# How to Build Multi-Touch Marketing Attribution Models
In today’s digital landscape, an Australian consumer rarely buys from a business after seeing just one ad. They might find you via a Google Search, see a retargeting ad on Facebook, and finally convert after receiving an email—multi-touch attribution ensures every one of those interactions gets the credit it deserves so you can invest your budget where it actually works.
Building a multi-touch attribution (MTA) model allows you to move beyond the simplistic 'Last Click' logic and understand the true ROI of your top-of-funnel brand awareness efforts alongside your bottom-of-funnel conversions.
Prerequisites: What You’ll Need
Before you begin, ensure you have the following in place:- Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Properly installed on your website.
- Conversion Tracking: Defined 'Key Events' (formerly Conversions) in GA4 (e.g., form submissions, purchases).
- UTM Parameters: A consistent naming convention for all your inbound links.
- Data Access: Administrative access to your CRM (like HubSpot or Salesforce) and your ad platforms (Google Ads, Meta Ads).
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Step 1: Define Your Conversion Goals
You cannot attribute value if you don't know what you are valuing. Start by identifying your primary conversion (e.g., a completed sale or a signed contract) and your micro-conversions (e.g., downloading a PDF guide or signing up for a newsletter).- What you should see: In GA4, navigate to Admin > Property Settings > Data Collection and Modification > Key Events. Ensure your most important actions are toggled as 'Key Events'.
Step 2: Implement Consistent UTM Tracking
Multi-touch attribution relies on knowing exactly where a user came from at every visit. If you don't use UTM parameters, GA4 might bucket traffic as 'Direct' or 'Unassigned', breaking the chain of the customer journey.- Action: Use a consistent format for
utm_source,utm_medium, andutm_campaign. For example, always usesocialfor medium rather than mixingSocial,social-media, andpaid-social.
Step 3: Enable Data-Driven Attribution in GA4
Google Analytics 4 uses 'Data-Driven Attribution' (DDA) as its default. Unlike fixed models, DDA uses Google’s AI to analyse how different touchpoints contribute to a conversion based on your specific historical data.- How to check: Go to Admin > Data Representation > Attribution Settings. Ensure 'Reporting attribution model' is set to Data-driven.
Step 4: Map the Typical Australian Customer Journey
Australian small businesses often have unique journeys. A local tradie might see a 2-day journey, while a B2B SaaS company might see a 6nd-month journey. Look at your 'Path exploration' reports in GA4 to see how many steps a user typically takes before converting.Step 5: Choose Your Multi-Touch Logic
While Data-Driven is often best, you may want to build custom reports using other multi-touch logics for comparison:- Linear: Gives equal credit to every touchpoint.
- Position-Based: Gives 40% to the first and last touch, and distributes the remaining 20% in the middle.
- Time Decay: Gives more credit to touchpoints closer to the time of conversion.
Step 6: Link Your Ad Platforms
To see the 'cost' side of attribution, you must link your paid channels. Link Google Ads directly to GA4. For Meta (Facebook/Instagram), you will need to ensure your UTMs are perfect, as they don't share data as seamlessly as Google products do.Step 7: Centralise Data in a Spreadsheet or BI Tool
For a true multi-touch model that includes offline conversions (like phone calls or in-store visits), you’ll need to export your data. Tools like Looker Studio or even a well-organised Google Sheet can help you combine GA4 data with CRM data.- Pro Tip: Use the 'User ID' feature in GA4 to track the same person across their phone, laptop, and tablet. This is essential for accurate multi-touch tracking.
Step 8: Calculate the 'Assisted Conversion' Value
Look at your 'Conversion Paths' report in GA4 (Advertising > Attribution > Conversion Paths). This report shows you which channels act as 'assistants'. If your Social Media has 0 direct conversions but 50 'Early Touchpoints', it is a vital part of your funnel that you shouldn't turn off.Step 9: Adjust for the 'Offline' Gap
In Australia, many leads convert over the phone or via an invoice sent from Xero/MYOB. To include these in your model, you must upload 'Offline Conversions' back into Google Ads or GA4 using a unique identifier like a hashed email or a Lead ID.Step 10: Audit and Refine Periodically
Attribution isn't 'set and forget'. Quarterly, review your model. Are you over-valuing brand search? Are you under-valuing your local SEO efforts? Adjust your budget based on the 'Assisted Conversion' value rather than just 'Last Click' sales.---
Pro Tips for Success
- The 90-Day Window: Most attribution windows default to 30 or 90 days. If you have a long sales cycle (like real estate or luxury solar installations), ensure your 'Lookback Window' in GA4 settings is set to the maximum (90 days).
- Beware of 'Direct' Traffic: High direct traffic often means your tracking is broken. Check if your site redirects are stripping away UTM parameters.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring the 'First Touch': If you only look at the last click, you’ll likely stop funding the very ads that introduce people to your brand.
- Double Counting: If you have multiple 'Thank You' pages, ensure you aren't counting the same lead twice in your model.
- Over-complicating: For many Australian small businesses, a simple 'Position-Based' model is much more actionable than a complex custom-coded algorithmic model.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Problem: My Facebook Ads data doesn't match Google Analytics.- Solution: This is normal. Facebook uses a 'View-through' attribution (counting people who saw an ad but didn't click), while GA4 only sees clicks. Trust your UTM data in GA4 for a 'fair' comparison between channels.
- Solution: This usually happens because your UTM tags don't match Google's standard channel groupings. Check your spelling and ensure you are using lowercase for all tags.
- Solution: Ensure you have 'Editor' or 'Administrator' level permissions on the GA4 property. Some restricted roles cannot see attribution data.
Next Steps
Now that you've built the foundation for multi-touch attribution, your next step is to use this data to re-allocate your marketing spend. Look for channels with high 'Assisted Conversion' counts and consider increasing their budget by 10-15% to see if total conversions rise.If you need help setting up advanced server-side tracking or integrating your CRM for a complete 'Lead-to-Sale' attribution model, our team at Local Marketing Group can help. Contact us today for a technical audit of your analytics setup.