Marketing Attribution

Lesson 3: Types of Marketing Attribution Models

For further reading on these topics, check out Marketing Attribution Models: A Guide to Analytics and Measurement.

Welcome to Lesson 3: Types of Marketing Attribution Models as part of the Introduction to Marketing Attribution series on kindamartech.com.

Marketing attribution models are frameworks used to assign credit for conversions to various touchpoints along the customer journey. Understanding these models helps marketers analyze the effectiveness of different marketing channels and optimize their strategies.

Types of Attribution Models

Let's explore the various types of marketing attribution models:

1. First-Touch Attribution

This model assigns all credit to the first touchpoint that a customer interacts with.

Learn more about First-Touch Attribution

First-Touch Attribution is useful for understanding which channels are effective at generating initial interest.

2. Last-Touch Attribution

This model assigns all credit to the last touchpoint before the conversion.

Learn more about Last-Touch Attribution

Last-Touch Attribution helps you identify which channels are most effective at closing sales.

3. Linear Attribution

In this model, credit is distributed equally among all touchpoints that a customer interacted with before conversion.

Learn more about Linear Attribution

4. Time Decay Attribution

This model gives more credit to touchpoints that are closer in time to the conversion.

Learn more about Time Decay Attribution

5. Position-Based Attribution

Also known as U-shaped attribution, this model gives 40% of the credit to both the first and last touchpoints, with the remaining 20% distributed evenly among the middle touchpoints.

Learn more about Position-Based Attribution

6. Data-Driven Attribution

Data-driven attribution uses advanced algorithms and machine learning to assign credit based on the actual impact of each touchpoint.

Learn more about Data-Driven Attribution

Comparison of Attribution Models

The following diagram illustrates how credit is assigned in different attribution models:

%%{init: {'theme':'base', 'themeVariables': { 'primaryColor': '#ffcc00', 'edgeLabelBackground':'#ffffff'}}}%% graph TD A["First Touch"] -->|100%| B["Conversion"] C["Last Touch"] -->|100%| D["Conversion"] E["Touch 1"] -->|33%| F["Conversion"] G["Touch 2"] -->|33%| F H["Touch 3"] -->|33%| F I["Touch 1"] -->|20%| J["Conversion"] K["Touch 2"] -->|30%| J L["Touch 3"] -->|50%| J M["Touch 1"] -->|40%| N["Conversion"] O["Touch 2"] -->|20%| N P["Touch 3"] -->|40%| N Q["Touch 1"] -->|Varies| R["Conversion"] S["Touch 2"] -->|Varies| R T["Touch 3"] -->|Varies| R

Mathematical Representation

For those who prefer a more mathematical approach, here is how you can represent the Linear Attribution model using MathJax:

\[ \text{Credit for each touchpoint} = \frac{1}{n} \]

where \( n \) is the number of touchpoints.

Choosing the Right Attribution Model

Each attribution model has its own strengths and weaknesses. Choose the one that aligns best with your business goals and marketing strategy.

For more information on how to choose the right attribution model, visit Choosing the Right Attribution Model.