Match Modes
Match modes determine how strictly the system matches ad and CRM data. LightLead supports 3 modes and 12 presets — from maximally strict to maximally loose.
Three match modes
Strict
All specified UTM fields must match.
- Maximum accuracy — minimal risk of incorrect matches
- Low Match Rate — many rows will remain unmatched
- Suitable when UTM tagging is perfect and consistent
Balanced
Some fields must match, the rest are optional.
- The optimal balance between accuracy and coverage
- Medium Match Rate
- The recommended mode for most cases
Loose
A match on a minimal set of fields is enough.
- Maximum coverage — most rows will be matched
- Ambiguous matches are possible
- Suitable when UTM tagging is incomplete or inconsistent
12 presets
Strict Mode — 1 preset
| Preset | Fields | Description |
|---|---|---|
strict_full | 5 fields | All 5 UTM fields must match: source + medium + campaign + content + term |
Balanced Mode — 6 presets
| Preset | Required fields | Description |
|---|---|---|
balanced_full | 5 fields | All 5 UTM fields, but with a non-strict match |
balanced_source_medium_content | 3 fields | source + medium + content |
balanced_medium_content | 2 fields | medium + content |
balanced_campaign_content_term | 3 fields | campaign + content + term |
balanced_campaign_content | 2 fields | campaign + content |
balanced_campaign | 1 field | campaign (the minimum for balanced) |
Loose Mode — 5 presets
| Preset | Required fields | Description |
|---|---|---|
loose_source_medium_content | 3 fields | source + medium + content |
loose_medium_content | 2 fields | medium + content |
loose_campaign_content_term | 3 fields | campaign + content + term |
loose_campaign_content | 2 fields | campaign + content |
loose_campaign | 1 field | campaign (the minimum for loose) |
How to choose a mode
Start with balanced
For most scenarios, it's recommended to start with balanced_source_medium_content. This gives a good Match Rate with sufficient accuracy.
Switch to strict if:
- UTM tagging is perfect
- Maximum accuracy matters (financial reporting)
- Match Rate under balanced is > 80% — you can tighten it further
Switch to loose if:
- UTM tagging is incomplete or inconsistent
- Match Rate under balanced is < 20%
- Coverage matters more than accuracy
- source_constant inference is in use
Mode comparison
| Characteristic | Strict | Balanced | Loose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | Maximum | High | Medium |
| Match Rate | Low | Medium | High |
| Risk of incorrect matches | Minimal | Low | Medium |
| UTM requirements | Perfect | Good | Basic |
| Ambiguous matches | None | Rare | Possible |