Why does the Channel Type Report data differ in standard and custom Goal Reports?

The results for Goal Channel Type in the standard Goals report can differ from those in a custom report due to the different attribution models each report uses. Understanding the difference is essential for accurately interpreting your data and making informed decisions.

Standard reports in Matomo use non-direct attribution. For example, if a visitor arrives via an email campaign, does not convert, and later returns via direct access and converts, the standard report will attribute the conversion to the original email campaign.

Custom reports, however, do not support non-direct attribution; they attribute conversions at the visit level. Using the same scenario where a visitor first arrives via an email campaign, leaves without converting, and then returns through direct access to convert, the custom report will attribute the conversion to the direct access visit.

Attributing conversions at the visit level in custom reports means that each conversion is directly tied to the specific visit during which it occurred, regardless of the visitor’s previous interactions. This approach contrasts with the standard reports’ non-direct attribution, which credits conversions to the original traffic source, even if the final conversion happened during a later, direct visit.

The relevance of this difference lies in how you interpret the source of your conversions: custom reports provide a more immediate, visit-specific view, while standard reports offer a broader, source-oriented perspective.