A Beginner's Guide to Attribution Models: First Touch vs Last Touch

Learn how attribution models work in marketing analytics. Understand first touch, last touch, and multi-touch attribution with practical examples and use cases.

9 min read

What Are Attribution Models?

Attribution models are rules that determine how credit for conversions (sales, sign-ups, downloads) gets assigned to different marketing touchpoints in a customer's journey.

Think of it this way: if someone sees your Facebook ad, then clicks a Google ad, then visits directly and buys something—which marketing channel deserves credit for the sale? Attribution models answer this question.

Without attribution, you can't accurately measure which marketing efforts are actually driving results, leading to poor budget allocation and missed opportunities.

The Customer Journey Example

Meet Sarah, a potential customer:

  1. Day 1: Sees your Facebook ad, clicks but doesn't buy
  2. Day 5: Searches Google, clicks your ad, browses but leaves
  3. Day 8: Gets your email newsletter, clicks through to product page
  4. Day 12: Types your website directly and makes a purchase

Question: Which marketing channel gets credit for Sarah's $100 purchase?

The answer depends on your attribution model. Let's see how different models would assign credit for this conversion.

First Touch Attribution

How First Touch Works

First touch attribution gives 100% of the conversion credit to the very first marketing touchpoint in the customer journey.

In Sarah's Journey:

Facebook ad gets 100% credit for the $100 sale, because it was her first interaction with your brand.

When First Touch Makes Sense:

  • Brand awareness campaigns: You want to measure which channels introduce new customers
  • Top-of-funnel focus: Your goal is reaching new audiences
  • Long sales cycles: Initial awareness is crucial for eventual conversion
  • Content marketing: Blog posts and educational content that start customer journeys

First Touch Advantages:

  • Simple to understand: Clear, straightforward logic
  • Values discovery: Rewards channels that introduce new customers
  • Easy to implement: Most analytics tools support this model
  • Good for awareness: Shows which channels are best at reaching new audiences

First Touch Limitations:

  • Ignores nurturing: Doesn't credit channels that convince people to buy
  • Oversimplifies journeys: Real customer paths are more complex
  • May undervalue performance channels: Direct response ads get no credit

Last Touch Attribution

How Last Touch Works

Last touch attribution gives 100% of the conversion credit to the final marketing touchpoint before the customer converts.

In Sarah's Journey:

Direct visit gets 100% credit for the $100 sale, because it was her final touchpoint before purchasing.

Note: Many tools exclude direct visits and would credit the email newsletter instead.

When Last Touch Makes Sense:

  • Performance marketing: Focus on channels that close deals
  • Short sales cycles: Customers decide quickly after final touchpoint
  • Direct response campaigns: Immediate action-oriented advertising
  • E-commerce: Purchase decisions often happen in the moment

Last Touch Advantages:

  • Values conversion drivers: Credits what actually closes sales
  • Good for optimization: Shows which channels to increase spending on
  • Immediate actionability: Clear signals for budget allocation
  • Widely used: Default model in many analytics platforms

Last Touch Limitations:

  • Ignores journey complexity: Dismisses all earlier touchpoints
  • Undervalues awareness: Top-of-funnel efforts get no credit
  • Can mislead budget decisions: May cut effective awareness campaigns

Multi-Touch Attribution Models

Beyond Single-Touch Models

Multi-touch attribution recognizes that customer journeys involve multiple touchpoints and distributes conversion credit across them.

Common Multi-Touch Models:

Linear Attribution

Gives equal credit to all touchpoints in the journey.

Sarah's journey: Facebook (25%), Google (25%), Email (25%), Direct (25%)

Time-Decay Attribution

Gives more credit to touchpoints closer to conversion.

Sarah's journey: Facebook (10%), Google (20%), Email (30%), Direct (40%)

U-Shaped (Position-Based) Attribution

Gives most credit to first and last touchpoints, less to middle ones.

