\n Stay Forward <\/h2>\n
\n Get exclusive insights into digital
media's top-trending topics delivered
directly to your inbox. <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n
\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve solved attribution using\u00a0machine learning – all you need to do\u00a0is click a button and using our proprietary algorithms, we will\u00a0automatically allocate your media budget at the point of maximum efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is effectively Google\u2019s pitch for data-driven attribution.<\/p>\n
Advertising being a somewhat murky business, however, this\u00a0has been met with some skepticism. But in view, almost all brands spending on Adwords should at the very least review the analysis.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the history? \u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Data-driven attribution is not a new offering\u00a0from Google, in fact is has been kicking around since 2013 in one form or another, yet you can sense a recently renewed\u00a0confidence in the product from the Googlers\u2019 closest to it.<\/p>\n It is now available to everyone in Adwords as a reporting feature (i.e. just look at the data) and as a model to optimise to (slightly scarier).<\/p>\n What is wrong\u00a0with the traditional models? \u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Last Click \u2013<\/em> this model is incredibly limited. It works in some very specific cases like flash sales but otherwise credits the ‘finisher’ 100%. It can be manipulated easily through unscrupulous retargeting activity. \u00a0 It’s essentially like giving Carlos Alberto all the credit for the greatest team goal of all time:\u00a0http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/football\/2016\/10\/25\/the-35-separate-moments-that-make-carlos-albertos-goal-for-brazi\/,\u00a0while in fact, there were 35 component parts – take 1-2 of them away and there’s no goal.<\/p>\n First Click<\/em> \u2013 this model reverses all of the above – while the conversion\/goal may not have happened without the first touch-point\/tackle, it’s pretty unlikely this first touch solely led to the goal.<\/p>\n Position based<\/em> (i.e. first and last upweighted) \u2013 this model ignores the all important nudges along the way.<\/p>\n Linear<\/em>\n