Conversion Paths Report Explained in Google Analytics Attribution

Attribution Modelling

A conversion path is a sequence of touchpoints (clicks, visits) with digital marketing channels during the 1 to 90 days period that leads to a conversion.

The period of 1 to 90 days prior to conversions is known as the lookback window.

Through the Conversion Paths report, you can understand your customers’ paths to conversion for a particular conversion type, conversion credit model (aka attribution model) and conversion path length.

In order to access the Conversion Paths report follow the steps below:

Step-1: Navigate to https://analytics.google.com/analytics/attribution/

Step-2: Click on the ‘Conversions paths’ link on the left-hand side:

The conversion paths report show total conversions and revenue for each conversion path:

By default, the Conversion Paths report is sorted by paths with the highest number of conversions.

Click the down arrow next to ‘Conversions’ to sort the report by paths with the lowest number of conversions.

You can similarly sort the report by ‘Revenue’ metrics.

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Conversion Paths report for a conversion type

By default, the Conversion Paths report shows data for all conversion types.

In order to see the conversion paths report for a particular conversion type, follow the steps below:

Step-1: Select your date range from the date picker drop-down menu:

Step-2: Click on the conversions drop-down menu:

Step-3: Uncheck the box next to ‘ALL CONVERSION TYPES’:

Step-4: Select one or more conversion type for which you to see data in the conversion paths report:

Step-5: Click outside of the drop-down menu, somewhere on the conversion path report. This will close the drop-down menu and you will see the conversion paths report for your selected conversion:

Conversion Paths report settings

You can change the settings of your Conversion Paths report by clicking on the ‘Edit report’ button on the top right-hand side:

Once you clicked on the ‘Edit report’ button, you would see the ‘Report Settings’ panel:

Through the report settings panel you can:

Change the primary dimension used by the conversion paths report
You can show or hide the conversion credit score for each touchpoint in a conversion path
You can change the conversion credit model (aka attribution model) used by the conversion paths report
You can change the conversion path length

Changing the primary dimension used by the Conversion Paths report

By default the conversion path report uses the ‘Analytics Channel’ (also known as ‘channel’) primary dimension:

You can change this primary dimension to ‘analytics campaign (or source/medium)’ by following the steps below:

Step-1: click on the ‘Edit report’ button.

Step-2: click on the ‘Analytics channel’ button:

Step-3: Select the ‘analytics campaign (or source/medium)’:

You guessed it right. There are only two primary dimensions available in attribution reports.

Your Conversion Paths report would now look like the one below:

Showing or hiding the conversion credit score for each touchpoint in a conversion path

By default the Conversion Path report shows conversion credit score for each touchpoint in a conversion path:

If you don’t want to see the conversion credit score for each touchpoint in a conversion path then click on the ‘Edit report’ button and then switch off the toggle button named ‘Show credit for Touchpoints’:

Following is an example of the Conversion Paths report that does not display conversion credit score for each touchpoint in a conversion path:

Changing the conversion credit model (aka attribution model) used by the Conversion Paths report

By default, the Conversion Paths report use the last click (non-direct) conversion credit model:

You can change this conversion credit model by clicking on the ‘Edit report’ button and then selecting a different model from the ‘conversion credit model’ menu:

Another and faster way to change the attribution model is by clicking on the ‘Conversion credit model = Last click’ button’ from within the Conversion Paths report:

Changing the conversion path length

Path length (or conversion path length) is the length of a conversion path in terms of the number of touchpoints.

For example, the following conversion path is made up of two touchpoints ‘organic search’ and ‘direct’:

Therefore the path length of this conversion path is two.

Similarly, the following conversion path is made up of six touchpoints:

Therefore the path length of this conversion path is six.

By default the Conversion Paths report show only the conversion paths which are made up of two or more touchpoints:

To change the conversion path length follow the steps below:

Step-1: Click on the ‘Edit report’ button.

Step-2: Select an operator (equal to, not equal to, greater than, greater than or equal to, etc) from the ‘Path Length’ drop-down menu:

Step-3: Enter the number (which denotes conversion path size) in the touchpoint(s) box:

Step-4: Click on the ‘Apply’ button.

Another and faster way to change the conversion path length is by clicking on the button from within the conversion paths report:

Searching/filtering in Conversion Paths report

If you want to see only those conversion paths which include a particular touchpoint say ‘Organic Search’ then follow the steps below:

Step-1: Click the search icon (a magnifying glass which sits right below the date picker):

Step-2: Enter the text ‘Organic Search’ in the text box:

You should now see all the conversion paths which include ‘Organic Search’ touchpoint somewhere in the conversion path:

You can similarly filter out conversion paths which include ‘referral’ touchpoint somewhere in the conversion path:

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