The term ‘last click attribution’ describes a customer journey measurement system that assumes only the final action before a purchase contributed to a sale and deliberately ignores all the previous steps and influences that might have preceded it.

In around 15% of all online sales, there is only a single step in the customer journey. In these cases, the single click clearly affected the sale.

However, our research has found that 85% of customer journeys involve multiple channels and take place over longer periods. So, where should the credit lie, and why should it be the final touch point, as a last-touch attribution model would assume?

Another reason why last click attribution is misleading is that it ignores all the indirect channels that may have influenced the sale, such as TV or Press. That also includes any marketing activity concerned with brand development and not aimed at a short-term response.

However, as many marketers persist with using last click, we decided to undertake some analysis to find out just how misleading it was (and what a better alternative model is).

How Does Last Click Attribution Work?

The last click attribution model simply assigns 100% of the credit for a sale to the final touch point. In this way, the last channel through which a customer comes into contact with your brand is given all the credit for driving that sale.

This model works on the assumption that customers are most likely to convert when exposed to a particular marketing channel or tactic immediately before making a purchase. So, if a search ad or an email was clicked on and then led directly to a purchase, it would receive all the credit for that sale.

We’ve already alluded to the fact that customer journeys are more complex than this simple attribution model suggests, and frankly, last touch attribution doesn’t accurately reflect the reality of how customers interact with brands and make purchasing decisions.

Pros & Cons of Last Touch Attribution

Pros	Cons
Requires minimal setup and data analysis compared to more complex attribution models.	Fails to account for the multiple touch points (e.g., discovery, consideration) that influence a consumer’s decision before the final click.
Doesn’t require advanced tools or complex tracking infrastructure, making it a cost-effective choice for small businesses.	Neglects the role of upper-funnel activities like social media engagement or awareness-building ads.
Integrated into many analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics), making it easy to apply universally across marketing efforts.	Can result in overinvestment in channels driving last clicks and underinvestment in channels that contribute to the awareness or consideration stages.
Useful for campaigns where the goal is immediate conversions, such as flash sales or retargeting efforts.	Wrongly encourages a transactional approach to marketing rather than building long-term brand equity through a holistic strategy.

Read more: Is There a GA4 Alternative? Yes, & It’s Here

How Effective is the Last Click Attribution Model?

To prove just how misleading last click attribution is, we’ve done some of our own investigating.

We took data from a large UK retailer who uses a wide range of direct marketing channels and examined all their customer journeys that led to sales in a three-month period.

Here’s how we carried out our research and what we found…

Phase 1 – Weighting the Customer Journey Using Machine Learning

The process we used to compare to last click attribution was to apply a weighting to every step in a customer journey based on machine learning (ML).

The ML approach looks at a number of factors describing each journey step, and the principal ones are to do with intervals before and after each step.

Using this approach, we can give a comparative weighting to every step in every journey.

In the case of this retailer, there were around 1m journeys in the quarter we examined to track and weight.

Here is an example of the weighting being applied to each step in a customer journey.

In fact, our algorithms have gone one step further and worked out the contribution made by each step in initialising, holding, or closing a sale.

So, here, direct mail gets most of the initialising score, and email has the biggest share of the closing score. But each step gets some share of the sale, as you will see from the column on the far right of the table.

Phase 2 – Comparing Values Attributed By Last Click vs Machine Learning

Now, we move on to comparing the last-click approach with machine learning that looks at all steps in the journey before a sale. You will see that very substantial differences emerge.

The table below shows the comparison between the value given to channels using last click, and the value attributed by our machine learning.

The differences are considerable. For instance, last click over-values PPC by 22% or, in this case, £1.1m, and under-values direct mail by 13% or £5.1m.

Phase 3 – The Verdict

So, in conclusion, last click is quite simply an extremely inaccurate way to attribute value to marketing campaigns and can lead to a serious misallocation of resources.

It should be avoided at all costs, otherwise marketers risk making decisions based on misleading data. Over- or under-investing in certain channels because last click attribution tells you to do so can ultimately harm your overall marketing efforts and results.

What Model is Better Than Last Click Attribution?

An approach looking at every journey step, and weighting them according to their role, is going to give a much more balanced result, and lead to a more optimised allocation of marketing media spend.

A multi-touch attribution model supported by machine learning is a markedly better alternative to last click attribution. It takes into account all touch points in the customer journey and assigns appropriate weights based on their contribution to driving conversions.

Furthermore, considering the entire customer journey gives a more holistic understanding of the effectiveness of marketing efforts and allows for better decision-making when it comes to budget allocation and campaign optimisation.

Marketing mixes shouldn’t be looked at on a granular, channel-isolated basis, but rather as a collective effort that works together to drive results.

How to Get Started With Multi-Touch Marketing Attribution

Multi-touch attribution can be a tricky nut to crack, which is why partnering with an attribution vendor who offers this solution is your ticket to success.

At UniFida, we help businesses accurately measure the effectiveness of their marketing channels and campaigns through our advanced attribution model – which takes into consideration all touch points and weights them accordingly.

We use our in-house machine learning algorithms to analyse each customer journey and assign appropriate values to each step, always trained on our client’s own data, rather than any generic model.

With our solution, you’ll have access to a full analysis of your customer journeys and the contribution made by each event, empowering you to make data-driven decisions for your future marketing efforts.

Ready to get started? Use the button below to send us an email or give us a call.

Contact Us Today!

Conclusion: Just How Wrong is Last Click Attribution?

The bottom line is last click attribution is flawed and leads to inaccurate measurement of marketing efforts. It’s time for businesses to move on from this outdated model which risks hindering their marketing performance and results.

Leave behind the misconceptions and embrace a more advanced, holistic approach to attribution that considers all touch points and values them accordingly.

FAQs

What Attribution Model Does Google Use?

Google uses last click attribution as its default model in Google Analytics, which is why we recommend avoiding it for your attribution needs. An alternative to GA4, like our solution, is much more effective.

What is the Most Common Attribution Model?

Last click is one of the most common attribution models used in tracking conversions (despite its flaws). Other popular models include first click, linear, and time decay.

