This article describes some common reasons and explanations for discrepancies between the Clicks and Exits metrics in Studio reporting.
In the reports for a Studio ad, several columns represent clickthroughs on the ad. There's a column for clicks and maybe several for exit events. While the number of clicks should equal the sum of the exit-event numbers, these numbers are usually different.
- Clicks may be higher because exits stop counting after the ad has been displayed for 20 minutes. For example, if the ad is served and the viewer clicks on the ad more than 20 minutes later, the click records as a click, but the exit doesn't record as an exit.
- Exit events may be higher because of click stripping. Google Marketing Platform currently removes clicks for a particular user who clicks excessively within a short time frame. After that, all that user's clicks for the rest of the day are discarded. The exit is still recorded as an exit event, but the clicks are removed from the reports.
- Additionally, with the backup or alternate image, the exit event is tracked first and then the click is tracked. Pure HTML does not allow multiple calls at the same time in the same window. As a result, one action must finish before another can take place. This sequential behavior causes a discrepancy and results in more exits' being counted than clicks for the backup image.