Marketing attribution is the practice of evaluating the marketing touchpoints a consumer encounters on their path to purchase, with the goal of determining which channels and messages had the greatest impact on the decision to convert or take the desired next step. It involves identifying a set of user actions or touchpoints that contribute to a desired outcome, and then assigning a value to each of these events. Attribution models are used to measure and optimize the unique touchpoints that lead to conversions and sales.
Marketing attribution can help marketers quantify the influence each advertising impression has on a consumer’s decision to make a purchase decision or convert. It provides visibility into what influences the audience, when and to what extent, allowing marketers to optimize media spend for conversions and compare the value of different marketing channels, including paid and organic search, email, and more.
The most effective attribution models provide insight into which messages a consumer was exposed to and on what channel, which touchpoint had the greatest impact on their decision to purchase, and the role brand perception played. Analyzing attribution data provides an understanding of which marketing, sales, and customer success efforts are contributing most effectively and efficiently toward revenue generation, and helps identify opportunities for growth and improvement while informing budget allocation decisions.
Marketing attribution can be a robust and detailed process, and there are several popular attribution models used by marketers today, such as multi-touch attribution, lift studies, time decay, and more. However, it can also present unique challenges when it comes to analyzing the overall impact of a particular campaign on marketing ROI.