What is the Bias of Last Click Attribution?

Last click attribution is biased towards the last touch point a customer interacted with before converting. This means that any previous events that may have contributed to the conversion are undervalued or ignored, not at all painting a full picture of the customer journey.

What is an Example of Last Touch Attribution?

An example of last touch attribution is when a customer clicks on an ad, then later makes a purchase directly from the website. In this case, all credit for the sale goes to the ad click, ignoring any other touch points that may have influenced the customer’s decision to make a purchase.

What is the Difference Between First Click vs Last Click Attribution?

First click attribution gives all credit for a conversion to the first touch point a customer interacts with, while last click attribution gives all credit to the last touch point.

Both are single-click attribution models, which are greatly limited by their own design as they dismiss the impact of any other events throughout the customer journey.

What you can learn from attribution reports is invaluable when it comes to making data-driven marketing decisions.

From channel-specific performance to the impact of various touch points, you can gain a deep understanding of your marketing efforts that you otherwise wouldn’t have access to.

Reporting forms a key part of how our solution works here at UniFida. After collecting and organising data from multiple sources, we then generate customisable attribution reports that offer a comprehensive view of the key metrics you want to see.

But what exactly can you learn from these reports? Let’s dive into the key insights attribution reports offer and how they can inform your marketing strategy for success.

In this Article: What are Marketing Attribution Reports? What Can You Learn From Attribution Reports? Key Insights 1. Channel Performance 2. Impact of Touchpoints on the Full Customer Journey 3. Marketing ROI 4. Customer Acquisition & Retention How Attribution Reports Can Help You Make Strategic Decisions Case Study: Attribution Reporting in Action Conclusion: Take Full Advantage of Attribution Reporting FAQs

What are Marketing Attribution Reports?

First and foremost, attribution reports provide a summary of how each marketing channel and individual campaign contributes to conversions or sales.

UniFida’s reports – for example – are accessible through our Customer Data Platform (CPD), with near real-time data neatly displayed in digestible tables, graphics, and visuals.

Alongside the channel-specific performance data, attribution reports can also offer a wealth of information on other key metrics, such as customer acquisition and retention, return on investment (ROI), and campaign performance.

The 8 Ways a CDP Can Make You a Better Customer Marketer

What Can You Learn From Attribution Reports? Key Insights

As for the specific insights you can gain from attribution reports, these will vary depending on your business and marketing strategy.

Some businesses may be more concerned with measuring metrics like cost per acquisition (CPA) and customer lifetime value (CLV), while others may be more focused on understanding the impact of each touch point in their complex customer journeys.

Return on marketing investment (ROMI) is generally considered important by all, though, and is the front-driver of all marketing measurement and decision-making.

Here are some key insights you can learn from attribution reports:

Attribution reports provide a clear breakdown of how each marketing channel is performing in terms of conversions and sales. This can help you understand which channels are bringing in the most revenue and where you may need to allocate more resources for improved results.

Specifically, UniFida’s Marketing Attribution solution takes an omni-channel approach, tracking and attributing conversions across all online and offline channels, giving you a holistic view of your marketing efforts.

That way, your report will not only show the performance of individual channels, but also how they work together to drive conversions.

Read More: How Can You Measure Offline Marketing Attribution?

2. Impact of Touchpoints on the Full Customer Journey

In addition to channel performance, attribution reports also offer insights into the impact of individual touch points within a customer’s journey. You can understand which interactions are most influential in converting customers and where you may need to focus your efforts for maximum effectiveness.

For example, you may find that social media ads have a high conversion rate and are effective in driving sales, while email marketing has a lower conversion rate but plays a significant role in nurturing leads to make a purchase.

This information can inform your future marketing strategy and budget allocation.

3. Marketing ROI

Return on investment (ROI) is a crucial metric for any business, and attribution reports provide valuable insights into the return you are getting from each marketing channel.

With our reporting, we calculate your ROMI by channel, providing you with a granular breakdown of how each channel is contributing to your overall marketing success.

You can then use these insights to supplement your decision-making for future campaigns and identify where your resources are better (or better not) allocated.

Learn More: What is ROMI & How is It Measured?

4. Customer Acquisition & Retention

Attribution reports can also offer insights into customer metrics, such as acquisition, retention, and value.

It can help answer questions such as which channels are most effective at acquiring new customers and which ones have the highest customer retention rates.

This information can be crucial in targeting your marketing efforts towards your most profitable customer segments and identifying where you may need to improve in terms of retaining existing customers.

How Attribution Reports Can Help You Make Strategic Decisions

The purpose of attribution reporting really all boils down to giving you access to crucial data that can inform your marketing strategy and resource allocation.

Say you launch a campaign that’s targeting 29 to 35-year old females who are interested in protein food supplements. Attribution reports can help you identify which channels and touch points are most effective in reaching and converting this target audience.

Perhaps your Meta Ads are driving the most conversions, while your Google search ads have a lower conversion rate.

This information can guide your decision-making for future campaigns – for example, you may choose to invest more in Meta Ads and optimise your Google ads strategy to improve its effectiveness.

There are also offline channels to consider.

While attribution reports generated by digital marketing platforms often only track online touch points, UniFida’s omni-channel approach captures and attributes offline interactions as well (and indirect channels, too).

Consideration of every event in the customer journey and its influence on conversions is key to making informed strategic decisions for your marketing efforts. Attribution reports provide you with the necessary data and insights to do just that.

Case Study: Attribution Reporting in Action

We’ve supported numerous companies in utilising our attribution reporting to inform and improve their marketing strategy.

One such example is Wentworth Puzzles, a UK-based retailer of high-quality wooden jigsaw puzzles. They wanted to gain a better understanding of their global customer base to know where to focus their marketing efforts and budget.

With the help of UniFida’s CPD, we were able to provide Wentworth Puzzles with data on sales being made to different RFM customer groups, the value of long-term customers, and how they were best acquired.

We then went on to deliver customer journey-based marketing attribution, allowing Wentworth Puzzles to track the performance of marketing campaigns across all channels and touchpoints.

