The Hidden Flaw in Your Marketing Attribution Model (And How to Fix It)

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Marketers love numbers. But what if I told you the numbers you’re using to make decisions could be leading you astray?

Most marketing attribution models prioritize short-term gains — tracking clicks, conversions, and immediate revenue. But this obsession with instant results often comes at the cost of long-term brand equity.

Here’s the problem: A study by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute found that long-term brand-building contributes to 60% of a company’s growth, while short-term activation only drives 40%. Yet most attribution models focus almost entirely on the latter.

The result? You underinvest in the activities that create sustained growth — like brand awareness, trust, and customer loyalty.

Let’s fix that.

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Step 1: Combine Short-Term and Long-Term Metrics

• Short-term: Track conversions, ROAS, and CPA.

• Long-term: Measure brand lift, share of voice, and customer lifetime value (CLV).

  

Step 2: Adjust Attribution Weighting 

Stop giving 100% of the credit to last-click conversions. Use a weighted multi-touch attribution model:

• First touch (brand awareness): 20%

• Mid touch (engagement): 30%

• Last touch (conversion): 50%

  

Step 3: Validate with Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) 

MMM analyzes historical data to separate short-term sales drivers from long-term brand-building effects. Companies using MMM see up to 20% better marketing efficiency (Source: Nielsen).

Step 4: Shift Budget Accordingly

Les Binet and Peter Field’s research suggests a 60/40 split — 60% of your budget on brand-building, 40% on performance marketing. Brands following this model consistently outperform competitors.

Ignoring long-term brand equity is like mining gold without planting seeds. You’ll see immediate gains — but the future will suffer.

Need Help?

Want help setting up a balanced attribution model? Reply to this email — I’d love to help you get started.