What Is Marketing Attribution?

Marketing attribution is the practice of identifying which marketing touchpoints contribute to conversions and assigning credit accordingly. Attribution models attempt to answer the question: "What marketing activities actually drove this sale?" Models range from simple (first-touch, last-touch) to complex (multi-touch, algorithmic, data-driven).

Why Marketing Attribution Matters for Modern Startups

Attribution determines where you invest. If you can't measure what's working, you're guessing with limited budget—and guessing wrong means burning runway on ineffective channels.

But here's the uncomfortable truth: attribution is getting harder, not easier. Privacy changes have gutted tracking. The dark funnel (AI chatbots, private conversations, podcasts) is invisible to attribution models. 70-90% of the B2B buyer journey now happens before any trackable interaction.

For startups, this means holding attribution loosely. Use it directionally, not definitively. And invest in brand and content that work even when you can't see them working.

How Marketing Attribution Works

1. Tracking captures touchpoints—ad clicks, page views, email opens, form fills

2. Identity resolution attempts to connect touchpoints to individuals

3. Attribution models assign credit based on rules or algorithms

4. Reports surface which channels and campaigns receive credit

5. Decisions follow—theoretically investing more in what "works"

Marketing Attribution vs Related Terms

Marketing Attribution vs Marketing Analytics: Analytics is the broader practice of measuring marketing performance. Attribution specifically addresses credit assignment for conversions.

Marketing Attribution vs the Dark Funnel: Attribution tracks what's visible. The dark funnel is everything attribution can't see—which is increasingly most of the buyer journey.

Marketing Attribution vs ROI Measurement: ROI compares investment to return. Attribution determines which investments get credit for that return.

Common Misconceptions About Marketing Attribution

"Perfect attribution is possible." It's not. Privacy changes, cross-device behavior, and offline influence make complete tracking impossible.

"Last-touch attribution is wrong." It's incomplete, not wrong. For some decisions (landing page optimization, for example), last-touch is perfectly useful.

"Multi-touch attribution solves everything." It distributes credit more broadly but still can't see the dark funnel. The inputs remain incomplete.

When Marketing Attribution Is Not the Right Focus

If you're pre-product-market-fit, attribution precision is premature. You need qualitative signal about what resonates, not precise measurement of a funnel that will change.

For brand marketing and awareness campaigns, attribution will always undercount. Accept that some investments work through mechanisms attribution can't capture.

How This Connects to Modern Workflows

Sophisticated marketing teams supplement attribution with brand tracking, qualitative research, and incrementality testing—accepting that no single measurement captures the full picture.

→ What Is the Dark Funnel?

→ What Is Demand Generation?

→ What Is CAC?