Recent research has shown that 75% of companies are now taking a multi-channel approach to marketing, but why? And how can you leverage this trend? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about how to get started with multi-channel attribution.
What is Multi-Channel Attribution?
It’s no secret that today, many customers will engage with businesses through multiple touchpoints before actually converting. In fact, Adobe recently revealed that within the B2B sector, the average customer is exposed to a whopping 36 touchpoints per brand before converting.
However, wouldn’t this all be a lot easier if brands had visibility on which touchpoints create the most conversions? That’s where multi-channel attribution comes in.
Now, multi-channel attribution might sound a bit wordy, but the concept is pretty simple. Essentially, it’s the process of identifying the touchpoints in a customer journey that end in a sale. This helps businesses understand which of their marketing channels generate the best return on investment (ROI).
This all means that when a multi-channel attribution model is put in place, you’ll have a much better idea of where to spend your marketing budget and achieve the best results on your campaigns.
Multi-Channel Attribution Models
There are three key types of multi-channel attribution model, each with their own unique properties and benefits:
Linear Attribution
When using the linear attribution model, the conversion rate is divided equally across all channels. For instance, if a customer sees a social media ad, then reads a blog post on your website and finally buys a product after clicking on a retargeting email, linear attribution gives all three channels equal credit.
Last Channel
Last channel attribution models largely give credit to the last touchpoint a customer interacted with before converting, all the while acknowledging the contributions of other channels in facilitating the customer journey.
If we repurpose the example used above, in this instance the last channel model would attribute the majority of the credit to the retargeting email as it was the final touchpoint interacted with before purchase, even though the social media ad and blog post also played a role.
Time Decay
With time decay (otherwise known as time delay) attribution, the amount of credit a channel receives for a conversion is based on where it happened in the timeline. Using the same example again: the time decay model would give most credit to the retargeting email, as it was the touchpoint closest to the purchase, and the previous channels less credit as they were interacted with further back in time.
Why Use Multi-Channel Attribution?
If you’re not tracking where your conversions are coming from, you’re basically missing out on half the story! Here are just a few reasons why you should be taking a multi-channel attribution approach to your analytics.
Because Customers Don’t Just Click and Buy
People rarely see an ad, click it and buy instantly. They browse, research, get distracted, see your brand again and then convert. Multi-channel attribution helps you map out this journey so you can see what touchpoints actually matter.
You Stop Overvaluing One Channel and Undervaluing Others
Without multi-channel attribution, you might think your PPC ads are doing all the heavy lifting when, in reality, your organic content is doing the nurturing. Multi-channel helps you balance your marketing budget so you don’t overspend on channels that aren’t as effective as you thought.
Better Budget Allocation = More Profit
Speaking of budgets – multi-channel attribution helps you put your money where it actually drives conversions. If you know that a mix of paid ads and email marketing gets the best results, you can optimise your spend instead of simply guessing.
You Can Identify and Fix Weak Links in the Funnel
Maybe your social ads are bringing in loads of traffic, but those visitors aren’t converting until they see a retargeting ad. With multi-channel attribution, you’ll spot these trends and adjust your strategy to keep people engaged at every stage.
It Improves Customer Experience
When you understand how customers interact with your brand across multiple touchpoints, you can create a more streamlined journey. This means better messaging, smarter targeting and an overall smoother buying process.
It’s a Must for Omnichannel Marketing
If you’re running a mixture of ads, emails, social media, SEO and influencer marketing, multi-channel attribution helps you measure how they all work together. Otherwise, you’re flying blind.
It Helps You Adapt to Changing Customer Behavior
Consumer behavior is constantly evolving. One year, people might be clicking on Google Ads like mad; the next, they’re discovering brands through TikTok. Multi-channel attribution helps you stay on top of these shifts.
It Puts You Ahead of the Competition
Finally, many businesses still rely on outdated attribution models. If you embrace multi-channel attribution, you’ll be making smarter, data-driven decisions while your competitors are wasting budget on guesswork.
How to Get the Most Out of Multi-Channel Marketing
So, we’ve established why multi-channel attribution is such a game-changer, but remember: this is only if you do it right. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up drowning in data without any real takeaways. With things in mind, let’s break down the best practices to make sure you’re getting real insights that help you optimise your strategy.
Define Clear Goals from the Start
Before you start tracking every customer interaction, figure out what you actually want to measure. Are you optimising for sales? Leads? Brand awareness? Your goals will determine which attribution model makes the most sense.
Track Everything (But Stay Organised)
Multi-channel attribution is useless if you’re missing key touchpoints, so make sure you’re tracking:
- Organic and paid search
- Social media (both paid and organic)
- Email marketing
- Display ads
- Direct traffic
- Referral traffic
- Offline touchpoints (if applicable)
Use UTM parameters, tracking pixels and CRM integrations to keep your data clean.
Use a Reliable Attribution Tool
You’ll soon find that trying to manage multi-channel attribution with spreadsheets is a nightmare. Instead, use tools like:
- Google Analytics 4
- HubSpot
- Adobe Analytics
- Facebook Attribution
- Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio)
Pick a tool that integrates well with your existing marketing stack.
Consider Cross-Device and Cross-Platform Tracking
Customers jump between devices (desktop, mobile, tablet) and platforms (Google, Facebook, email). Make sure your MCA strategy accounts for these multi-touch journeys.
Google Analytics 4 does this well, but you could also look into solutions like Mixpanel or Segment for deeper tracking.
Analyse & Adjust Regularly
Attribution isn’t a “set it and forget it” job. You should review your data regularly to:
- Identify trends in customer behavior
- Spot underperforming channels
- Shift budget to high-performing touchpoints
- Test different attribution models
Set up monthly or quarterly reviews to make data-driven adjustments.
Don’t Rely on One Model Forever
Customer behavior changes over time, and so should your attribution model. Test different models periodically to see which one provides the best insights.
Balance Data-Driven Insights with Human Judgment
Data is powerful, but you shouldn’t be blindly trusting numbers without context. If a channel seems underperforming but aligns with brand-building efforts, it might still be worth the investment.
Ready to Boost Your ROI & Know Your Audience Better?
Multi-channel attribution sounds complicated, but the reality is that it’ll make your marketing efforts much easier. If you’re keen to learn about more ways that you can effectively optimise your campaign and boost your ROI, our Learn page is packed full of insightful articles crafted by our experts.
Looking for more practical advice on how to get the results you really want? We can help with that too! Why not schedule a strategy call with our friendly team today? With a full suite of results-driven digital marketing services on offer, we’ll help you increase your profitability month by month.
Comments are closed.