Marketing attribution

Why it matters

Most buyers touch more than one channel before they act. Attribution is how you decide which of those touches earned the sale, and so where the next slice of budget goes. Get it wrong and you cut the channel that starts journeys because the one that finishes them takes the credit.

Every platform runs its own model. Google Analytics 4 uses data-driven attribution by default for key events, with last-click available as an alternative, while ad platforms report conversions in their own windows. That is why Meta, Google Ads and your analytics rarely add up to your real sales.

How to improve it

• Capture the source at the point of enquiry. Add UTM parameters to every campaign link and store them with the lead in your CRM or enquiry sheet.
• Ask the customer. A "how did you hear about us?" field catches word of mouth, podcasts and dark social that no pixel sees.
• Send conversions back server-side so platforms see more of what happened.
• Judge channels on closed sales, not on the platform's conversion count.
• Compare models in GA4 to see which channels are undervalued by last-click.

Common mistakes

• Believing a single dashboard. Treat each platform's figure as one witness, not the verdict.
• Over-crediting brand search, which often just harvests demand created elsewhere.
• Changing models mid-quarter and then comparing totals.
• Chasing perfect attribution. Aim for a consistent, honest approximation tied to revenue in your own records.