Attribution Models in Google Ads

In a previous post, we went through conversions, but how does conversion value actually work, and what analysis options are available? What is an attribution model, and what do the different models mean?

Imagine you’re about to buy a new TV. It’s rare that you click into a completely unknown site and immediately purchase a TV. Usually, you’ll make several searches and do quite a bit of research before finding the perfect TV.

If you’re selling TVs through Google Ads, you can benefit both from understanding these search paths and from knowing roughly how long it takes before a conversion happens.

A new kitchen, for example, will likely have a longer search journey than a new pair of headphones, since that purchase will probably involve a longer research phase.

It’s highly likely that the customer journey could be longer — but sometimes also shorter.

Attribution Models

In Google Ads, you can choose which attribution model you want to use for your conversions. By default, the account is set to Last Click.

Last Click means that the last click before the conversion is credited with 100% of the conversion value. There’s also a model called First Click, which attributes 100% of the value to the first click in the conversion path.

100% value might sound good, but imagine the person in question searched and visited the site five times before finally deciding to convert. None of those earlier interactions will be visible with Last Click/First Click. To visualize the entire journey to conversion, you need an attribution model that assigns value to every click.

There are mainly three alternatives to choose from when it comes to distributing value across the entire path to conversion:

• Position-Based – Assigns a higher value to the first and last click. For example, the first search may receive 40%, the second and third searches 10% each, and the final search 40%.
• Time Decay – Distributes value using a gradual model where the highest share of the conversion value goes to the last search. For example, the first search may get 10%, the second 15%, the third 25%, and the last one 50%.
• Linear – Distributes the value evenly across all clicks. If there are four searches, each one receives 25%.

Choosing one of these attribution models might seem difficult, but in the end, it doesn’t matter too much which one you pick. However, you should have a good understanding of your industry and how you want to analyze this data. You’ll be able to see which keywords received the most value and then take actions based on that information. Perhaps it’s not the keywords you previously thought were the most valuable that actually drive the most conversions?

Data-Driven Attribution Model

If you have a lot of traffic and at least 600 conversions in the last 30 days, you may qualify for the Data-Driven Attribution model. This is the most advanced attribution model in Google Ads, as it takes into account how your account’s unique keywords and conversion paths usually look. Instead of being pre-programmed like the other models, Data-Driven Attribution uses machine learning to assign value to each click based on your unique account data.

If you have the opportunity to use this feature, we recommend taking advantage of it. If, against expectations, you get fewer than 600 conversions in the next month, Google Ads will warn you that you should switch back to another model.

Analysis and Follow-Up

There are several ways to follow up on conversions and attribution models. The fastest way to get an overview of your conversion paths is found under Tools and Settings → Measurement → Search Attribution.

The first page, Overview, tells you how many days it takes on average for visitors to convert on your site. It also shows which devices have been used, whether it’s one or multiple devices.

In the left-hand menu, there are different categories, and one worth checking out is Paths. Under “Top Conversion Paths,” you can gain insights into what your conversion journeys look like, which paths most often lead to conversions, and which keywords are included in those paths. In Paths, you’ll also find “Path Length” and “Time Lag.”

Another interesting category is Click Analysis. Here you can quickly see which campaigns, ad groups, or keywords initiated or completed the conversion path.

If you don’t like the Search Attribution view, you can go directly into Keywords or Search Terms in your account. There you can see which terms contributed to a conversion and which ones received the highest value.

This kind of data can help you make well-informed decisions about how to continue optimizing your account.

Good luck!