Attribution helps you determine which ads or channels deserve credit for influencing a customer’s purchase. Let’s break down the different attribution models and show you how they work, with examples you can use in your reports.
What Is Attribution Modeling?
Attribution modeling is a way to allocate credit to various ads or marketing channels a customer interacts with on their way to making a purchase. This helps you:
Evaluate Channel Performance: See which channels drive the most sales.
Optimize Resource Allocation: Focus your budget on what works best.
Attribution Models
Attribution models determine how credit for conversions is assigned to different touchpoints in the customer journey.
Please select from the list of attribution models below to navigate to the model to learn more:
First Touch
Attributes credit to the first click before the conversion.
First Touch Example:
Day 1: User clicks a Google Ad
Day 2: The user clicks on a link in an email and lands on your website
Day 3: User clicks a Facebook Ad
Day 4: User visits site from Google organic search and converts
In this case, Google Ads gets 100% of the credit since it was the first touchpoint.
Last Touch
Attributes credit to the last click before the conversion.
Last Touch Example:
Day 1: User clicks a Google Ad
Day 2: The user clicks on a link in an email and lands on your website
Day 3: User clicks a Facebook Ad
Day 4: User visits site from Google organic search and converts
Google Organic gets 100% of the credit because it was the last touchpoint.
Last Non-Direct Touch
Attributes credit to the last click before the conversion, excluding direct visits.
Last Non-Direct Touch Example:
Day 1: User clicks a Google Ad
Day 2: The user clicks on a link in an email and lands on your website
Day 3: User clicks a Facebook Ad
Day 4: The user directly navigates to the site and completes a conversion.
Facebook Ads gets 100% of the credit because direct visits are excluded.
Last Touch - Source Specific
This model gives credit to the last click from a specific source and is the default model in the Cometly Ads Manager.
By using "Last Touch - Source Specific" as the default in the Ads Manager, you get a focused, accurate view of how individual ads within a specific platform impact conversions. This ensures your data is actionable and platform-specific, helping you optimize more effectively.
Last Touch - Source Specific Example:
Day 1: User clicks Google Ad #1.
Day 2: User clicks Facebook Ad #1.
Day 3: User clicks Facebook Ad #2.
Day 4: User clicks Google Ad #2 and converts.
What You’ll See in the Ads Manager:
In the Facebook Ads Manager: (Facebook Ads Source)
Credit: Facebook Ad #2 gets credit because it was the last interaction within Facebook.
In the Google Ads Manager: (Google Ads Source)
Credit: Google Ad #2 gets credit because it was the last interaction within Google.
How It Differs in Dashboard Reports:
In Dashboard Reports, when this model is applied, it looks at the last click within the selected sources. For example:
If you select Facebook Ads and Google Ads as sources, the report will show which ad click (touch point) had the last click before the conversion.
This allows you to analyze performance across multiple sources but still attributes conversions based on the last touch within each selected platform.
First Touch - Source Specific
Credits the first click from a specific source.
First Touch - Source Specific Example:
Day 1: User clicks Google Ad #1.
Day 2: User clicks Facebook Ad #1.
Day 3: User clicks Facebook Ad #2.
Day 4: User clicks Google Ad #2 and converts.
What You’ll See in the Ads Manager:
In the Facebook Ads Manager: (Facebook Ads Source)
Credit: Facebook Ad #1 gets credit because it was the first interaction within Facebook.
In the Google Ads Manager: (Google Ads Source)
Credit: Google Ad #1 gets credit because it was the first interaction within Google.
How It Differs in Dashboard Reports
In Dashboard Reports, when this model is applied, it looks at the last click within the selected sources. For example:
If you select Facebook Ads and Google Ads as sources, the report will show which ad click (touch point) had the first click before the conversion.
This allows you to analyze performance across multiple sources but still attributes conversions based on the first touch within each selected platform.
Linear
Splits credit equally across all touchpoints.
Linear Example:
Day 1: User clicks a Google Ad
Day 2: The user clicks on a link in an email and lands on your website
Day 3: User clicks a Facebook Ad
Day 4: User visits site from Google organic search and converts
Each touchpoint gets 25% credit in the report (1 conversion divided equally among 4 touchpoints).
Linear Paid
Divides credit equally across all paid sources.
Linear Paid Example:
Day 1: User clicks a Google Ad
Day 2: The user clicks on a link in an email and lands on your website
Day 3: User clicks a Facebook Ad
Day 4: User visits site from Google organic search and converts
The Facebook and Google ads each get 50% credit, while email and Google Organic receive no credit.
U-Shaped
U-Shaped Attribution is an attribution model which emphasizes and credits the first and last touchpoint a user encounters with more credit, than the touchpoints encountered in the middle of the customer journey. Specifically the first and last touch touchpoint encountered is given 40% of the conversion credit. The remaining 20% is distributed equally among all other touchpoints encountered in the journey.
U-Shaped Example:
Day 1: User clicks a Google Ad
Day 2: The user clicks on a link in an email and lands on your website
Day 3: User clicks a Facebook Ad
Day 4: User visits site from Google organic search and converts
The Facebook and Google ads each receive 40% credit, while the middle interactions share the remaining 20%.
Attribution Windows
An attribution window is the time frame during which events (like clicks or ad interactions) are tracked and credited to a specific marketing source or ad.
Choosing the right attribution window is essential because it directly impacts how your marketing efforts are evaluated.
Why Do Attribution Windows Matter?
Different businesses have unique needs when it comes to attribution:
Short Sales Cycles: For businesses with quick purchase decisions, like e-commerce, crediting an ad from weeks ago may not be relevant.
Long Sales Cycles: For companies selling high-ticket or B2B products, which often involve research and multiple touchpoints, a longer attribution window captures the full customer journey.
With Cometly, you can select the attribution window that fits your business model and marketing goals.
Cometly’s Attribution Window Options
Cometly offers flexible attribution windows to suit a wide range of businesses:
1 Day: Tracks conversions that occur within 1 day of the interaction.
7 Day: Tracks conversions that occur within 7 days.
14 Day: Tracks conversions that occur within 14 days.
30 Day: Tracks conversions that occur within 30 days.
60 Day: Tracks conversions that occur within 60 days.
90 Day: Tracks conversions that occur within 90 days.
Lifetime (LTV): Tracks the entire customer journey, attributing all interactions no matter how long it takes.
How to Choose the Right Attribution Window
1 Day or 7 Day: Ideal for fast-moving industries, like e-commerce, where conversions typically happen quickly after an ad interaction.
14 Day or 30 Day: Suitable for businesses with moderate sales cycles, where customers need some time to consider before purchasing.
60 Day, 90 Day, or Lifetime (LTV): Best for longer sales cycles, such as high-ticket items or B2B sales, where multiple touchpoints and research are common.
Why Attribution Windows Work Hand-in-Hand with Models
The attribution window defines when credit is given, while the attribution model defines how credit is distributed. For example:
A 7-Day Last Touch Model credits the last click within 7 days of the conversion.
A 30-Day Linear Model divides credit across all touchpoints within 30 days.
This combination gives you a full understanding of your marketing performance, tailored to your business needs.
Example Scenarios
1-Day Window:
User clicks on an ad today and converts tomorrow.
Credit is not given, as the conversion happened outside the 1-day window.
30-Day Window:
User clicks on an ad today and converts after 10 days.
Credit is given because the conversion falls within the 30-day window.
Lifetime Window (LTV):
User clicks on an ad today and converts 6 months later.
Credit is still given because the entire customer journey is tracked, no matter how long it takes.