Which Attribution Model to use in Google Analytics?
Table of Contents
- When to use the Last Touch Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the First Touch Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Linear Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Time Decay Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Position Based Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Last Non-Direct Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Last Ad Click Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Data Driven Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- Other articles on attribution modelling in Google Analytics
This article is related to attribution modelling in Google Analytics.
If you are brand new to attribution modelling then read this article first: Beginners Guide to Google Analytics Attribution Modelling to get familiar with the concept of attribution modelling.
In the present article, I will give you some general guidelines, for selecting a default attribution model for the purpose of evaluating a marketing channel.
If you are not sure what a baseline model is, then read this article: Default and Custom Attribution Models in Google Analytics
You select an attribution model, on the basis of your business model and advertising objectives. The attribution model that you select has a great impact on conversion volume and conversion value. Thus attribution models can greatly impact the valuation of your marketing channels.
Both conversion volume and conversion value can vary from one attribution model to the other:
For example, if you select the ‘first touch attribution model’ then the marketing channels that initiated conversions, will get all the credit for conversions in a conversion path.
Similarly, if you select the ‘last touch attribution model’ then the marketing channels that completed conversions, will get all the credit for conversions in a conversion path.
Following are some general guidelines you can use while selecting an attribution model:
#1 When to use the Last Touch Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Use the last touch attribution model when the least amount of buying consideration is involved. For example, if you are an FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) company (like ‘Tesco’ or ‘Walmart) and you sell products that involve the least amount of consideration by a buyer, then you can use the last touch attribution model.
This is because you then do not need to assign more conversion credit to the first and middle interactions in your conversion path.
#2 When to use the First Touch Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Use the first touch attribution model, if brand building/brand awareness is very important for you. If you are a new player in your niche then you may need more brand awareness than your established competitors.
Consequently, your advertising goals should be more ‘brand building’ centric. So you may need to assign more conversion credit to interactions, which initiated the conversion process.
In that case, use the First touch attribution model.
Get the Free E-Book (52 Pages)
#3 When to use the Linear Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Use this attribution model, if you have a business model where each interaction with your customers is equally important for your conversions.
For example, if you provide customer support service then each interaction with your customers is equally important for you. In that case, use the linear attribution model.
#4 When to use the Time Decay Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Use the time decay model, if you are running time-sensitive promotional campaigns.
If you want to understand the buying behavior of your customers during a promotional campaign then you would want to assign more credits to the interactions which occurred closest in time to conversions, as they are more relevant than the interactions which occurred further in the past. In that case, use the Time Decay Model.
In the absence of the data-driven attribution model, I prefer to use the time decay model.
#5 When to use the Position Based Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
If you have a business model or advertising objectives, which value first and last interactions more than the middle interactions, then use the Position based model.
#6 When to use the Last Non-Direct Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Direct traffic is not really a traffic source or a marketing channel.
It is an “action” taken by your users and this action is the result of the impact of marketing activity. So you shouldn’t be assigning credit for conversions to direct traffic.
Consequently, you should use the last non-direct click model (instead of last click model) which gives all the credit for conversions to the last non-direct click in a conversion path.
All non-multi-channel funnels report in Google Analytics use a non-direct click attribution model by default.
#7 When to use the Last Ad Click Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Use the Last Ad click model, if you just want to understand the role of Google ads in users’ conversion paths.
#8 When to use the Data Driven Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
If you have access to Google Analytics premium/360 account, then definitely use the data driven model.
There are two main reasons for that:
#8.1 Data driven model assigns credit for conversions algorithmically, which can be much more trustworthy than manually assigned conversion credits and/or the credits assigned via time decay model.
#8.2 Data driven model can analyse the data not only from your GA account but also from all those Google (like Google Ads) and non-Google accounts which are linked to your GA account.
If you are still having a hard time deciding which attribution model to use then compare different attribution models to each other via the model comparison tool in Google Analytics.
Then determine whether your marketing channel(s) is undervalued or overvalued under a particular attribution model.
Get my best selling books on Attribution Modelling
- Learn to implement attribution modelling in your organisation
- Understand the customer purchase journey across devices
- Determine the most effective marketing channels for investment
Click book covers to find out more.
Other articles on Attribution Modelling in Google Analytics
- Touch Point Analysis in Google Analytics Attribution Modelling
- 8 Google Analytics Conversions Segments You Must Use
- Default and Custom Attribution Models in Google Analytics
- Attribution Model Comparison Tool in Google Analytics
- Which Attribution Model to use in Google Analytics?
