These are habits, not Meta rules. The Meta pages cited here give no minimum number of results for a slice.

1. Confirm the ad account and date range at the top of the page.
2. Check how many results sit behind each slice. A slice with few results can swing from week to week.
3. Look at the same slice over two periods before you trust it.
4. Ask which metric you are reading. A count of actions behaves differently from a unique metric.
5. Change one thing at a time, such as excluding a placement, then read the total again. A slice that looks poor in one row may still matter to the total.

FAQ

Why do my ad numbers not add up to the ad set?

Meta says reports exclude deleted ad sets and ads by default, so deleted items can make higher levels larger than the rows you see. To include them, use the delivery filter to include deleted ads. Unique metrics such as reach also differ by level because of de-duplication.

What does uncategorized mean in a conversion breakdown?

When you use breakdowns for conversions, Meta says the conversions it is not able to attribute show up as uncategorized. Meta’s page does not say more about that row, so include it when you add up the slices.

Can I see reach by hour of day?

No. Meta says the hourly breakdown does not support unique metrics such as reach, unique click-through rate or cost per 1,000 Meta accounts reached. Use general metrics like results, cost per result or amount spent for hourly views, and read reach by day or week instead.