Marketing Attribution
The process of assigning credit to marketing touchpoints that contributed to a conversion.
Definition
Marketing attribution is the methodology used to determine which marketing channels and touchpoints deserve credit for a conversion or sale. Because most customers interact with multiple ads and content pieces before buying, attribution models decide how to allocate credit across the journey. Common models include Last Click (100% credit to the final touchpoint), First Click (100% to the first), Linear (equal credit across all), Time Decay (more credit to recent touchpoints), and Data-Driven (algorithmic distribution based on actual conversion patterns). Attribution directly impacts how you evaluate ROAS, CPA, and channel ROI.
Key Points
- No attribution model is perfect — each involves trade-offs
- Last-click attribution overvalues retargeting and undervalues awareness channels
- Data-driven attribution (available in GA4 and Google Ads) is the most accurate for large data sets
- iOS 14+ privacy changes significantly degraded mobile attribution accuracy
- Multi-touch attribution requires connecting ad platforms, CRM, and analytics data
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