What is First Click Attribution & Should Your Business Use It?

Welcome, readers, to a topic that’s increasingly making waves in the world of marketing: First Click Attribution. It might sound a bit technical, but don’t let that intimidate you. 

In this blog, we’ll demystify it step by step, starting with the basics: what it is and why it should be on your radar. We’ll also explore its advantages, and drawbacks, and even compare it to the familiar Last Click Attribution. By the end of this read, you’ll have a clear picture of whether First Click Attribution is the missing piece in your marketing puzzle. So, let’s dive in and get to the heart of the matter.

What is First Click Attribution?

First Click Attribution is a marketing attribution model that attributes the entire credit for a conversion to the first touchpoint a customer interacts with in their journey. This touchpoint could be a click on an ad, an email, or any other initial interaction with your brand. It operates on the premise that the first interaction sets the stage for the entire customer journey.

What are the Pros and Cons of First Click Attribution?

Let’s consider 3 main Advantages of using First Click Attribution: 

• Simplicity: First-click attribution is like a straightforward roadmap that highlights the very first interaction that led a customer to your business. No need for complex calculations or data crunching makes it easy for anyone to understand and implement without needing a degree in analytics.
• Focus on Initial Discovery: First-click attribution is particularly handy for identifying those initial touchpoints or marketing channels that initially attracted users to your business. It’s perfect for tracking top-of-the-funnel customer journey that helps you understand where customers first heard about you, allowing you to tailor your marketing efforts more effectively. 
• Cost-Efficiency Insights: This model can provide valuable insights into which marketing channels or campaigns are most efficient at generating leads at a lower cost. In other words, it helps you figure out where to invest your marketing budget for maximum returns. 

However, this model still has some limitations:

• Oversimplification of the Customer Journey: One major criticism of First Click Attribution is its oversimplification of the customer journey. It may not consider the influence of subsequent touchpoints and might not accurately reflect the customer’s decision-making process.
• Potential Neglect of Last Touchpoints: Since First Click Attribution attributes all credit to the initial touchpoint, it may downplay the significance of later interactions that may have played a critical role in the conversion. It’s like watching just the beginning of a movie and guessing the ending.
• Not for Complex Stuff: If your e-commerce is in a tricky industry where it takes a long time for customers to decide to check out, first-click attribution is like trying to complete a big puzzle with just a few pieces. You’re missing the whole picture.

Which Is Better: First Click or Last Click Attribution?

Choosing First Click or Last Click Attribution is like choosing the best way to measure your marketing success. It depends on what you want to achieve and how complicated your customers’ buying journeys are. 

First-Click Attribution: The Starting Point

Think of First Click Attribution like giving credit to the first thing that caught your attention when you started shopping. This approach is good when you want to focus on making people aware of your brand. It helps you understand how well your ads or promotions grab people’s interest right from the beginning.

Last-Click Attribution: The Finishing Point 

Now, Last Click Attribution is like saying the last thing you saw or did before buying something is what convinced you to make the purchase. This method is handy when your main goal is to get people to buy something right away. It helps you figure out which ads or actions directly lead to sales.

Should We Use This Attribution Model? 

Wondering if you should go with this model? Well, it depends on your business and what you’re trying to do. This model gives all the credit for a sale or whatever you’re aiming for to the very first thing that got a customer’s attention from your brand or ads.

But here’s the deal: It’s kind of giving all the credit to the first player in a long soccer game without considering the whole team’s effort. So, if your business is all about a complex journey where customers check you out a few times before hitting that “buy” button, the first-click model might not tell the whole story.

So, here’s your takeaway: Think about how your business works, how people usually find you, and what you want to achieve. If you’re after the big picture, you might want to look into other ways of tracking what’s making your customers tick. In marketing lingo, it’s often a mix of different models. This helps you see the full game, not just the kickoff.

Ready to level up your marketing game? Try mixing and matching different marketing attribution models to understand how your customers are scoring with your brand.