- How to create Custom Attribution Model in Google Analytics
- How to do ROI Analysis in Google Analytics
- Google Analytics Attribution Modelling – Complete Guide
- Guide to Data Driven Attribution Model in Google Analytics
- Conversion Credit distribution for Attribution Models in Google Analytics
- You are doing Google Analytics all wrong. Here is why
- Marketing Mix Modelling or Attribution Modelling. Which one is for you?
- Introduction to Nonline Analytics – True Multi Channel Analytics
- How to set up Data driven attribution model in Google Analytics
- How to valuate Display Advertising through Attribution Modelling
- Understanding Shopping Carts for Analytics and Conversion Optimization
- View-through conversion tracking in Google Analytics
- Understanding Missing Touch Points in Attribution Modelling
- Guide to Offline Conversion Tracking in Google Analytics
- How to explain attribution modelling to your clients
- 6 Keys to Digital Success in Attribution Modelling
- How to use ZMOT to increase Conversions and Sales exponentially
- How to Measure and Improve the Quality of SEO Traffic through Google Analytics
- How to analyse and report the true value of your SEO Campaign
- How to allocate Budgets in Multi Channel Marketing
- What You Should Know about Historical Data in Web Analytics
- Google Analytics Not Provided Keywords and how to unlock and analyze them
- Selecting the Best Attribution Model for Inbound Marketing
- Introduction to TV attribution in Google Analytics Attribution 360
- Cross Device Reports in Google Analytics via Google Signals
- Data-Driven Attribution Model Explorer in Google Analytics
Do you know the difference between Web Analytics and Google Analytics?
99.99% of course creators themselves don’t know the difference between Web analytics, Google Analytics (GA) and Google Tag Manager (GTM).
So they are teaching GA and GTM in the name of teaching Web analytics.
They just copy each other. Monkey see, monkey do.
But Web analytics is not about GA, GTM.
It is about analyzing and interpreting data, setting up goals, strategies and KPIs.
It’s about creating strategic roadmap for your business.
Web Analytics is the core skill. Google Analytics is just a tool used to implement ‘Web Analytics’.
You can also implement ‘Web analytics’ via other tools like ‘adobe analytics’, ‘kissmetrics’ etc.
Using Google Analytics without the good understanding of ‘Web analytics’ is like driving around in a car, in a big city without understanding the traffic rules and road signs.
You are either likely to end up somewhere other than your destination or you get involved in an accident.
You learn data analysis and interpretation from Web analytics and not from Google Analytics.
The direction in which your analysis will move, will determine the direction in which your marketing campaigns and eventually your company will move to get the highest possible return on investment.
You get that direction from ‘Web analytics’ and not from ‘Google Analytics’.
You learn to set up KPIs, strategies and measurement framework for your business from ‘Web analytics’ and not from ‘Google Analytics’.
So if you are taking a course only on 'Google Analytics’, you are learning to use one of the tools of ‘Web analytics’. You are not learning the ‘Web analytics’ itself.
Since any person can learn to use Google Analytics in couple of weeks, you do no get any competitive advantage in the marketplace just by knowing GA.
You need to know lot more than GA in order to work in Web analytics and marketing field.
So what I have done, if you are interested, is I have put together a completely free training that will teach you exactly how I have been able to leverage web/digital analytics to generate floods of news sales and customers and how you can literally copy what I have done to get similar results.
Here what You'll Learn On This FREE Web Class!
1) Why digital analytics is the key to online business success
2) The number 1 reason why most marketers are not able to scale their advertising and maximize sales.
3) Why Google and Facebook ads don’t work for most businesses & how to make them work.
4) Why you won’t get any competitive advantage in the marketplace just by knowing Google Analytics.
5) The number 1 reason why conversion optimization is not working for your business.
6) How to advertise on any marketing platform for FREE with an unlimited budget.
7) How to learn and master digital analytics and conversion optimization in record time.
My best selling books on Digital Analytics and Conversion Optimization
Maths and Stats for Web Analytics and Conversion Optimization
This expert guide will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of maths and statistics in order to accurately interpret data and take actions, which can quickly improve the bottom-line of your online business.
Master the Essentials of Email Marketing Analytics
This book focuses solely on the ‘analytics’ that power your email marketing optimization program and will help you dramatically reduce your cost per acquisition and increase marketing ROI by tracking the performance of the various KPIs and metrics used for email marketing.
Attribution Modelling in Google Analytics and Beyond
Attribution modelling is the process of determining the most effective marketing channels for investment. This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling. It will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to allocate marketing budget and understand buying behaviour.
Attribution Modelling in Google Ads and Facebook
This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling in Google Ads (Google AdWords) and Facebook. It will teach you, how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to understand the customer purchasing journey and determine the most effective marketing channels for investment.