This information proved invaluable for Wentworth Puzzles. Active customers grew from 39,000 to a great 158,000 after partnering with us and utilising our CPD and attribution reporting.

Read the Full Wentworth Puzzles Case Study

Conclusion: Take Full Advantage of Attribution Reporting

The key takeaway here is that attribution reporting provides valuable insights into your marketing efforts, allowing you to make informed decisions for future campaigns and resource allocation.

With UniFida’s omni-channel approach, you can track and attribute conversions across all channels and touchpoints, giving you a holistic view of your marketing performance.

This, combined with our custom reporting, provides you with the necessary data to make strategic decisions for your business.

Don’t miss out on leveraging attribution reports for the success of your marketing efforts. Get in touch with us today.

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FAQs

What are the Benefits of Marketing Attribution?

Marketing attribution provides insights into the effectiveness of your marketing channels and touchpoints, helping you make informed strategic decisions for future campaigns and resource allocation.

What are the Key Metrics Reported on in Attribution Reports?

Some of the key metrics reported on in attribution reports include:

• Return on marketing investment (ROMI) by channel
• Customer acquisition and retention rates
• Conversion rates

How Up to Date are Attribution Reports?

This depends on how your reports are generated and who is doing the reporting. With UniFida’s next day attribution reporting, you can have access to data that is accurate up to midnight the day before and insights for your marketing efforts.

How Can I Get Started with Attribution Reporting?

To get started with attribution reporting, you can partner with a company like UniFida that offers customised reports and tracking to fit your specific business needs. Contact us to learn more.

Why is Data-Centric Attribution Important?

Marketing attribution prevents businesses from making uninformed decisions by providing valuable insights into the performance of their marketing efforts. It allows for efficient resource allocation and targeted campaigns to improve ROI.

Without this data, businesses may struggle to identify which strategies are working and where they need to make changes, or invest their efforts into the wrong channels and touch points.

We don’t have to tell you that understanding your customers’ journeys is essential for driving conversions and increasing ROMI. But how can you accurately attribute those conversions to specific touchpoints? B2C marketing attribution is the solution to this problem.

It helps you identify which channels, campaigns, and touchpoints are driving the most conversions, allowing you to allocate your budget and resources strategically for maximum impact.

Both online and offline touchpoints play a crucial role in the customer journey, and an effective B2C marketing attribution model takes into account all of these interactions to provide a holistic view.

What is B2C Marketing Attribution?

While we’ve touched on it already, let’s dive deeper into what B2C marketing attribution really means.

Simply put, it is the process of identifying and giving credit to the various touchpoints that contribute to a conversion or sale in a B2C environment.

Direct and indirect interactions with your brand, such as clicking on an ad or browsing through a product page, are all taken into account to determine which touchpoints had the most significant impact on converting a lead into a customer.

Indirect interactions and macro factors like seasonality, economic trends, and customer behaviour are also considered in some more advanced models to provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing conversions.

The B2C landscape is constantly evolving, and the way in which customers interact and engage with brands is continuously changing.

B2C marketing attribution makes it easier for you (or e-comm marketers) to keep track of these changes and adjust your strategies accordingly.

Budgets can be allocated and invested in those channels that are performing well, while underperforming channels can be improved or dropped altogether.

B2B vs B2C Marketing Attribution

The real difference between B2B and B2C marketing attribution lies in the complexity of the customer journey.

B2B journeys typically involve more touchpoints over a longer period, with multiple decision-makers involved in the process.

There’s likely to be someone in charge of the budget, or decision-maker, plus influencers and end-users in a B2B environment. Channels such as conferences, events, and account-based marketing may also play a more significant role.

On the other hand, B2C journeys are shorter and typically involve fewer touchpoints. In most cases, there is one decision-maker (the consumer), and the focus is on creating a seamless and convenient experience across all touchpoints.

B2C marketing attribution models, therefore, tend to be simpler.

What Are the Challenges of E-Commerce Attribution?

The B2C customer journey may very well be less complex than those of B2B, but that doesn’t make them any less challenging in their own right. Here are some of the common challenges faced by e-commerce businesses when it comes to attribution:

Challenges of E-Commerce Attribution: Multi-channel and multi-device interactions: Customers interact with brands across various channels and devices, which can make it difficult to trace their journey and determine which touchpoints are most influential in driving conversions. Data fragmentation: With data being collected from various touchpoints and systems, it becomes challenging to bring them all together for a cohesive view of the customer journey. Offline interactions: While online interactions can be tracked using various tools and platforms, offline interactions, such as in-store purchases or phone calls, are harder to capture and attribute. Time lags and delayed conversions: In many cases, a lead may interact with your brand multiple times before converting, making it challenging to determine which touchpoint ultimately led to the conversion.

The Best Attribution Model for E-Commerce Businesses

But what is a problem without a solution? There are many types of attribution models that help e-commerce businesses overcome these challenges and gain a better understanding of their customer journey.

Generally, for e-commerce businesses, multi-touch attribution (or MTA) models are preferred.

Thinking back to our previous point on the varying channels involved in the customer journey, MTA models are designed to give credit to all touchpoints that contributed to a conversion rather than just the last interaction.

UniFida’s Data-Driven Omnichannel Attribution Solution

Here at UniFida, we firmly believe (and have seen from a first-hand perspective!) that a combination of models is needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the customer journey and accurately attribute conversions.

Our omnichannel attribution solution blends MTA and MMM (econometrics) to provide a powerful and accurate view of the customer journey, using time-based data-driven algorithms to determine the impact of each touchpoint.

With data coming from all digital and offline channels, our solution provides an all-encompassing view of an e-commerce business’s customer journey and helps make informed decisions on budget allocation and marketing strategies.

Contact Us Today

Optimising Every Touchpoint in the Customer Journey

In a nutshell, the role of B2C marketing attribution is to provide you with insights to optimise your customers’ journeys. Taking action based on these insights is where the real value lies.

By understanding which touchpoints are most influential, you can optimise and enhance each stage of the customer journey for maximum conversions.

