In 2016, 79% of French advertisers judged the performance of their media campaigns using the last click model. However, the trend is shifting. What is driving advertisers to question this model? Why are more and more of them turning to other marketing attribution models?
LAST CLICK FROM ITS ORIGINS TO TODAY
Despite growing concerns about its legitimacy, the last click model remains popular. It is the default attribution model used in many media buying tools, particularly in the Google suite. Since widely-used tools like Google Ads and Facebook Business Manager account for a significant portion of media investments, they have ingrained the last-click approach by default.
Fortunately, advertisers have matured over time and realized that this approach can be oversimplified and does not accurately represent real consumer behavior.
To understand this further, let’s delve into how the last click model works and highlight its limitations.
LAST CLICK UNDER THE HOOD: UNDERSTANDING LAST CLICK ATTRIBUTION
An example is often more effective than a lengthy explanation:
Let’s consider Pierre, who wants to buy a sofa. Without any outside influence, he searches for “buy sofa” on his browser and arrives at your site through a Google Ads campaign. He explores your catalog, forms an opinion on your products, but doesn’t make a purchase.
The next day, Pierre checks his Instagram stories and sees a retargeting banner showcasing the sofa he viewed on your site. A few minutes later, he decides to search directly for the same sofa model he viewed previously. This time, he arrives at your site through organic search and completes the purchase.
Based on the last click model, the entire purchase decision is attributed solely to the last organic search visit. As a result, a recommendation might suggest decreasing investments in Google Ads and focusing more on SEO efforts.
LET’S SEE PIERRE’S JOURNEY WITH THIS NEW STRATEGY:
Pierre still begins by typing “buy sofa” in his browser, but since it’s a highly competitive search term, he clicks on the first sponsored link he encounters, which happens to be one of your competitors. As he visits Instagram, he doesn’t see any retargeting ads because he hasn’t visited your site yet, meaning you are unaware of his buying intentions. Ultimately, when he searches for the desired sofa model in his browser by describing its features, your offer appears as the first organic search link. However, Pierre is unfamiliar with your brand and decides to make the purchase from your competitor.
This exaggerated scenario highlights the impact of recommendations based on biased data.
TO INFINITY AND BEYOND… LAST CLICK
The limitations of the last click model stem from the fact that, in many cases, the last click plays a minor role in the final purchase decision on a website.
As a result, advertisers are increasingly turning to data-driven attribution models that consider various characteristics of each visit to determine the true impact of touchpoints on the consumer’s decision. Optimizing your media mix based on data closer to reality becomes possible. Imagine the potential optimizations if you knew that Pierre’s decision was influenced 35% by your Google Ads, 45% by Instagram, and only 20% by SEO!
Wizaly’s goal is to capture all interactions between users and your brand and allocate credit accordingly, giving each touchpoint the recognition it deserves.
In conclusion, the last click attribution model is losing its relevance as advertisers seek more accurate and comprehensive approaches to understanding consumer behavior. Data-driven attribution models provide valuable insights for optimizing media strategies based on realistic data. Wizaly plays a pivotal role in capturing user interactions and ensuring proper credit allocation. It’s time to move beyond the last click and embrace more sophisticated attribution models.
