Attribution Overview
This page explains attribution models for B2B companies, helping teams understand which marketing touchpoints drive conversions and revenue.
What is Attribution?
Attribution is the process of identifying and assigning value to different touchpoints or interactions that a customer experiences throughout their journey toward purchasing.
Three Main Attribution Models
1. Direct Source Attribution (First/Last Touch)
- Credits 100% of conversion to a single touchpoint
- First touch: credits the initial lead-generating interaction
- Last touch: credits the final interaction before conversion
2. Influence Attribution
- Provides equal credit to all buyer journey touchpoints
- Can inflate revenue attribution by duplicating credit across interactions
3. Distributed Attribution (Multi-Touch)
- Spreads credit across all touchpoints along the buyer journey
- Can use even distribution or weighted allocation based on timing/intent
Practical Example
Consider a buyer journey with the following touchpoints:
- Trade show event
- Email follow-up
- Website form submission (3 months later)
- Regional event
- Purchase
Attribution outcomes by model:
| Model | How Credit is Assigned |
|---|---|
| Direct | Sale credited entirely to trade show OR form submission |
| Influence | All four touchpoints receive full credit |
| Distributed | Each touchpoint receives 25% credit |
Choosing the Right Model
Select your attribution model based on your objectives:
| Model | Best For |
|---|---|
| Direct Source | Funnel conversion rates and short-term optimization |
| Influence | Campaign comparison (not ideal for ROI measurement) |
| Distributed | Measuring marketing ROI (requires longer data maturation) |
Implementation Recommendation
Begin with direct source attribution using quality first-touch and last-touch data capture processes. This provides a solid foundation before progressing to more complex multi-touch models.