Himanshu Sharma
Digital Marketing Consultant and Founder of Optimizesmart.com
Table of Contents
- When to use the Last Touch Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the First Touch Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Linear Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Time Decay Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Position Based Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Last Non-Direct Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Last Ad Click Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- When to use the Data Driven Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
- Other articles on attribution modelling in Google Analytics
This article is related to attribution modelling in Google Analytics.
If you are brand new to attribution modelling then read this article first: Beginners Guide to Google Analytics Attribution Modelling to get familiar with the concept of attribution modelling.
In the present article, I will give you some general guidelines, for selecting a default attribution model for the purpose of evaluating a marketing channel.
If you are not sure what a baseline model is, then read this article: Default and Custom Attribution Models in Google Analytics
You select an attribution model, on the basis of your business model and advertising objectives. The attribution model that you select has a great impact on conversion volume and conversion value. Thus attribution models can greatly impact the valuation of your marketing channels.
Both conversion volume and conversion value can vary from one attribution model to the other:
For example, if you select the ‘first touch attribution model’ then the marketing channels that initiated conversions, will get all the credit for conversions in a conversion path.
Similarly, if you select the ‘last touch attribution model’ then the marketing channels that completed conversions, will get all the credit for conversions in a conversion path.
Following are some general guidelines you can use while selecting an attribution model:
#1 When to use the Last Touch Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Use the last touch attribution model when the least amount of buying consideration is involved. For example, if you are an FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) company (like ‘Tesco’ or ‘Walmart) and you sell products that involve the least amount of consideration by a buyer, then you can use the last touch attribution model.
This is because you then do not need to assign more conversion credit to the first and middle interactions in your conversion path.
#2 When to use the First Touch Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Use the first touch attribution model, if brand building/brand awareness is very important for you. If you are a new player in your niche then you may need more brand awareness than your established competitors.
Consequently, your advertising goals should be more ‘brand building’ centric. So you may need to assign more conversion credit to interactions, which initiated the conversion process.
In that case, use the First touch attribution model.
Get the Free E-Book (52 Pages)
#3 When to use the Linear Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Use this attribution model, if you have a business model where each interaction with your customers is equally important for your conversions.
For example, if you provide customer support service then each interaction with your customers is equally important for you. In that case, use the linear attribution model.
#4 When to use the Time Decay Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Use the time decay model, if you are running time-sensitive promotional campaigns.
If you want to understand the buying behavior of your customers during a promotional campaign then you would want to assign more credits to the interactions which occurred closest in time to conversions, as they are more relevant than the interactions which occurred further in the past. In that case, use the Time Decay Model.
In the absence of the data-driven attribution model, I prefer to use the time decay model.
#5 When to use the Position Based Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
If you have a business model or advertising objectives, which value first and last interactions more than the middle interactions, then use the Position based model.
#6 When to use the Last Non-Direct Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Direct traffic is not really a traffic source or a marketing channel.
It is an “action” taken by your users and this action is the result of the impact of marketing activity. So you shouldn’t be assigning credit for conversions to direct traffic.
Consequently, you should use the last non-direct click model (instead of last click model) which gives all the credit for conversions to the last non-direct click in a conversion path.
All non-multi-channel funnels report in Google Analytics use a non-direct click attribution model by default.
#7 When to use the Last Ad Click Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
Use the Last Ad click model, if you just want to understand the role of Google ads in users’ conversion paths.
#8 When to use the Data Driven Attribution Model in Google Analytics?
If you have access to Google Analytics premium/360 account, then definitely use the data driven model.
There are two main reasons for that:
#8.1 Data driven model assigns credit for conversions algorithmically, which can be much more trustworthy than manually assigned conversion credits and/or the credits assigned via time decay model.
#8.2 Data driven model can analyse the data not only from your GA account but also from all those Google (like Google Ads) and non-Google accounts which are linked to your GA account.
If you are still having a hard time deciding which attribution model to use then compare different attribution models to each other via the model comparison tool in Google Analytics.
Then determine whether your marketing channel(s) is undervalued or overvalued under a particular attribution model.
Get my best selling books on Attribution Modelling
- Learn to implement attribution modelling in your organisation
- Understand the customer purchase journey across devices
- Determine the most effective marketing channels for investment
Click book covers to find out more.
Other articles on Attribution Modelling in Google Analytics
- Touch Point Analysis in Google Analytics Attribution Modelling
- 8 Google Analytics Conversions Segments You Must Use
- Default and Custom Attribution Models in Google Analytics
- Attribution Model Comparison Tool in Google Analytics
- Which Attribution Model to use in Google Analytics?
