Which Marketing Attribution Model is Right for You?

7 min read

The method whereby companies analyse the contribution of specific marketing channels and initiatives to their overall performance is referred to as the "marketing attribution model," and the phrase "marketing attribution model" is used to characterise the process. Marketers may assess which channels or touchpoints should be given credit for creating leads, conversions, or sales by using the information provided here.

There are many different types of marketing attribution models available, but some of the most common ones include first-touch attribution, last-touch attribution, multi-touch attribution, and data-driven attribution. When calculating how much credit should be given to certain aspects of the customer journey, different models make use of a wide variety of rules and algorithms.

By using marketing attribution models, marketers have the potential to increase the effectiveness of their marketing activities and make decisions based on more accurate information.

Conversion and revenue may be traced back to certain marketing channels and campaigns with the use of marketing attribution. Attribution modelling has grown in significance as digital marketing has matured because it allows companies to more precisely measure the return on investment (ROI) of their marketing initiatives. It might be difficult to choose the best attribution model for your company out of the numerous available options. Learn about the many marketing attribution models and how to choose the right one for your company's needs.

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Types Of Marketing Attribution Models

First Touch Attribution

When a consumer engages with a brand for the first time, the initial touch-point receives full credit. If a user clicks on a Google ad and subsequently makes a purchase, Google would get credit for the conversion. This strategy is helpful for firms who are trying to increase brand recognition and attract new leads since it attributes success to the first point of contact between the brand and the consumer.

Last-Touch Attribution

With last-touch attribution, the last point of contact with a consumer before a purchase receives all of the credit. If a user interacts with your Facebook ad and subsequently makes a purchase, for instance, you may connect that transaction to your Facebook ad. This concept is helpful for companies who want to boost conversions and sales by giving credit to the last touch-point before a purchase was made.

Linear Attribution

All consumer encounters are considered equally important in a linear attribution model. If a consumer engages with three different forms of advertising before making a purchase, such as a Google ad, a Facebook ad, and an email, each form of advertising would get 33% of the credit for the transaction. This approach is helpful for companies with lengthy and complicated client journeys since it properly attributes sales to all interactions.

Time-Decay Attribution

With time-decay attribution, interactions that occur closer to the moment of purchase are given greater weight. If a client engages with three different forms of advertising before completing a purchase—a Google ad, a Facebook ad, and an email—the touchpoint that happened most recently would be given the most credit. This concept is helpful for companies with shorter customer journeys who want to prioritise interactions that have an immediate effect on the transaction.

U-Shaped Attribution

U-shaped attribution allocates 40% of the credit to the beginning and ending of the customer journey, and 20% to each of the other touchpoints along the way. Customers who engage with Google ads, emails, and

Facebook ads before completing a purchase will be credited 60% to Google, 40% to Facebook, and 20% to the email. This technique is helpful for companies that want to give credit to both the first exposure to the brand and the last touchpoint before a sale is made. 

W-Shape Attribution

A W-shaped model of attribution places equal weight on the initial touchpoint (30%), the touchpoint that produced the lead (30%), and the touchpoint that resulted in the sale (40%) in the overall success of the campaign. The Google ad would get 30% credit for exposing the consumer to the business, the Facebook ad would get 30% credit for generating the lead, and the email would get 40% credit for leading to the sale in the aforementioned scenario. This concept is helpful for companies that wish to attribute revenue and lead creation to individual touchpoints.

So, which type of marketing credit allocation should you use? It all comes down to the factors like business objectives at hand and the degree of difficulty of the client journey. First-touch attribution might be ideal for your company if you're trying to increase exposure for your brand and find new customers. But, last-touch attribution may be more useful if your goal is to increase conversions and revenues. Linear attribution is useful because it allows a company to attribute a sale to each and every touchpoint throughout a customer's lengthy and complicated journey. If your company has a short client journey and you want to give more credit to touchpoints that have a more immediate influence on the sale, time-decay attribution may be more appropriate.

Businesses who wish to give credit to touchpoints that contributed to lead generation and sales might benefit from U-shaped and W-shaped attribution models. Keep in mind that no attribution model is foolproof; they all have their flaws. Touchpoints that are not the first one a consumer encounters with a brand may not be credited in first-touch attribution models, while touchpoints that are not the final one in a last-touch attribution model may not be credited in first-touch attribution models.

Consider the Following When Deciding on a Marketing Attribution Model for Your Company:

Complications in the Customer's Path:

Linear attribution may be the greatest match for your company if your client journey is lengthy and complicated.

Mission Statements:

Think about the goals of your company and decide whether you want to increase conversions and sales or brand exposure and lead generation.

Timeframe:

Think about the average time it takes for a consumer to go from being introduced to your business to making a purchase.

Value of a Touch-point:

Determine which points of contact had the most impact in generating sales, and give them due credit.

Testing:

Try out several attribution models and keep tabs on the outcomes to see which one works best for your company.

Conclusion

Determining the most appropriate marketing attribution model may be a time-consuming and difficult task, but it is crucial for companies to properly measure the return on investment (ROI) of their marketing initiatives. Businesses may choose the most appropriate attribution model by taking into account aspects like customer journey complexity, business objectives, timeline, touchpoint significance, and testing. In the end, the correct attribution model may aid firms in making data-driven choices that boost conversions, revenue, and return on investment.

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