Attribution Cross Channel Last Click Attribution

Cross-channel last-click attribution is a marketing attribution model that attributes 100% of the credit for a conversion to the last marketing touchpoint a user interacted with before converting. This means that the final touchpoint in a user's journey is considered the most influential in driving the conversion. Let's delve into this attribution model using examples:

Example 1: E-commerce Purchase

Suppose a user is interested in purchasing a new smartphone. Here's their journey through different marketing touchpoints:

1. They see a display ad for the smartphone on a blog.
2. A few days later, they receive an email newsletter showcasing the smartphone's features.
3. Finally, they click on a Google Ads search ad, visit the website, and make the purchase.

In this scenario, cross-channel last-click attribution would attribute the entire credit for the purchase to the Google Ads search ad. This is because it was the last touchpoint the user interacted with before converting.

Example 2: Online Course Enrollment

Consider a user interested in enrolling in an online coding course. Their journey unfolds as follows:

1. They see a Facebook ad promoting the coding course.
2. They later find a YouTube tutorial by the same course provider.
3. Eventually, they perform a Google search, click on an organic search result, and enroll in the course.

In this case, cross-channel last-click attribution would assign full credit for the course enrollment to the organic search result. This is because the organic search was the last interaction before the conversion event occurred.

Example 3: Hotel Booking

Imagine a traveler looking to book a hotel room for an upcoming trip:

1. They see a sponsored post on Instagram advertising a hotel deal.
2. They click on a hotel's website link in the Instagram bio but don't make a reservation.
3. A week later, they receive a retargeting display ad for the same hotel and complete the booking.

In this example, cross-channel last-click attribution would attribute the hotel booking entirely to the retargeting display ad, as it was the final touchpoint before the conversion took place.

Advantages and Considerations:

Advantages:

• Simplicity: This model is straightforward and easy to understand.
• Clear Focus: It highlights the touchpoint directly responsible for driving the conversion.
• Actionable Insights: Marketers can allocate budgets based on the channels that are most effective in driving last-click conversions.

Considerations:

• Limited View: It ignores the contribution of earlier touchpoints that influenced the user's decision.
• May Overvalue Some Channels: Channels that tend to be at the end of the customer journey receive all the credit, potentially undervaluing initial engagement channels.
• Not Reflective of Real User Behavior: User journeys are often more complex, involving multiple touchpoints, so attributing all credit to the last touchpoint might not accurately represent the influence of other channels.

Cross-channel last-click attribution is a commonly used model, but it's important to choose an attribution approach that aligns with your business goals and takes into account the complexities of your customer journeys.