Every customer journey is different, but we can look broadly at the fundamental e-commerce customer journey:

• Awareness stage
• Consideration stage
• Purchase decision stage
• Post-purchase stage

Conclusion: Improve ROMI With E-Commerce Attribution

Getting your hands on accurate and actionable attribution data is crucial to the success of any e-commerce business.

A reliable and tailored attribution solution can help you better understand your customer journey and improve your return on marketing investment (ROMI).

That’s why we customise our omnichannel attribution solution to fit the unique needs of each of our clients. We know that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to attribution, and we work closely with our clients to develop a solution that works best for them.

To learn more about our omnichannel attribution solution and how it can benefit your e-commerce business, get in touch with us today.

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FAQs

Does B2C Marketing Attribution Track Across Devices?

Yes, B2C marketing attribution can be tracked across devices, such as mobile and tablet, to provide a comprehensive view of the customer journey.

How Can E-Commerce Businesses Track Offline Touchpoints?

MMM (Media Mix Modelling) or Econometrics can effectively track offline indirect touchpoints by analysing data from various sources, such as market trends and external environmental factors. When combined with MTA, both direct and indirect offline touchpoints can be tracked accurately.

Get in touch to learn more about how our attribution solution can help your e-commerce business track offline touchpoints and improve ROMI.

What Are the Most Common B2C Marketing Channels?

The most common online B2C marketing channels include social media, email marketing, content marketing, PPC advertising, and influencer marketing. However, the effectiveness of these channels may vary depending on your target audience and industry.

Through our attribution solution, we can help you identify the most impactful channels for your business and optimise them to improve ROMI.

Can B2C Marketing Attribution Help Improve Customer Retention?

Marketing attribution can be greatly beneficial in knowing which touchpoints contribute to customer retention.

For example, by tracking post-purchase touchpoints like personalised emails and loyalty programs, you can identify which strategies are most effective in retaining customers and use that information to improve your retention efforts.

Ever wondered how to know which of your marketing efforts is most effective? Multi-channel marketing attribution can help you answer that question.

The way in which customers interact with brands and make purchases is more complex than ever before. There are various marketing channels to engage with, from social media to email marketing, paid search to display advertising, and more.

With so many touch points involved in the customer journey, it becomes essential for businesses to understand which of their marketing efforts are contributing most to achieving conversions.

Multi-channel marketing attribution is the process of tracking and measuring these touch points, in order to accurately attribute credit for conversions to the correct channels.

Let’s look at this in more detail…

What is Multi-Channel Marketing Attribution?

Multi-channel marketing attribution is a method of assigning value to each touch point in the customer journey and understanding how these touch points work together to lead customers towards conversion.

It takes into consideration all the direct channels and platforms that a customer interacts with before making a purchase decision. This can include all online and offline direct channels, such as social media, email marketing, paid search, direct mail and more.

The goal of multi-channel marketing attribution is to provide a clear and accurate picture of how each channel contributes to conversions in order to optimise future marketing efforts and budget allocation.

How is Multi-Channel Attribution Measured?

Unlike other models, multi-channel attribution is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It requires creating a custom attribution model that best fits your customers’ journey patterns.

The most appropriate and effective approach for measuring multi-channel attribution is through using machine learning to build algorithms that will depend on your customers’ behaviour, target acquisition audience, and marketing mix.

Combining Multi-channel Attribution & MMM for Omni-Channel Attribution

Multi-channel attribution becomes even more powerful when integrated with marketing mix modelling (econometric modelling), as it enables businesses to also measure the impact of indirect channels on conversions.

Marketing mix modelling takes into account external factors like macroeconomic conditions, seasonality, and competitive data to understand how different channels work together.

Omni-channel attribution offers a more granular view of channel performance than marketing mix modelling in its own, making it a powerful combination with MTA for understanding the true impact of marketing efforts on conversions.

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The role of data-driven MTA is to provide an accurate view of conversion credit for each direct channel, while marketing mix modelling enables businesses to understand the context in which these channels are performing.

Some channels will have a bigger impact on conversions than others, or they may work better in synergy with other channels. 

By combining MTA and marketing mix modelling, businesses are able to pinpoint these relationships and make more informed marketing decisions.

How Vendors Can Help With Multi-Channel Marketing Attribution

The data gathering and analysis involved in attribution is extensive and can be expensive, which is why many businesses choose to partner with vendors who specialise in multi-channel marketing attribution.

Partnering with a vendor like UniFida means you can spend less time on data collection and more time using the insights gained to drive your marketing strategy forward. 

Where you may not have the time or resources to allocate to in-house attribution, a vendor can offer specialist expertise and technology to help you get the most out of your multi-channel marketing efforts.

Contact Us Today to Learn More

The short answer is yes. Multi-channel marketing attribution can benefit most businesses, regardless of its size or industry, but the greater the level of media spend the more important it becomes.

Larger businesses with a complex marketing mix and larger budgets may find multi-channel attribution particularly useful for understanding how different channels work together and optimising their budget allocation.

Smaller businesses with a limited marketing budget may also find multi-channel attribution helpful in determining which campaigns are most effective for them and where they should focus their efforts.

Businesses using only direct channels may find that MTA alone is sufficient, while others may see the greatest value in combining MTA with MMM.

But it does go without saying that the more you can invest in attribution, the more detailed and accurate your results will be. 

Marketing Attribution Services – Pricing & ROI

Ultimately, multi-channel marketing attribution offers a powerful way for businesses of all sizes to understand the true impact of marketing and measure ROMI.

Summary of Multi-Channel Marketing Attribution

Multi-channel attribution is really a non-negotiable for businesses looking to understand the true impact of their marketing efforts. 

By tracking and measuring customer touch points across all channels, it offers valuable insights into which channels are most effective and how they work together in the customer journey.

Businesses that invest in multi-channel attribution have a more informed and data-driven approach to their marketing strategy, leading to better decision-making and improved ROMI.

Want to learn more about marketing attribution? Head over to our blog for additional resources and insights!

