What is Attribution Modelling?
An Attribution Model is a rule, or set of rules, that determines how much credit each touch point (impressions and clicks) is assigned within a sales or conversion path.
With Data-Driven Marketing increasingly influencing the way digital marketers and practitioners deliver and analyse their campaigns, Attribution is an integral part of leading organisation’s strategy and Digital Marketing Maturity.
The different types of Attribution Models
- Last-click (Floodlight)
- Last Interaction
- First Interaction
- Linear
- Time-Decay
- Position Based
- Social
- Data-Driven
- Custom
Why should you use Attribution Modelling? 8 benefits of Attribution
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- Attribution provides efficiency gains of 15-30% (Source: 37 Mind blowing Marketing Attribution Stats)
- Measure the true value of your marketing activities
- Develop a more thorough understanding of your customers and their behaviour
- More accurately focus your activities based on accurate reporting of Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)
- Capture marketing performance data comprehensively
- Understand relationships between conversions and your different marketing channels
- Expand your measurement capabilities
- Achieve Digital Marketing Maturity for your organisation
Attribution Model #1 – Floodlight (last-click) Attribution (default)
Level: Beginner
When to use: When you want to match attribution to Floodlight reporting
The Floodlight Attribution Model attributes 100% of the conversion value to the channel of the last click made by the user prior to buying or converting. In the case there is no click, this model attributes all conversion value to the last impression.
Attribution Model #2 – Last Interaction Attribution
Level: Beginner
When to use: Campaigns for transactional products or to convert people at the moment of purchase such as Dynamic Remarketing to site visitors who leave an abandoned cart.
In this Attribution Model, the last touchpoint receives 100% of the credit for the sale or conversion.
Attribution Model #3 – First Interaction Attribution
Level: Beginner
When to use: Brand awareness campaigns first exposing potential customers to a brand.
In the First Interaction attribution model, the first touchpoint receives 100% of the credit for the sale or conversion.
Attribution Model #4 – Linear Attribution
Level: Beginner
When to use: To interpret the effectiveness of your channels without taking into consideration direct traffic.
Within this model, each touchpoint in the conversion path shares equal credit of the sale or conversion. For example, if there are 5 touch points prior to conversion then each touch point would receive 20% credit.
Attribution Model #5 – Time Decay Attribution
Level: Intermediate
When to use: For short (2-3 day) tactical or promotional campaigns
Time Decay Attribution puts a heavier credit weighting on touch points that are closest to the time of sale or conversion.
“84% say associating conversion events with marketing is very important to growth”
Attribution Model #6 – Position-based Attribution
Level: Intermediate
When to use: For campaigns that will typically convert within 30-90 days or typically use the same channel for brand awareness and conversion.
For Position-based Attribution, 40% credit is assigned to both the first and last interaction, then the remaining 20% credit is distributed evenly to any middle interactions.
Attribution Model #7 – Social Attribution
Level: Intermediate
When to use: When measuring social specific campaigns such as Snapchat
Based on the linear model, Social Attribution also takes social impressions into account. Below is a summary of the default weightings are:
- Impressions without social engagements = x 0.5
- Impressions with any low-value social engagements (expands or profile – don’t increase reach) = x 0.75
- Impressions with any high-value social engagements includes shares and retweets – increase reach) = x 1.5
“77% say they believe they’re not using the right attribution models”
Attribution Model #8 – Data-Driven Attribution
Level: Advanced
When to use: It is recommended to apply Data-Driven Attribution if you are recording at least 15,000 clicks and 600 conversions within a 30 day period.
Data-Driven Attribution uses Floodlight configuration data along the conversion path (converted and non-converted users) to provide insight into the impact each marketing touchpoint had across your customer’s journey. Importantly, by achieving the minimum clicks and conversions you provide enough information for the algorithm within the GMP technology to begin learning and apply game theory concepts to determine Attribution. We explore Data-Driven Attribution in more depth in our recent article.
Attribution Model #9 – Custom Attribution
Level: Advanced
When to use: Once your organisation has mastered the implementation and analysis of Data-Driven Attribution
This is where the advanced capabilities of the Google Marketing Platform come in, Campaign Manager 360 (CM360) provides you the opportunity to set and adjust exactly how much credit you’d like to attribute against each channel within the conversion path by creating a Custom Attribution Model. It is important to be aware that you are allowed up to 10 Custom and Data-Driven Attribution Models combined.
“96% say their algorithmic attribution is at least somewhat effective, while 89% say their custom attribution is. But, just 23% use these methods.”
How to view different Attribution Models in Campaign Manager 360 (CM360)
Comparing and contrasting the data from multiple Attribution Models can be an effective way to get full perspective on the conversions and sales of your organisation. Within Campaign Manager 360 (CM360) you can do this using the Attribution Modelling Tool:
- Within Campaign Manager 360 (CM 360), go to Reporting & Attribution > Attribution.
- Select a Floodlight configuration
- Click Attribution Modeling Tool in the left hand menu
- Next to the dropdown with the default model (Floodlight (last-click) Attribution), you can either select Attribution Models 1-7, Create new data-driven model or Create new custom model at the bottom of the list click.
Attribution Models within your Floodlight Configuration
You can also set up Attribution Models within your Floodlight Configuration which will allow you to use a particular Attribution Model in all your future reports. Another feature you can leverage within your Floodlight Configuration is Enhanced Attribution, once enabled it improves your attribution signals for display and video inventory across the GMP.
“34% say having the right technologies for data collection and analysis has the greatest impact on ability to understand the customer”
Conclusion
Campaign Manager 360 (CM360) provides a range of beginner, intermediate and advanced Attribution Models within the platform allowing you to compare and contrast common, default Models to Data-Driven Attribution or Custom Attribution. With Attribution being a key strategy in maximising the effectiveness and efficiency of campaigns through reporting of existing conversion channels, leading organisations are using the Google Marketing Platform to deliver and leverage actionable insights within their organisations.
For consultation or support on any of the Attribution Models within Campaign Manager 360 (CM360) explored above, or your organisation’s Attribution strategy, contact the FiveStones team today.