Attribution model

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Attribution model type

A. Last click

Attribution model

Ignores direct traffic and attributes 100% of the conversion value to the last channel that the customer clicked through (or engaged view through for YouTube) before converting.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Final
Display Social Paid Search Organic Search Organic Search
Display Social Paid Search Email Email
Display Social Paid Search Direct Paid Search

Attribution model

B. First click

Attribution model

Gives all credit for the conversion to the first channel that a customer clicked (or engaged view through for YouTube) before converting.

C. Linear

Attribution model

Distributes the credit for the conversion equally across all the channels a customer clicked (or engaged view through for YouTube) before converting.

D. Position-based

Attribution model

Attributes 40% credit to the first and last interaction, and the remaining 20% credit is distributed evenly to the middle interactions.

E. Time decay

Attribution model

Gives more credit to the touchpoints that happened closer in time to the conversion. Credit is distributed using a 7-day half-life. In other words, a click 8 days before a conversion gets half as much credit as a click 1 day before a conversion.

Days Credit
1 1
8 0.5
15 0.25
22 0.125

F. Data-driven attribution

Attribution model

Distributes credit for the conversion based on observed data for each conversion type. It’s different from the other models because your account’s data is used to calculate the actual contribution of each click interaction.

Attribution model

Benefits

  • Free and easy-to-implement models enable consistent and deduplicated conversion measurement across platforms.
  • Calibrated with incrementality signals to give credit to the ads most contributing to advertiser goals.
  • When cross-channel export is available, seamless integration with Smart Bidding strategies in Google Ads for real-time optimization.
  • Bringing together user interactions and journeys across app and web.
  • Allowing engaged-views on YouTube to receive credit along with other interactions.

Reference