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Imagine a customer’s journey like a three-course meal: an introduction (appetizers), a main experience (main course), and a final nudge to convert (dessert). Which course filled you up? The multi-touch answer is ALL three of the courses.
That framing isn’t just a metaphor. Based on our data, it takes approximately three touchpoints for a customer to make a purchase.
The mistake most attribution models make is pretending only one of those moments mattered.
Last-click attribution gives full credit to the final interaction before a purchase (dessert). First-click does the opposite, assigning all value to the first touchpoint (appetizers). Both approaches flatten a multi-step buying journey into a single moment, which is where decision-making starts to break down.
In reality, customers don’t discover a brand, evaluate it, and convert in one step. They move through multiple channels over time, building context and confidence before purchasing. Each touchpoint plays a role in getting them there, even if it isn’t the final interaction.
Multi-touch attribution reflects that reality by distributing credit across the full journey, not just the first or last interaction.
The Problem With Last-Click Attribution
A common attribution model used by ad platforms is last click attribution. Last-click attribution answers “Which interaction happened closest to the conversion?”
It does not answer the more important question: “What actually influenced this purchase before the last click?”
When teams rely on last-click data, they often:
- Overvalue lower-funnel channels that capture demand rather than create it
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Undervalue discovery and consideration channels that drive long-term growth
What Multi-Touch Attribution Shows Instead
Multi-touch attribution distributes credit across the full customer journey. It recognizes that different channels play different roles at different stages.
With multi-touch data, you can see:
- Which channels consistently introduce new customers
- Which channels support conversions later in the journey
- How channels work together rather than in isolation
This creates a more accurate picture of performance and a more stable foundation for decision-making.
How Multi-Touch Attribution Works in ThoughtMetric
ThoughtMetric offers five different attribution models, including multi-touch attribution. When enabled, ThoughtMetric tracks customer touchpoints across paid, organic, email, influencer, affiliate, AI-driven traffic, and any custom channels. Revenue is allocated proportionally across touchpoints instead of being fully assigned to a single click. If a post-purchase survey is set up, that data will be included as well.
Because all channels are measured using the same rules:
- Revenue totals stay aligned across reports
- Channel performance reflects influence, not just timing
- Teams can compare channels without reconciling conflicting numbers
This allows marketers to move past questions like “Which channel gets credit?” and focus on “Which channels are actually contributing to growth?”
Why This Leads to Better Decisions
When you can see the full journey:
- Budget shifts are grounded in data
- Awareness campaigns are easily measured
- You’re less likely to over-invest in conversion campaigns
Attribution isn’t about picking a winner. It’s about understanding contribution. Multi-touch attribution gives teams the clarity to do exactly that.
See It in ThoughtMetric
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