In today’s chaotic digital marketing world, knowing how your channels play together is the secret sauce to squeezing out every bit of ROI. Sure, Google Ads packs a punch, but it doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Social media, email campaigns, organic search—they’re all in the mix. If you really want to know if your Google Ads are pulling their weight, it's time to adopt a cross-channel attribution model.
This blog will break down different attribution models, how to set them up, and how to maximize your ROI.
Attribution Models 101: Who Gets the Credit?
1. Last Click Attribution
What it does: Gives 100% credit to the final touch before conversion.
Why it’s cool: Super easy to use.
Why it’s lame: Completely ignores all the other efforts that warmed up the customer.
2. First Click Attribution
What it does: All credit goes to the first interaction.
Why it’s cool: Highlights what grabbed attention.
Why it’s lame: Pretends nothing else mattered after that first click.
3. Linear Attribution
What it does: Spreads the love evenly across all touchpoints.
Why it’s cool: Every channel gets some love.
Why it’s lame: Risks making Google Ads look like just another face in the crowd.
4. Time Decay Attribution
What it does: More credit to the touchpoints closer to conversion.
Why it’s cool: Recognizes the final sprint.
Why it’s lame: Might shortchange the earlier nudges that sparked interest.
5. Position-Based Attribution
What it does: First and last touchpoints get the spotlight (40% each), and the rest get the scraps (20%).
Why it’s cool: A nice balance between getting noticed and closing the deal.
Why it’s lame: Requires some extra brainpower and setup.
Implementing Cross-Channel Attribution (Without Losing Your Mind)
Set Clear Goals
Ask yourself: What do I want—brand buzz, leads, or cold hard sales? Your end game decides which attribution model fits.
Get Your Data Ducks in a Row
You need data from all channels in one spot. Use tools like Google Analytics, your CRM, or tools like Zapier to link everything. And yeah, don’t forget to link Google Ads with Google Analytics while you’re at it.
Pick Your Poison (Attribution Model)
Choose an attribution model that fits your goals and shows how Google Ads plays with the rest of your marketing. Linear or Time Decay can give you the full story of your customer’s journey.
Turn Insights into Gold
Find Your Winning Channels
Dig into which channels are doing the heavy lifting. If Google Ads is crushing it, throw more cash that way. If not, rethink your budget.
Tweak Your Bids
Use your attribution model insights to fine-tune your bidding strategies. Boost bids where you see conversions heating up.
Cross-Promote Like a Pro
If email marketing is killing it, double down by running Google Ads that promote your email list or offers you’re hyping up in newsletters.
Measure Like a Pro
Multi-Channel Funnels Are Your Friend
Google Analytics’ Multi-Channel Funnels report shows you the full play-by-play of how your channels work together before a conversion. Use it.
Always Be Testing
A/B test everything—your ad copy, visuals, targeting. Never assume, always test, and optimize.
The Bottom Line
Cross-channel attribution is your secret weapon for seeing the bigger picture and getting more bang for your Google Ads buck. Picking the right attribution model, making sense of the data, and tweaking your strategies will help you unlock your campaign’s full potential.
Embrace it, optimize it, and you’ll be ahead of the competition in no time. Now get out there and make your marketing work smarter, not harder!
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