Attribution Model
An attribution model is the set of rules that decides how credit for a conversion gets assigned across the marketing touchpoints a customer interacted with before converting. Common models include last-click, first-click, linear, time-decay, and position-based. The model you choose changes which channels appear valuable in your reports.
Why It Matters
Attribution shapes budget decisions. A last-click model overcredits the final touch and starves upper-funnel channels that started the journey. Picking a model that reflects your real buying cycle prevents you from cutting spend that actually drives demand.
Common Mistake
Treating any single attribution model as objective truth. Every model is a simplification with built-in bias. Teams often default to last-click because it is easy, then wrongly conclude that awareness channels do not work.