Tracking

Attribution

Assigning credit for a conversion to the ad touchpoint(s) that drove it.

Attribution is the methodology for crediting conversions to ad-network touchpoints. Models: last-click, first-click, linear, time-decay, position-based, data-driven (algorithmic). Different platforms attribute the same conversion to themselves — Meta, Google, Taboola will all claim the same sale at >100% blended. Operators reconcile via a tracker (single source of truth) or MMM modeling at scale.

Example

Sale of $89 attributed by Meta (last touch + view-thru), Google (last paid click), and Taboola (first touch) all simultaneously. Tracker assigns it to whoever owns the click_id on the conversion postback — last-click model.

Related terms

Last-click attribution
Crediting 100% of a conversion to the most recent ad click.
Multi-touch attribution (MTA)
Distributing conversion credit across multiple touchpoints.
MMP (Mobile Measurement Partner)
Mobile-app attribution platform — AppsFlyer, Adjust, Singular, Branch.
Tracker
The system that attributes ad clicks to conversions.