Attribution reports provide insights into how your ads influence customer actions, such as making purchases or adding items to cart. By analyzing different attribution models and timeframes, you can optimize marketing strategies and allocate ad spending effectively.

 

In This Article

• Setting Up Attribution Reports
• Comparison of Attribution Models
• Attribution Window Selection
• Definition of Attribution Report Metrics
• Channel Overlap Chart
• Live Orders
• FAQs About Attribution Reports

 

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Setting Up Attribution Reports

Attribution reports display the attribution data of conversion behavior in your online store. You can select different attribution models and windows to view the results for customer orders or add-to-cart actions based on your analysis needs. 

Before accessing the attribution data, ensure your Facebook and Google Ads accounts are connected to SmartIntellect. Set up trackable ad parameters to monitor user journeys from ad clicks to store visits.

To generate an attribution report that best meets your analysis needs, configure the following settings in the Advertisement > Attribution section:

• Select Attribution Model: Click the Attribution model selector to choose a model. The default is Last click, attributing the conversion to the last ad clicked by the user before completing an order or adding an item to the cart. You can switch to other models like First click or Linear click, and the report will refresh accordingly.
  
  
• Set Attribution Window: Click the Attribution window selector to set the timeframe for tracking user actions. The default is 7 days, meaning user behavior from the past 7 days is tracked. You can choose different windows like 14 or 28 days based on your needs, and the report will refresh accordingly.
  
  
• Change Currency: Click the Currency switcher to change the currency for monetary metrics. The default currency is linked to the store using SmartIntellect, but you can switch it to suit your needs, especially if you operate in multiple markets. Note that currency conversions may affect data due to exchange rates and rounding. 
  
  
• Select Time Range: Click the Time Selector to choose the data range you want to analyze. For example, to view attribution information for orders from the past 7 days, click 7 days, and the report will refresh to display this data. 

 

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Comparison of Attribution Models

Different attribution models assign credit to ads based on their role in influencing customer purchases. SmartIntellect tracks every interaction in the customer journey, allowing you to see which ads contributed to the final purchase. Refer to the following for details about each model:

• First Click Attribution: The first-click channel or ad is typically the driver of product or brand awareness. First click attribution credits the first ad click in the customer journey. 
  • Example: If a customer clicks on Facebook Ad #1, then Facebook Ad #2, then a Google Ad, and makes a purchase, Facebook Ad #1 gets the credit.
  • Best Use: Ｕse this model to identify which channels or ads generate initial interest.
    
    
• Last Click Attribution: The last-clicked ad usually acts as the trigger for converting interested visitors into customers. Last click attribution credits the final ad click in the customer journey.
  • Example: If a customer clicks on Facebook Ad #1, then Facebook Ad #2, then a Google Ad, and makes a purchase, the Google Ad gets the credit.
  • Best Use: Use this model to understand the last interaction before an order. This is the default option. 
    
    
• Linear Click Attribution: In linear attribution, each event click in the conversion process has an equal contribution. Linear click attribution evenly distributes conversion value credit across all sources, channels, ad sets, and ads that the customer interacted with before making a purchase.
  • Example: If a customer clicks on Facebook Ad #1, then Facebook Ad #2, then a Google Ad, and makes a purchase, all three ads share the credit equally.
  • Best Use: Use this model for a fair analysis of all marketing channels.
    
    
• All Click Attribution: All click attribution distributes credit to all channels or sources that had touchpoints during the customer conversion process.
  • Example: If a customer clicks on Facebook Ad #1, then Facebook Ad #2, then a Google Ad, and makes a purchase, all three ads get full attribution.
  • Best Use: Use this model to analyze the entire marketing ad portfolio in a competitive environment.

 

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Attribution Window Selection

An Attribution window defines the timeframe during which a user's actions for a specific conversion event are tracked and attributed to ads. The length of this window can significantly impact your attribution data.

For example, attributing a purchase to an ad clicked a month earlier might be irrelevant for businesses with shorter sales cycles. However, for furniture or luxury jewelry retailers, a longer window may be necessary to reflect the customer journey accurately.

SmartIntellect offers flexible conversion window options: 1 day, 7 days, 14 days, 28 days, and 90 days. The default is 7 days. Choose the window that best aligns with your business's sales cycle and customer behavior.

 

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Definition of Attribution Report Metrics

 

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Channel Overlap Chart 

Not all customers purchase directly after clicking one ad channel; some interact with multiple ad channels before buying. The Channel Overlap chart visualizes the real-time overlap of orders across selected channels. 

Click the channels at the bottom to switch between different ad channels and view their overlap rates. The chart visually represents the number of orders with multiple touchpoints in the user journey. Additionally, overlap metrics help assess ad spending efficiency, and high overlap rates among ad groups may indicate wasted investments.

Overlap calculations use the All click model and a fixed 90-day attribution window to ensure accuracy. For example, if your store had 10 Facebook orders and 5 Google Ads orders in the past 7 days, with 2 overlapping orders, Google Ads' overlap rate would be 2/5 = 40%.

 

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Live Orders

The Live Orders list provides real-time insights into your store's orders, including the sequence of advertising channels that led to each purchase. Every time a new order is placed, it is immediately tracked and added to the list.

You can refresh the page to view the latest data. Click on a customer's name within the Live Orders list to display their customer journey. This visual representation helps you understand the specific channels and pages a customer interacted with before making a purchase.

Live Orders calculations use the All click attribution model and a fixed 90-day attribution window for comprehensive tracking. For example, if a customer visited your store via Facebook, then Google Ads, then TikTok before making a purchase, their order journey will be displayed as Facebook -> Google Ads -> TikTok.

 

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FAQs About Attribution Reports

 

1. Why do attribution results change over time?

Accurate user identification is key to attribution. When a user browses on different browsers, it may take time to recognize them as the same user, leading to updated attribution results and variations over time.

2. What is considered a "direct source" order?

Orders are attributed to "direct source" when customers directly type your store's URL into their browser or when orders are created through drafts or APIs.

3. Why is there missing data for ad spend and other channel metrics?

Possible reasons include:

• • Channel disconnection: If your platform isn't connected to or has issues connecting to a media channel, related metrics won't appear.
  • Missing ad parameters: SmartIntellect requires specific parameters to link data from ad channels like Facebook and Google Ads.
  • Data processing time: Real-time data processing can take 1-2 hours to complete.
    
    

4. Why does the attribution report show data without orders?

Attribution reports include not only conversion events but also page view data for users entering your store. For example, if a user viewed your store via Google Ads and browsed three pages without making a purchase, the report will show one Google user and three page views.

5. Why is the total order value higher than expected?

When a customer makes a purchase after interacting with multiple ad channels, both All click and Linear click attribution models will assign the order value to each contributing channel. As a result, the total order value in the report might be higher than the actual amount because it's summing up the values from all contributing channels.