{"id":20788,"date":"2022-12-03T22:57:40","date_gmt":"2022-12-03T22:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/03\/a-comprehensive-guide-to-marketing-attribution-models\/"},"modified":"2022-12-03T22:57:40","modified_gmt":"2022-12-03T22:57:40","slug":"a-comprehensive-guide-to-marketing-attribution-models","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/03\/a-comprehensive-guide-to-marketing-attribution-models\/","title":{"rendered":"A Comprehensive Guide To Marketing Attribution Models"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We all know that customers interact with a brand through multiple channels and campaigns (online and offline) along their path to conversion.<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, within the B2B sector, the average customer is exposed to a brand 36 times<\/a> before converting into a customer.<\/p>\n

With so many touchpoints, it is difficult to really pin down just how much a marketing channel or campaign influenced the decision to buy.<\/p>\n

This is where marketing attribution comes in.<\/p>\n

Marketing attribution provides insights into the most effective touchpoints along the buyer journey<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In this comprehensive guide, we simplify everything you need to know to get started with marketing attribution models, including an overview of your options and how to use them.<\/p>\n

What Is Marketing Attribution?<\/h2>\n

Marketing attribution is the rule (or set of rules) that says how the credit for a conversion is distributed across a buyer\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n

How much credit each touchpoint should get is one of the more complicated marketing topics, which is why so many different types of attribution models are used today.<\/p>\n

6 Common Attribution Models<\/h2>\n

There are six common attribution models, and each distributes conversion value across the buyer\u2019s journey differently.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t worry. We will help you understand all of the models below so you can decide which is best for your needs.<\/p>\n

Note: The examples in this guide use Google Analytics 4<\/a> cross-channel rules-based models.<\/em><\/p>\n

Cross-channel rules-based means that it ignores direct traffic. This may not be the case if you use alternative analytics software.<\/p>\n

1. Last Click<\/h3>\n

The last click attribution model gives all the credit to the marketing touchpoint that happens directly before conversion.<\/p>\n

Last Click helps you understand which marketing efforts close sales.<\/p>\n

For example, a user initially discovers your brand by watching a YouTube Ad for 30 seconds (engaged view).<\/p>\n

Later that day, the same user Googles your brand and clicks through an organic search result.<\/p>\n

The following week this user is shown a retargeting ad on Facebook, clicks through, and signs up for your email newsletter.<\/p>\n

The next day, they click through the email and convert to a customer.<\/p>\n

Under a last-click attribution model, 100% of the credit for that conversion is given to email, the touchpoint that closed the sale.<\/p>\n

2. First Click<\/h3>\n

The first click is the opposite of the last click attribution model.<\/p>\n

All of the credit for any conversion that may happen is awarded to the first interaction.<\/p>\n

The first click helps you to understand which channels create brand awareness.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t matter if the customer clicked through a retargeting ad and later converted through an email visit.<\/p>\n

If the customer initially interacted with your brand through an engaged YouTube view, Paid Video gets full credit for that conversion because it started the journey.<\/p>\n

3. Linear<\/h3>\n

Linear attribution provides a look at your marketing strategy as a whole.<\/p>\n

This model is especially useful if you need to maintain awareness throughout the entire buyer journey.<\/p>\n

Credit for conversion is split evenly among all the channels a customer interacts with.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at our example: Each of the four touchpoints (Paid Video, Organic, Paid Social, and Email) all get 25% of the conversion value because they\u2019re all given equal credit.<\/p>\n

4. Time Decay<\/h3>\n

Time Decay is useful for short sales cycles like a promotion because it considers when each touchpoint occurred.<\/p>\n

The first touch gets the least amount of credit, while the last click gets the most.<\/p>\n

Using our example:<\/p>\n