Attribution

Attribution identifies which marketing efforts lead to specific user actions.

Why it matters

Optimizes marketing spend by identifying effective channels.
Improves user acquisition strategies through data-driven insights.

How to measure

Track user interactions across channels.
Analyze data within specific attribution windows.

Details

In the mobile app ecosystem, attribution is essential for understanding which marketing activities drive user engagement and conversions. It involves tracking user interactions from various sources, such as ads, emails, and social media, to determine which channels are most effective. This data enables mobile engineers and growth teams to allocate resources efficiently and improve overall marketing strategies.

Attribution can be single-touch, where one interaction is credited for a conversion, or multi-touch, which considers multiple interactions along the user's journey. Both models have their use cases, and selecting the right one depends on the complexity of the marketing strategy and the available data.

Examples & formulas

For instance, if a user clicks on a Facebook ad and later installs the app, the attribution model will credit the Facebook ad for the install. In a multi-touch model, both the Facebook ad and any subsequent interactions might share credit.

Common mistakes

Ignoring multi-touch attribution can lead to incomplete insights; consider all user interactions.
Over-relying on last-click attribution may misrepresent the effectiveness of upper-funnel activities.