FAQs

What are the Difficulties with Multi-Channel Attribution?

There is a lot of time and effort involved in accurately tracking and measuring customer touchpoints across all channels. Additionally, creating a custom attribution model that best fits your business needs can be complex.

Partnering with a vendor can help alleviate these difficulties, taking the pressure off your team and providing specialist expertise and technology.

What are the Benefits of Multi-Channel Marketing Attribution?

Multi-channel attribution offers a more accurate understanding of channel performance, enabling businesses to optimise their marketing efforts and budget allocation. It also allows for the integration of offline channels in the customer journey, giving a holistic view of marketing impact.

Does Multi-Channel Look at External Factors?

Multi-channel attribution, when measured on its own, does not take into account external factors. However, when combined with marketing mix modelling (MMM), it can provide a more comprehensive view of channel performance in the context of external influences.

What Channels Does Multi-Channel Attribution Measure?

Multi-channel attribution can measure any direct online or offline channel that a customer interacts with before converting, including social media, email marketing, paid search, direct mail and more.

There’s no better way to see the importance of marketing attribution than through a real-life example. Our latest marketing attribution case study highlights just how vital it is for businesses to properly track and measure their marketing efforts.

For businesses that simply don’t have the resources to dedicate to marketing attribution, this case study serves as a wake-up call. It showcases the insights they’re missing out on and the potential impact it could have on their bottom line.

With a sophisticated marketing attribution model in place, like the one we used in this case study, businesses can better understand which channels and tactics are truly driving conversions and allocate their resources accordingly.

Now, let’s dive into the details…

Our Most Recent Marketing Attribution Solution Example

Want to download the full case study? Click here for a PDF version.

Who: A Holiday Company With 5 Active Brands

For this particular case study, we worked with a holiday company that sells tours to an older demographic and books over 100,000 tours a year. Most of the customers reside in the UK, but they also have a presence in other parts of the world.

With a customer base of over 1 million and 5 active brands, there’s a lot of marketing activity to track! And this is where the problem stemmed from – the lack of a proper marketing attribution model in place.

Some online and offline channels used by our client: Direct mail Affiliates Social media Google PPC

The Problem: No Knowledge of ROMI & Sales Due to Marketing

Our client was eagerly awaiting its upcoming marketing budget review. But in order to get approval for the 2024 budget, they first needed to know the return on marketing investment (ROMI) for each channel in 2023, which was an almost impossible task with no marketing attribution model in place.

Additionally, they were unable to pinpoint which marketing efforts were leading to sales.

Although they were receiving marketing reports from its agencies and match-backs for their direct mail campaigns, there was still no clear understanding of how all their marketing efforts were working together to drive conversions.

With no view of the impact of their marketing, our client was at risk of making inaccurate budget allocations, missing out on potential revenue, and making it more tricky to get their 2024 budget approved.

This is something we see with many businesses – a lack of proper tracking and measurement leading to inaccurate assumptions about the success of their marketing efforts. The risk of making decisions based on incomplete or incorrect data is simply too high.

Our Solution: A Comprehensive Multi-Touch Attribution Model

From the off, we knew that the solution for our client would need to be comprehensive. We wanted to ensure that all their marketing efforts were tracked and accounted for, including both online and offline channels.

In order to track each customer’s touchpoint before making a booking, we set up a bespoke multi-touch marketing attribution platform. Unlike out-of-the-box solutions, our MMM platform considers each customer touchpoint instead of just ‘first’ or ‘last’ and is tailored to our client’s specific customer journeys.

We gathered data from their website, matching browsing data at an individual customer level to their direct mail base. Considering both online and offline touchpoints was crucial in this case, as the client’s target audience was not primarily online.

We trained our MTA algorithm on this historic customer journey dataset, which allowed us to add value to each step of the journey before they made a booking.

Learn Multi-Touch Marketing Attribution Theory & Models In 10 Minutes

With these scores, we calculated the value contributed by each campaign using the sum of the values found in their customer journeys while also considering the other channels that were used.

This gave a clear view of each campaign’s contribution, as well as how channels interacted with each other, to drive conversions.

The Result: Enhanced Visibility, Strategic Insights & Approved Budget

After implementing our multi-touch attribution model, our client gained enhanced visibility into the impact of their marketing efforts. They were able to see a clear breakdown of which channels and tactics were driving conversions and at what value.

This not only provided strategic insights for future marketing efforts but also helped secure their 2024 marketing budget, ready for a new year of successful marketing campaigns.

The data: The MTA algorithm determined that just over 50% of all sales were driven by a direct mail touchpoint. Direct mail also appeared to be working well when combined with other channels. PPC was a big driver of conversion, but with the impact of other digital channels in comparison contributing less than 5%.

With these insights (and many more) now readily available to our client, they were able to plan their return on marketing investment (ROMI) and sales due to marketing with confidence.

Going into 2024, this holiday company was able to confidently allocate its marketing budget, knowing exactly which channels and tactics were driving the most conversions.

What to Take Away From Our Marketing Attribution Case Study

This marketing attribution case study is just one example of the power and impact that comprehensive MTA can have on a business. Without proper tracking and measurement, businesses are simply flying blind when it comes to understanding the true success of their marketing efforts.

A sophisticated marketing attribution model not only provides valuable insights for strategic decision-making but also helps secure budget approvals and ensure optimal resource allocation.

Your customers journey’s are complex, and your marketing efforts must be accurately reflected in your data. By leaving your customer journey data untouched, businesses are missing out on the full picture of their marketing impact.

So if there’s one takeaway from our latest marketing attribution case study, it’s this: invest in a robust and tailored marketing attribution platform to truly understand the ROI of your marketing efforts and drive business success.

Get in Touch With Us Today

Whether you want to learn more about how we work or you want to immediately benefit from our complete marketing attribution solutions, we’re here to help.

Get in touch with us today and let’s discuss how we can elevate your understanding of marketing attribution to the next level.

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Want to read more of our case studies? Head to our full Case Study section for more real-life examples of how marketing attribution has helped businesses like yours succeed.

