Attribution Model Examples
For example, Facebook likes to attribute a conversion to a view-through conversion, meaning somebody viewed an ad and then converted. In contrast, Google Analytics often attributes conversions based on the last click, which refers to the last place a user clicked online before visiting your website and signing up.
This discrepancy can lead to confusion, as both Facebook and Google Ads might claim credit for the same conversion. To deal with this issue, it's essential to find the best attribution solution for your specific business.
While there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach, I generally recommend looking at the last click as the primary metric. Additionally, consider examining the multi-channel funnel report in Google Analytics, as it shows every touchpoint within a conversion.
Types of Attribution Models
- First-Touch Attribution: This model assigns 100% of the credit to the page that originally drove a visitor to your site. While it may overemphasize top-of-the-funnel marketing efforts, it's an easy way to identify what exactly is attracting people to your brand.
- Last-Touch Attribution: This model singles out the first touchpoint of the most recent visit. For example, if a visitor views a blog post, clicks a CTA, and converts on a landing page, the blog post will receive the credit. Use this model to determine the effectiveness of your landing pages.
- Last Interaction Model: This model gives credit to the touchpoint where a conversion directly occurred, helping you determine the effectiveness of your landing pages.
- First and Last Interaction Model: This model gives equal credit to the first and last touchpoints, providing a balanced perspective on the customer journey.
- Simple Decay Attribution Model: This model assigns a weighted percentage of the credit to the most recent touchpoints. It's ideal for short buying cycles, as it assumes that assets a prospect interacted with closer to the time of sale are most important in the purchase decision.
- Linear Attribution Model: This model gives equal credit to every interaction during the buyer's journey. In this case, an in-person event would be given the same weight as a click on a banner ad.
The Importance of Multi-Channel Attribution Modeling
Multi-channel attribution modeling can be complex, but it's essential for understanding if you're spending your time and resources on the right marketing activities.
By identifying the touchpoints that have the most significant impact on conversions, you can make better-informed decisions about where to invest your marketing efforts.