We often talk about the importance of data collection and analytics. But for many businesses, the struggle comes from having too much data. With multiple systems and multiple sources of truth, how do you get clarity around your data and measure the effectiveness of business decisions?
That’s where Google Attribution comes in. Google Attribution’s purpose at its core is to decipher volumes of complex, multi-source data and determine the effectiveness of business actions and/or marketing communications. It helps businesses understand consumer journeys from first contact to first transaction.
And in a culture of multiple devices and multiple points of contact, understanding what a consumer actually goes through from start to finish is absolutely crucial. More visibility over the effects of your campaigns means smarter spending, which helps in achieving reliable and sustainable growth.
The latest update
On the 16th of May, Google announced a plan to release a new version of its attribution platform. The news comes following Google’s 2014 acquisition of Adometry, a multi-channel attribution service that Google has since been merging with its own product offerings.
The issue with attribution and data analytics in many cases is that businesses only see the impact of the final point of contact before a transaction is made. It can be difficult to measure the influence of the multiple messages that preceded that final touch point.
But with Google Attribution, it’s the effectiveness of the story as a whole that gets measured – rather than the effectiveness of a single page, email or Facebook ad. It’s a much more sophisticated way to analyse data, and businesses that don’t utilise it could fall behind the businesses that do.
Google’s battle against “last click” attribution
As one of the leading digital companies in the world, Google recognises better than most that businesses need to move away from “last click” measurements in favour of wider views.
Roughly one year ago, Google gave search marketers a leg up by allowing for the sophisticated measurement of AdWords campaigns. By providing a wider view of what their AdWords and search marketing efforts are achieving, Google is helping businesses understand their markets on a deeper level than before.
Google Attribution will be increasingly available to marketers and businesses over the coming months. It’s currently in beta.