FAQs

What is an Example of Marketing Attribution?

An example of attribution in marketing is when a business tracks and measures each customer touchpoint before they make a purchase, which could include clicking on a social media ad, receiving a direct mail piece, or searching for the product on Google.

By properly attributing each touchpoint, businesses can better understand which channels and tactics are driving conversions and make informed decisions about their marketing efforts.

How Do You Start to Get a Hold of Marketing Attribution?

Data on customer journeys or touchpoints is key to starting marketing attribution. Businesses should gather data from all their marketing channels, both online and offline, and use a comprehensive attribution platform to track and measure the impact of each touchpoint on conversions.

What Types of Questions Can Marketing Attribution Answer?

Marketing attribution can answer questions such as:

• Which marketing channels are driving the most conversions?
• What is the return on investment for each marketing channel and campaign?
• How do different channels and tactics work together to drive conversions?
• Which customer touchpoints have the biggest impact on sales?
• How can we improve our marketing efforts based on these insights?

Does Marketing Attribution Work for B2B Too?

Yes, marketing attribution can work for both B2C and B2B businesses. The key is to have a tailored attribution model that takes into account the specific customer journey of each business. This may include different touchpoints, such as attending a trade show or receiving a personalised email, that are unique to B2B sales.

With B2B marketing attribution, the target activity is often driving enquiries rather than sales.

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UniFida is the trading name of Marketing Planning Services Ltd, a London based technology and data science company set up in 2014. Our overall aim is to help organisations build more customer value at less marketing cost.

Our technology focus has been to develop UniFida. Data science business comes both from existing users of UniFida, and from clients looking to us to solve their more complex data related marketing questions.

Marketing is changing at an explosive speed. Our ambition is to help our clients stay empowered and ahead in this challenging environment.

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In this era of data-driven decision-making, understanding marketing attribution is key to unlocking the full potential of a company’s marketing strategy. And what better way to highlight the importance of marketing attribution than with some eye-opening statistics?

Using data to show the importance of data – how meta!

Whether you’re doing a bit of research for your next marketing campaign or simply looking to up your analytics game, these marketing attribution statistics are sure to give you a fresh perspective on the topic, and – hopefully – convince you to take a deeper dive into the world of marketing attribution.

Marketing Attribution Stats Relevant

All of these stats are correct at the time of writing, and we have included credible sources where possible.

Marketing Attribution Implementation Stats

75% of companies use multi-touch attribution to measure campaign performance. [1] 81% of companies use some form of attribution model. [2] 41% of companies use last-click attribution as their primary model. [3] In 2017, 39% of companies carried out attribution on their marketing activities. [4] Over 80% of marketers use cross-device tracking for attribution. [5] Most marketers use 6 or more tools to gain performance data. [6] 30% of businesses plan to change their attribution model within the next six months. [10]

While Google Analytics is a widely used tool, it has its limitations when it comes to attribution. It primarily focuses on last-click attribution, inflates the performance of Google-owned media, and doesn’t take into account offline interactions (among other things).

If you want to take your marketing attribution approach more seriously, it may be time to consider investing in a more sophisticated attribution software or tool.

Custom attribution models allow companies to tailor the attribution process to their specific business goals and needs. This can be particularly helpful for businesses with unique customer journeys or multiple touchpoints.

Here at UniFida, we deliver bespoke marketing attribution solutions for our clients, taking into account their unique business goals and customer journeys.

We consider both online and offline touchpoints to provide a comprehensive and accurate view of marketing performance.

Upgrade Your Attribution Software Today

Challenges & Successes of Marketing Attribution Stats

46% of marketers struggle to gain actionable insights from their attribution reports. [5] 59% of marketers don’t carry out marketing attribution due to a lack of knowledge. [4] 40% don’t use or have delayed implementation of attribution due to lack of time. [4] Fine-tuning marketing measurement and reporting is a growing priority for 84% of marketers. [11] 77% of marketers say they believe they aren’t using the appropriate attribution model(s). [7] Just 17% of advertisers asked by Think with Google are looking at the performance of all their digital channels together. [12] 51% of CMOs increased their budget for marketing analytics between 2022 and 2023. [8] 56% of marketers believe attribution is important. [7] Efficiency can be increased by 15.3% when using attribution across all marketing platforms. [9] Conversion rates can increase by 36% when marketing and sales activities are effectively coordinated. [13]

If there’s one thing we can take away from the stats above, it’s that implementing marketing attribution is no easy feat, but when implemented correctly, it can have a significant impact on your marketing efforts and overall business success.

At UniFida, we provide our clients with one-of-a-kind, data-driven attribution solutions to help them overcome these challenges and make the most out of their marketing efforts.

Our data scientists are behind our customer data platform and marketing attribution software, ensuring that our clients have access to the most accurate and insightful data for their marketing strategy.

Combining MMM and MTA, our omni-channel attribution approach takes into account both online and offline touchpoints, as well as indirect channels like TV, giving our clients a comprehensive view of their marketing performance.

We also calculate and feed back to you the ROMI for each channel by month, so you can more easily identify which channels and strategies are driving the most value for your business.

We’ve already proven ourselves to be an effective partner in navigating the complex world of marketing attribution for our multiple attribution clients, and we can do the same for you.

The Importance of Marketing Attribution in Today’s Landscape

The statistics shown above illustrate just how crucial marketing attribution is in today’s data-driven landscape.

It not only helps businesses accurately measure the success of their marketing efforts, but it also provides valuable insights and data to inform future strategies.

Without a robust attribution approach, businesses can easily fall into the trap of misallocating their marketing budget and missing out on valuable opportunities for growth. And with marketing budgets constantly under scrutiny, it’s more important than ever to invest your resources in the right channels and strategies.

Marketing attribution is the only way to truly understand the impact of your marketing efforts and make informed decisions for the future.

So, if you’re not already on board with marketing attribution, these statistics should be enough to convince you of its importance.

Get Help With Marketing Attribution at UniFida Today

It isn’t news to us that marketing attribution is a complex and constantly evolving field, which is why we take a tailored and data-driven approach to help our clients navigate this complexity and achieve meaningful insights.

