Traffic sources and attribution

Website attribution models explained

Understand what common attribution approaches credit and where each can mislead.

Attribution assigns credit to observed touchpoints. No model can fully capture every conversation, device switch or offline influence behind a decision.

Know the question each model answers

First-touch views highlight discovery, last-touch views highlight the recorded final source, and multi-touch rules distribute credit across a set of recorded interactions. These are useful perspectives, not competing truths. Your analytics implementation and consent choices determine which touchpoints are visible in the first place.

Put it into practice

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Match the model to the decision

A team deciding where to invest in awareness needs a different view from one trying to diagnose a conversion landing page. Compare model outputs and check whether rankings shift materially. Blend web data with customer feedback, sales notes or a controlled experiment when allocating meaningful budget.

Make limitations part of the report

Document lookback windows, channel rules and missing data. A person may see an ad, return directly on another device and convert later; the recorded path may give direct too much credit. Avoid presenting attributed revenue as causal lift unless a suitable experiment supports that claim.