Marketing attribution models compared: first-touch, last-touch, linear, time-decay, and data-driven

Marketing attribution determines which activities get credit for a conversion. The model you choose affects budget allocation and investment decisions.

First-Touch Attribution

All credit to the first interaction. Useful for understanding awareness drivers. Overvalues top-of-funnel, ignores everything between awareness and conversion.

Last-Touch Attribution

All credit to the final interaction before conversion. Default in most analytics platforms. Useful for understanding what closes deals. Undervalues awareness activity.

Linear Attribution

Equal credit across all touchpoints. Fair but lacks nuance — treats a casual impression the same as a high-intent search click.

Time-Decay Attribution

More credit to touchpoints closer to conversion. A reasonable compromise but the decay curve is arbitrary.

Data-Driven Attribution

Machine learning assigns credit based on statistical contribution. Most accurate but requires 300+ monthly conversions. Most UK SMEs lack this volume.

Which Model to Pick

For UK SMEs with limited data: last-touch as primary, first-touch as secondary. This gives “what closes deals” and “what creates awareness.” With 300+ monthly conversions, switch to data-driven. See also our article on measuring marketing ROI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is last-touch attribution bad?

Not inherently. It answers a clear question. Problematic only when used as the sole model for budget allocation.

Can I use multiple models?

Yes. Compare last-touch and first-touch side by side. Channels strong in both are your best performers.