You can leave the complexity to us and focus on using those insights to drive your marketing strategy forward.

If you’re ready to unlock the full potential of your marketing strategy with sophisticated attribution solutions, get in touch with us today.

Contact Our Expert Team Today

FAQs

How Do You Measure Marketing Attribution?

There are various ways to measure marketing attribution, including single-touch and multi-touch models.

The most accurate and sophisticated approach is omni-channel attribution, which combines both online and offline touchpoints in the customer journey. This can be done using specialised software and requires a very large amount of data to be effective.

At UniFida, we provide bespoke attribution solutions for our clients using a combination of MMM and MTA techniques. You don’t have to slug through all the data, our experts will deliver easy-to-digest insights for you.

How Do You Choose a Marketing Attribution Model?

Choosing the right marketing attribution model depends on your specific business goals, customer journeys, and available data. You may need to experiment with different models or even create a custom one to truly accurately attribute conversions.

At UniFida, we work closely with our clients to understand their unique needs and goals, and we tailor our attribution approach accordingly.

What Are the Challenges of Marketing Attribution?

Many organisations fail to consider the role of offline interactions and brand-focused campaigns in their attribution models, leading to an incomplete understanding of marketing performance. Other challenges include data integration, privacy regulations, and a lack of skilled personnel.

A vendor or software can help alleviate some of these challenges and provide advice on the best attribution approach for your business.

How Important is Marketing Attribution?

It’s more important than ever. With the rise of data-driven marketing, accurate and comprehensive attribution is crucial for understanding the impact of your marketing efforts and making informed decisions for the future.

Not investing in proper attribution can lead to misallocated budgets and missed opportunities for growth.

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UniFida is the trading name of Marketing Planning Services Ltd, a London based technology and data science company set up in 2014. Our overall aim is to help organisations build more customer value at less marketing cost.

Our technology focus has been to develop UniFida. Data science business comes both from existing users of UniFida, and from clients looking to us to solve their more complex data related marketing questions.

Marketing is changing at an explosive speed. Our ambition is to help our clients stay empowered and ahead in this challenging environment.

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Sources:

[1] https://martech.org/multichannel-attribution-understanding-the-metrics-behind-successful-campaigns/

[2] https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/_qs/documents/8364/TwGxDDMA_AttributionWhitepaper.pdf

[3] https://www.bazaarvoice.com/blog/best-practices-marketing-attribution/

[4] https://econsultancy.com/the-state-of-marketing-attribution-research/

[5] https://jemsu.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-cross-device-attribution-for-display-campaigns-in-2023/

[6] https://www.netimperative.com/2016/05/20/rise-cross-channel-attribution-shifting-staff-key-infographic/

[7] https://leadsrx.com/resources/blog/37-mind-blowing-marketing-attribution-stats/

[8] https://vitaldesign.com/percent-of-revenue-spent-on-marketing-sales/

[9] https://llcbuddy.com/data/attribution-statistics/

[10] https://embryo.com/blog/marketing-attribution-statistics/

[11] https://www.demandgenreport.com/resources/2023-marketing-measurement-attribution-survey-orgs-focused-on-generating-granular-insights-to-increase-precision/7897/

[12] https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/future-of-marketing/management-and-culture/data-attribution-challenge-analysis/

[13] https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/marketing-attribution

Finding marketing attribution solutions that give you an accurate and full picture of where your conversions are coming from has always been a challenge, but it isn’t impossible.

We all know the pitfalls of Google Analytics, and even GA4 has its limitations. So how can we get a better understanding of our marketing efforts and their impact on conversions?

The answer lies in choosing the right marketing attribution vendor.

In this Article: What is Marketing Attribution? Why Do You Need a Marketing Attribution System? Benefits of Marketing Attribution Software What are the Different Types of Marketing Attribution Solutions? Multi-Touch Attribution UniFida’s Econometrics (or MMM) How UniFida Combines MTA & MMM Marketing Attribution Solutions How We Use Machine Learning in Our Custom Attribution Model Why Google Attribution Systems May Not Be Enough Choose UniFida as Your Marketing Attribution Partner

What is Marketing Attribution? Marketing attribution is the process of identifying which marketing channels and touchpoints contribute to a conversion or sale. It helps marketers understand the customer journey and allocate credit to each touchpoint that influenced a purchase decision. With this knowledge, marketers can make data-driven decisions and optimise their marketing budget for maximum ROI. In turn, this can lead to improved customer acquisition, retention and overall business growth.

Why Do You Need a Marketing Attribution System?

Without a marketing attribution system in place, it’s challenging (or nearly impossible) to accurately measure the performance of each channel and understand their impact on conversions.

For example, if you’re running a Facebook ad campaign and see an increase in sales (or conversions), it’s natural to assume the Facebook ads were successful.

But what if those same customers had also been exposed to your email marketing campaign or saw a display ad before converting?

Without attribution, you may be missing out on crucial insights into which channels are driving the most conversions and where to allocate your budget for maximum impact.

Benefits of Marketing Attribution Software
Accurate Measurement	Marketing attribution software uses advanced algorithms and data models to accurately track and attribute conversions to specific touchpoints.
Multi-Touch Attribution	Many marketing attribution solutions (like us at UniFida) offer multi-touch attribution, which means they can track and give credit to multiple touchpoints along the customer journey.
Data Consolidation	By integrating data from various sources, marketing attribution software creates a holistic view of your customer’s journey, providing insights that individual platforms can’t offer.
Improved ROI	With a better understanding of your marketing performance, you can optimise your budget and efforts for maximum ROI.

What are the Different Types of Marketing Attribution Solutions?

Marketing attribution can be measured in various ways, depending on your business goals and the complexity of your customer journey.

Here at UniFida, we use a bespoke methodology that combines Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA) and Econometrics (or MMM, as it’s more commonly known).

By using and marrying these two methodologies, we can provide our clients with the most comprehensive and accurate marketing attribution insights, which you won’t get with traditional MTA or MMM alone.

