Attribution Fundamentals

Methods for assigning credit for a conversion to the touchpoints before it. No model is true; each is a lens, so one is chosen for decisions and kept consistent.

ID: MK-T0607
Tactic: Measurement & KPIs
Sub-techniques: 4
Type: Concept
Level: Intermediate
Time: 15 min read

Sub-techniques

ID	Name
MK-T0607.001	Last-Click Attribution
MK-T0607.002	Data-Driven Attribution
MK-T0607.003	Incrementality Testing
MK-T0607.004	Marketing Mix Modeling

Key concepts

Concept	Meaning
Platform vs. analytics	Ad platforms credit themselves, so their numbers exceed GA4’s
Lookback window	How far back a touch can receive credit

Common mistakes

Mistake	Mitigation
Summing platform-reported conversions	Reconcile against GA4 and CRM totals
Changing models mid-quarter	Fix the model per reporting period

Sub-technique details

MK-T0607.001

Last-Click Attribution

All credit to the final touch; simple, but it undervalues awareness channels.

MK-T0607.002

Data-Driven Attribution

Credit distributed from observed paths; GA4’s default for most reports.

MK-T0607.003

Incrementality Testing

Holdout or geo experiments that measure conversions a channel truly adds.

MK-T0607.004

Marketing Mix Modeling

Statistical models that estimate channel impact from aggregate spend and outcomes.

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