The art of attribution in online marketing
- Topic
- Marketing
- Date
- Reading time
- 3 min
In this article
Attribution shows how much each marketing channel contributes to an enquiry or a purchase. That tells you where your budget is working and where it isn’t.
How do you find the right channels for your target audience?
In online marketing there is a real flood of channels through which companies can spread their messages: Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and many more. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), using the right channels is crucial to reaching the target audience effectively.
But how do you find out which channels work best? This is where attribution comes in.
What is attribution?
Attribution is the art and science of assigning the right value to each marketing channel. It is about understanding how different touchpoints work together on a customer’s path to conversion (e.g. a purchase, a sign-up, getting in touch).
The challenge is to measure and assess the contribution of each channel precisely, so that marketing budgets can be used efficiently.
Why does attribution matter?
Attribution gives you three benefits:
- Efficient use of budget: precise attribution lets you spend your marketing budget where it has the greatest effect.
- Better audience targeting: you can see on which channels your target audience is most active and most receptive.
- Optimised campaigns: the insights from attribution let you keep improving your marketing campaigns.
Which attribution models are there?
An attribution model defines how much of the success each contact gets credit for. Three models are worth knowing:
- First click: the first contact gets all the credit. This shows which channel brings in new prospects.
- Last click: the last contact before the conversion gets all the credit. This shows which channel triggers the conversion, but hides everything before it.
- Data-driven: the credit is shared across several contacts based on real user journeys. This is more accurate, but needs enough data.
Which channel suits which audience?
The aim: the right audience on the right channel at the right moment. Here are the most popular channels and how best to use them:
Google is the giant of search engine advertising and offers a wide range of ways to reach your target audience. With Google Ads you can respond directly to search queries and reach people who are actively looking for your products or services. Search Engine Advertising (SEA) plays the central role here.
Facebook offers precise targeting options based on demographic data, interests and behaviour. It is ideal for building brand awareness and generating leads. With Custom Audiences you can even reach people who have already interacted with your brand.
Instagram, as a visually oriented platform, is excellent for engaging content and visual storytelling. Companies can attract attention with well-designed images and videos and gain additional reach through influencer marketing.
LinkedIn is the ideal channel for B2B marketing. With professional networks and specific industry groups, you can reach decision-makers in companies directly. LinkedIn Ads let you target precisely by job title, industry and company size.
How do you set up attribution?
Work through three steps:
- Tracking and tools: use tools such as Google Analytics to track how your visitors behave. Implement UTM parameters and conversion tracking.
- Data analysis: analyse your current marketing data thoroughly. Understand how your target audience behaves and which channels are already working.
- Continuous optimisation: regularly review your attribution strategy and adapt it to new insights and market changes.
Our article on measuring success in online marketing shows which metrics really count.
How can kohrmedia help?
Online marketing is complex. We offer you a no-obligation potential analysis to assess how effective your current marketing strategies are. For companies in Luxembourg, Trier and the Greater Region, we identify and optimise the right channels so that you reach your target audience at the right moment.
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