- How to create Custom Attribution Model in Google Analytics
- How to do ROI Analysis in Google Analytics
- Google Analytics Attribution Modelling – Complete Guide
- Guide to Data Driven Attribution Model in Google Analytics
- Conversion Credit distribution for Attribution Models in Google Analytics
- You are doing Google Analytics all wrong. Here is why
- Marketing Mix Modelling or Attribution Modelling. Which one is for you?
- Introduction to Nonline Analytics – True Multi Channel Analytics
- How to set up Data driven attribution model in Google Analytics
- How to valuate Display Advertising through Attribution Modelling
- Understanding Shopping Carts for Analytics and Conversion Optimization
- View-through conversion tracking in Google Analytics
- Understanding Missing Touch Points in Attribution Modelling
- Guide to Offline Conversion Tracking in Google Analytics
- How to explain attribution modelling to your clients
- 6 Keys to Digital Success in Attribution Modelling
- How to use ZMOT to increase Conversions and Sales exponentially
- How to Measure and Improve the Quality of SEO Traffic through Google Analytics
- How to analyse and report the true value of your SEO Campaign
- How to allocate Budgets in Multi Channel Marketing
- What You Should Know about Historical Data in Web Analytics
- Google Analytics Not Provided Keywords and how to unlock and analyze them
- Selecting the Best Attribution Model for Inbound Marketing
- Introduction to TV attribution in Google Analytics Attribution 360
- Cross Device Reports in Google Analytics via Google Signals
- Data-Driven Attribution Model Explorer in Google Analytics
Do you know the difference between Web Analytics and Google Analytics?
99.99% of course creators themselves don’t know the difference between Web analytics, Google Analytics (GA) and Google Tag Manager (GTM).So they are teaching GA and GTM in the name of teaching Web analytics.
They just copy each other. Monkey see, monkey do.
But Web analytics is not about GA, GTM.
It is about analyzing and interpreting data, setting up goals, strategies and KPIs.
It’s about creating strategic roadmap for your business.
Web Analytics is the core skill. Google Analytics is just a tool used to implement ‘Web Analytics’.You can also implement ‘Web analytics’ via other tools like ‘adobe analytics’, ‘kissmetrics’ etc.
Using Google Analytics without the good understanding of ‘Web analytics’ is like driving around in a car, in a big city without understanding the traffic rules and road signs.
You are either likely to end up somewhere other than your destination or you get involved in an accident.
You learn data analysis and interpretation from Web analytics and not from Google Analytics.The direction in which your analysis will move, will determine the direction in which your marketing campaigns and eventually your company will move to get the highest possible return on investment.
You get that direction from ‘Web analytics’ and not from ‘Google Analytics’.
You learn to set up KPIs, strategies and measurement framework for your business from ‘Web analytics’ and not from ‘Google Analytics’.So if you are taking a course only on 'Google Analytics’, you are learning to use one of the tools of ‘Web analytics’. You are not learning the ‘Web analytics’ itself.
Since any person can learn to use Google Analytics in couple of weeks, you do no get any competitive advantage in the marketplace just by knowing GA.
You need to know lot more than GA in order to work in Web analytics and marketing field.
So what I have done, if you are interested, is I have put together a completely free training that will teach you exactly how I have been able to leverage web/digital analytics to generate floods of news sales and customers and how you can literally copy what I have done to get similar results.
Here what You'll Learn On This FREE Web Class!
1) Why digital analytics is the key to online business success
2) The number 1 reason why most marketers are not able to scale their advertising and maximize sales.
3) Why Google and Facebook ads don’t work for most businesses & how to make them work.
4) Why you won’t get any competitive advantage in the marketplace just by knowing Google Analytics.
5) The number 1 reason why conversion optimization is not working for your business.
6) How to advertise on any marketing platform for FREE with an unlimited budget.
7) How to learn and master digital analytics and conversion optimization in record time.
My best selling books on Digital Analytics and Conversion Optimization
Maths and Stats for Web Analytics and Conversion Optimization
This expert guide will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of maths and statistics in order to accurately interpret data and take actions, which can quickly improve the bottom-line of your online business.
Master the Essentials of Email Marketing Analytics
This book focuses solely on the ‘analytics’ that power your email marketing optimization program and will help you dramatically reduce your cost per acquisition and increase marketing ROI by tracking the performance of the various KPIs and metrics used for email marketing.
Attribution Modelling in Google Analytics and Beyond
Attribution modelling is the process of determining the most effective marketing channels for investment. This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling. It will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to allocate marketing budget and understand buying behaviour.
Attribution Modelling in Google Ads and Facebook
This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling in Google Ads (Google AdWords) and Facebook. It will teach you, how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to understand the customer purchasing journey and determine the most effective marketing channels for investment.
Himanshu Sharma
Digital Marketing Consultant and Founder of Optimizesmart.com