But what are these different types of marketing attribution solutions? Let’s take a look:

Multi-Touch Attribution

Assigns credit to all touchpoints in the customer journey, not just the last one Gives a more accurate and complete picture of how different marketing channels and tactics are contributing to conversions Takes into account the entire customer journey, from the first touchpoint to the conversion Can be customised based on specific business goals and objectives

Multi-Touch Attribution – or MTA – is a data-driven attribution model that assigns credit to multiple touchpoints along the customer journey.

Rather than giving all the credit to the last touchpoint before conversion, MTA recognises that there are usually several touchpoints that contribute to a sale.

It’s well known that Google Analytics frequently uses the last click across all channels to attribute a conversion. But in today’s multi-channel, multi-device world, this approach is limiting and often doesn’t give an accurate representation of the customer journey.

MTA aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of each channel’s impact on conversions, giving marketers the insights needed to optimise their efforts.

Read More About Out Marketing Attribution Solution

UniFida’s Econometrics (or MMM)

Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM) takes a more holistic approach to attribution by analysing historical data and identifying the impact of each marketing channel on overall sales. It considers all touchpoints along the customer journey, including offline channels such as TV, radio, and print. MMM also takes into account external factors like seasonality, economic conditions, and competitive activities.

UniFida’s Econometrics, or Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM), is a statistical model that measures the impact of each marketing channel and touchpoint on overall sales. It also considers other external factors such as the economy, competition and seasonality, which, as we know, all have an impact on sales.

Unlike MTA, MMM looks at the entire marketing mix and not just direct or digital channels. It provides a holistic view of your overall marketing performance and helps identify which channels are driving the most significant return on investment.

This requires a significant amount of data and analytics expertise, but the insights gained can prove invaluable for businesses looking to make data-driven decisions.

How UniFida Combines MTA & MMM Marketing Attribution Solutions

As mentioned earlier, at UniFida, we combine the best of both worlds by using a bespoke methodology that marries Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA) and UniFida Econometrics (MMM), giving an omnichannel marketing attribution solution.

The UniFida Multi-Touch Marketing Attribution takes into account all direct channels where a one-to-one relationship between your business and the consumer exists – this could be through…

• Organic search
• Email
• PPC
• Branded search
• SMS

…and more.

By placing a piece of code on your website, we can uncover the complete, unbiased customer journey from the past 90 days, from the initial touchpoint to the final sale.

We then combine this data with our Econometrics analysis to bring in all the indirect channels, such as TV, Radio, and Print campaigns. This gives our clients a full view of their entire marketing mix and how it contributed to each sale.

We also calculate the ROMI for each channel, so you can see exactly which ones are driving the most significant return on investment and use this data to inform future marketing decisions or present to stakeholders.

Enquire Today for More on How UniFida Can Help

How We Use Machine Learning in Our Custom Attribution Model We take our UniFida Marketing Attribution solution a step further by using machine learning to automatically attribute a ‘weight’ to each event along the customer journey. We use a time-based attribution model, where the closer an event is to the next step in the journey or the sale the more weight it’s given. This approach allows us to provide more accurate and timely insights, as well as adapt to changes in consumer behaviour and the marketing landscape.

Why Google Attribution Systems May Not Be Enough

Google offers various attribution models, including ‘last-click’, ‘first-touch’ and even a data-driven model that uses machine learning. While these may work for some businesses, they have their limitations.

Limited Data: Google’s attribution models only consider data within the Google ecosystem, leaving out crucial touchpoints from other channels. Lack of Customisation: Google’s models cannot be customised to fit your unique business goals and customer journey. No Econometrics: Google’s models do not take into account external factors that may impact sales, such as the economy or seasonality. Black box: Google is scoring its owned media and not telling you how

In order to gain the deepest and most accurate insights into your marketing performance, it’s essential to use a vendor that offers bespoke solutions tailored to your business – like us at UniFida.

Choose UniFida as Your Marketing Attribution Partner

We’ve worked with numerous clients from various industries from cruise lines to wine retailers and have helped them gain valuable insights into their marketing efforts. Our combination of MTA and MMM allows us to provide comprehensive and accurate attribution insights that traditional methods cannot match.

Don’t settle for incomplete or inaccurate data – partner with UniFida and gain a clear understanding of your marketing performance.

Contact us today to learn more about our marketing attribution solutions and how we can help your business grow.

Contact Us

FAQs

What is An Example of Marketing Attribution?

An example of marketing attribution would be a customer seeing an ad on Facebook, clicking through to your website, and then making a purchase. In this case, the Facebook ad would receive credit for the sale in the marketing attribution model.

What is a Marketing Attribution Tool?

A marketing attribution tool’s job is to track and attribute conversions to specific marketing channels and touchpoints. It helps marketers understand the customer journey and how each channel contributes to a sale.

What is the Goal of Marketing Attribution?

Marketing attribution aims to provide a better understanding of which marketing channels and touchpoints are driving conversions, allowing marketers to make data-driven decisions and optimise their efforts for maximum marketing ROI.

What is the Marketing Attribution Theory?

Marketing attribution theory is the concept of assigning credit to different marketing channels and touchpoints along the customer journey. It recognises that multiple touchpoints can contribute to a sale and aims to accurately measure their impact on conversions.

How Do You Choose the Right Attribution Model?

The right marketing attribution model depends on your business goals and the complexity of your customer journey. It’s essential to partner with a vendor that offers customisable solutions and has expertise in both MTA and MMM methodologies, like UniFida.

By combining Multi-Touch Attribution and Econometrics, we can provide the most accurate and comprehensive insights into your marketing performance. Contact us today to learn more about our bespoke marketing attribution solutions.

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UniFida is the trading name of Marketing Planning Services Ltd, a London based technology and data science company set up in 2014. Our overall aim is to help organisations build more customer value at less marketing cost.

Our technology focus has been to develop UniFida. Data science business comes both from existing users of UniFida, and from clients looking to us to solve their more complex data related marketing questions.

Marketing is changing at an explosive speed. Our ambition is to help our clients stay empowered and ahead in this challenging environment.

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