“How do we find out which platforms are driving which percentage of our sales so we can then divide our budget perfectly?”.
It is one of the most commonly asked questions we receive from prospecting and current clients. Many utilise third-party attribution platforms like TripleWhale and Wicked Reports, others optimise exclusively based on ROAS, as though it’s an exact science. If you’re trying to crack the attribution formula and have taken any of the above approaches, we’re sorry to tell you that you’re wasting time and/or money, here’s why.
Attribution is a constantly shifting goal-post, which varies greatly between different platforms, whether it’s ad-platforms, or third-party attribution. So relying on these whole-heartedly when making decisions will never provide you the clear view on performance driving levers that people wish it would.
Varying attribution settings:
Google Ads:
1-30 days: View through conversions
1-90 days: Click through conversions
Meta Ads:
1-7 days: view through conversions
1-7 days: Click-through conversions
TikTok Ads”
1-28 days: Click through conversions
1 day: View through conversions
Based on the information above alone, it’s clear that relying on ROAS or CPA in-platform is not an accurate way of identifying what’s helping you grow.
Third-party attribution:
Attribution-based
Combines pixel data, UTMs, and post-purchase surveys.
Last Click
Credit goes to the last tracked click via their Pixel.
Linear
Equal credit across all touchpoints.
Time Decay
More credit to recent touchpoints.
Survey Attribution
Self-reported by customers post-purchase (least common)
Platforms like TripleWhale also have their own attribution settings, like highlighted above, which again will tell you a story based on consistent metrics, but again they will never tell the full story in terms of value across the entirety of a consumer's journey, let alone every consumer's journey. Finally, the value that does come from this insight might get you from the 80% of understanding you already have, up to 90%. For a platform that will set your business back by anywhere from $195 per month, up to $6,000+ per month, that spend would be much more influential in your business being invested in the likes of ad spend or product development.
Optimise your output toward what you can control and prioritise driving increased revenue and greater levels of profitability in doing so.
If you’re interested in how we can support your business, get in touch at hello@brownbeardigitalmarketing.com.