What Is Attribution Model?

Your customer searched on Google, clicked a headline, and left halfway through. Then they returned from Facebook, viewed the product, but didn't buy. A day later, they opened an email with "30% off" — and placed an order. Question: Did the sale come from Google, Facebook, or email? The truth: All three contributed. But who gets the credit?

The Most Common Mistake in Azerbaijan

Most Azerbaijani companies use Google Analytics' default last-click attribution — it assigns all credit to the final click. Email appears as 100% responsible, while Facebook research gets 0%. The result: Facebook's role becomes invisible, budget shifts to Google Ads, even though the Azerbaijani market needs diverse channels.

Main Attribution Models

Last-Click: Only the final click counts. Fast but inaccurate. First-Touch: Shows who first found the customer. Used for new customer acquisition. Linear: All touchpoints get equal credit. Each channel receives the same weight. Time-Decay: The final touchpoint gets more credit. More realistic. Data-Driven: Google uses its own data to find the optimal model. Available only in Google Analytics 360.

A Real Scenario: Every Azerbaijani Company

Monthly orders: 100. Average value: 50 AZN. With last-click: Facebook 20 sales (20%), Google Ads 50 sales (50%), Email 30 sales (30%). Switch to linear: Facebook 33%, Google Ads 33%, Email 33% — completely different budget allocation. Result: Model choice determines channel investment.

Choosing in Google Analytics 4

Starting out? Select linear attribution. Track results for three months. Then test last-click. If you see the biggest drop in sales data, linear was correct. Since the Azerbaijani market changes quickly, review your model monthly.