This document discusses attribution measurement and its importance for marketers. It notes that attribution provides marketers multiple benefits, including placing smarter marketing bets, consolidating data, and uncovering customer purchase paths. However, attribution requires aligning objectives with business strategy, ensuring quality data and technology, analyzing results, and optimizing based on insights. Various approaches like rules-based and algorithmic models are discussed. The document emphasizes best practices like advocating for attribution, including partners, communicating results financially, measuring ROI, and rewarding performance.

1. Uncovering The True
Marketing Impact Through
Attribution
Tina Moffett
Analyst, Customer Intelligence

3. But which interaction should get credit for my
transaction?

4. Attribution measurement is a source of the truth

5. The multifaceted customer journey-and the
measurement of it-is complex

6. Marketers struggle to unify customer data across
marketing channels
Source: Q4 2010 Global Technology Benchmark Online Survey

7. Cross-channel attribution is one approach to help
marketers make sense of their data
The practice of allocating proportional credit to all
marketing communications, across all channels, that
ultimately lead to the desired customer action.

8. Various measurement approaches calculate the
value of interactions in different ways
Simplistic Rules-based Algorithmic
Model gives 100% Model assigns credit Model assigns
Type credit to the last to each interaction credit to each
(or first) exposure
based on specific interaction based on a
business rules statistical approach
Display Search Display Search
E-Mail E-Mail
100% Ad term Ad term
33% 33% 33% 50% 30% 20%
 First/Last Touch  Even/Customized Weights  Regression Model
 Time Decay  Probabilistic Model
Approach
 Positioned Based
Basic Advanced

9. Each measurement approach has it’s pitfalls that
marketers must consider
Simplistic Rules-based Algorithmic
Type 100%
E-Mail
Display
Ad
Search
term
E-Mail
Display
Ad
Search
term
33% 33% 33% 50% 30% 20%
 Ignores the bulk of the  Assigns arbitrary values to  Marketers feel
customer journey, each specific marketing uncomfortable with a
Pitfall overvaluing the first or tactic black box approach to
last touch  Subjective and lacks attribution
 Undervalues other analytics rigor to
influencers (and determine weights
interactions)
Basic Advanced

10. Attribution provides marketers with multiple
benefits
 Place smarter marketing
and media bets
 Be flexible and precise
 Consolidate data and
reporting capabilities
 Uncover the ultimate
customer purchase path

11. Marketers must consider everything for attribution to work

12. Attribution requires adapting best practices across
the business to ensure success
Strategic Operational Actionable
Analysis
Attribution Strategy Data and
Insights
Organization
and Technology Optimization
Resources

13. Marketers must align attribution objectives with the
business strategy
Strategic  Identify the attribution goals and align with overall
business objectives
 Assign supporting attribution resources to manage and
drive insights
Attribution Strategy
 Socialize benefits with the organization
 Collaborate with partners on measurement plans
 Create roadmap for attribution implementation and
management
Organization
and
Resources

14. Marketers must know and ensure their house is in
working order
Operational  Assess your current data and technology
 Identify the data needed for attribution approach
(digital, CRM, offline, mobile)
 Create data collection and management standards
Data and processes
 Establish security and privacy standards
Technology

15. Marketers must use attribution to provide clear
insights and recommendations
Actionable  Create attribution metrics and analysis plans
 Devise scenario plans to determine impact of shifting
budgets
Analysis  Test the attribution model
and
Insights  Change your media buying (i.e. programmatic buying and
in-flight optimization) and marketing planning (budget
reallocation)
Optimization

16. The attribution vendor landscape is a mix of new….and familiar….measurement
players

17. The attribution measurement landscape is
saturated with new-and familiar-faces

18. Attribution measurement requires all hands on deck

19. Embrace core best practices to ensure attribution
success
 DO be the attribution advocate
 DO NOT exclude internal and external partners (like agencies) when developing an
attribution strategy
 PROVIDE attribution insights in terms of revenue generating and cost savings
language
 MEASURE the ROI of attribution
 REWARD partners based on attributed results

20. Thank you!
Tina Moffett
Analyst, Customer Intelligence
Forrester Research
+1 212.857.0769
tmoffett@forrester.com
@vmoffett
www.forrester.com