Sarah's journey: Facebook (40%), Google (10%), Email (10%), Direct (40%)

When Multi-Touch Makes Sense:

  • Complex customer journeys: Multiple touchpoints before conversion
  • High-value products: Customers research extensively before buying
  • Multiple marketing channels: Want to understand channel interaction effects
  • Mature marketing operations: Have data and resources for sophisticated analysis

Choosing the Right Attribution Model

Choose First Touch If:

  • Building brand awareness is your priority
  • You have long sales cycles (30+ days)
  • Customer acquisition is your main goal
  • You run mostly top-of-funnel campaigns
  • You want to understand discovery channels

Choose Last Touch If:

  • Driving immediate conversions is priority
  • You have short sales cycles (1-7 days)
  • Performance marketing is your focus
  • You run mostly bottom-funnel campaigns
  • You want to optimize for conversion

Choose Multi-Touch If:

  • You have complex, multi-step customer journeys
  • You use multiple marketing channels that work together
  • You have the resources to analyze and act on complex data
  • You want to understand channel interaction effects
  • Your average customer lifetime value justifies the complexity

Real Business Examples

Example 1: E-commerce Fashion Brand

Business: Online clothing store with 3-7 day purchase cycles

Customer journey: Instagram ad → Website visit → Email reminder → Purchase

Best model: Last touch attribution

Why: Short cycle, immediate purchase decisions, want to optimize for conversion drivers

Result: Email gets credit, leading to increased email marketing investment

Example 2: B2B Software Company

Business: Enterprise software with 90+ day sales cycles

Customer journey: Blog post → Webinar → Sales email → Demo → Purchase

Best model: First touch or U-shaped attribution

Why: Long cycle, awareness crucial, multiple nurturing touchpoints important

Result: Blog gets credit for starting journey, demo gets credit for closing

Example 3: Local Service Business

Business: Home cleaning service with immediate booking

Customer journey: Google search → Website → Phone call booking

Best model: Last touch attribution

Why: Simple journey, immediate decisions, clear conversion path

Result: Google search gets credit, leading to increased SEO/SEM focus

Setting Up Attribution Tracking

Basic Setup Steps

Step 1: Define Your Conversion Goals

  • What actions count as conversions? (purchase, sign-up, download)
  • What's the value of each conversion?
  • How long is your typical customer journey?

Step 2: Choose Your Attribution Window

  • 7 days: Fast-moving consumer goods, impulse purchases
  • 30 days: Most e-commerce and online services
  • 90+ days: B2B, high-value items, complex decisions

Step 3: Track Traffic Sources

  • Use UTM parameters for campaign tracking
  • Set up referrer tracking for organic sources
  • Implement conversion tracking on thank you pages
  • Connect your marketing platforms to analytics

Step 4: Choose Your Model

  • Start simple: First touch or last touch
  • Implement in your analytics tool
  • Run for at least one full customer cycle
  • Compare results with business intuition

Attribution in a Privacy-First World

Traditional attribution relied heavily on third-party cookies, but privacy regulations and browser changes are forcing evolution:

Modern Attribution Approaches:

  • Server-side tracking: More reliable, privacy-compliant data collection
  • First-party data focus: Using your own customer data and relationships
  • Probabilistic attribution: Statistical modeling to estimate customer journeys
  • Simplified models: Focus on broader channel performance rather than individual tracking

DataSag provides attribution tracking using privacy-first methods, helping you understand your customer journeys without relying on invasive tracking technologies. This approach gives you the insights you need while respecting user privacy and staying compliant with regulations.

Common Attribution Mistakes to Avoid

❌ What Not to Do:

  • Using the wrong model for your business: Don't copy competitors blindly
  • Ignoring attribution windows: Too short or too long can skew results
  • Over-complicating early on: Start simple, add complexity gradually
  • Not testing different models: Compare results to find what works
  • Forgetting offline touchpoints: Phone calls, in-store visits matter too
  • Making decisions on incomplete data: Wait for statistically significant results

✅ Best Practices:

  • Align model with business goals: Awareness vs conversion focus
  • Use consistent attribution windows: Match your typical sales cycle
  • Regular model evaluation: Review and adjust quarterly
  • Document your methodology: Ensure team understanding
  • Combine with other metrics: Attribution isn't the only truth

Getting Started with Attribution

Your attribution implementation roadmap:

  1. Audit your current tracking: What data do you already have?
  2. Map your customer journey: Identify key touchpoints
  3. Choose a starting model: First touch, last touch, or simple multi-touch
  4. Implement tracking: Set up proper source tagging and conversion tracking
  5. Collect data: Run for at least one full customer cycle
  6. Analyze results: Look for insights that match business intuition
  7. Take action: Adjust marketing spend based on attribution insights
  8. Iterate and improve: Refine your model as you learn more

Remember: The perfect attribution model doesn't exist. The best model is one that provides actionable insights for your specific business and helps you make better marketing decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions