In some cases, you may notice a small number of impressions logged after a campaign has been unpublished or turned off, especially if you have a very high-traffic site. This article explains why that happens, how to prevent it, and what you can do to avoid it.
Why It Happens: Caching and Clock Mismatch
Even after a campaign is turned off and published:
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~0.02% of users may still see it. This is due to browser caching or users having incorrectly set system clocks. This is due to a specific setting with the user and outside of the control of Digioh.
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Some browsers cache the campaign JavaScript and do not immediately refresh even after a publish action.
- Digioh’s date-based display conditions now use the server clock to tackle this issue.
The Solution: Date conditions with server time
To mitigate this, Digioh date conditions (including those via the Precision Targeting app) now rely on server time, not the browser’s local time. This drastically reduces long-tail impressions and makes targeting more precise.
Learn more:
👉 Target Campaign Displays in a Specific Time Zone
Best Practices for Time-Sensitive Campaigns
To avoid residual impressions:
1. Always Use an End Date
Set an explicit end date when launching the campaign. This guarantees it stops serving at the expected time.
❗ Don’t modify the end date after launching. If you need a new time window, duplicate the campaign and set new conditions.
2. Should I retroactively add date conditions to all previously closed/unpublished campaigns?
No, adding date conditions after the fact won’t retroactively prevent impressions for users who’ve already cached the campaign. Here’s why:
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The 0.02% of users who might still see the campaign are doing so because they already have a cached version of the campaign JavaScript.
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That cached version does not include the new date condition you add post-unpublish.
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Therefore, the only way to guarantee zero post-campaign impressions is to set a clear end date before publishing the campaign.
If You Still See Post-Campaign Impressions
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Check if the campaign had a future end date that was not changed.
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For campaign-critical content (e.g., product releases), use stricter conditions and test in
?boxqamode.
Summary
| Cause | Prevention |
|---|---|
| Browser caching | Always publish after edits and set expiration |
| Local clock mismatch | Server-time conditions now resolve this |
| Changing end date after launch | Avoid modifying live campaign conditions |
Need Help?
If you’re experiencing unexpected impressions after unpublishing a campaign, reach out to support with your Campaign ID and timing details. We’re here to help!