Attribution
Definition
Attribution is the methodology used to credit revenue to marketing touchpoints — first-click, last-click, linear, time-decay, or data-driven multi-touch. It answers the question 'which channel deserves credit for this sale,' which sounds simple but is genuinely unanswerable.
How operators actually use it
Post-iOS-14, most DTC operators rely on a combination of platform-reported attribution (Meta, Google, TikTok dashboards), server-side conversion APIs (CAPI), and a blended view from a tool like Triple Whale or Northbeam. The blended view stitches together the platform claims with cookie-based touch data and applies a model. Nobody's attribution is right; the best you can do is be consistent and validate against MER trends and incrementality tests.
Common pitfalls and honest-cost notes
Switching attribution models mid-quarter destroys your ability to read trends. Lock the model and report changes alongside the metric. Also: do not over-index on a single source of truth — if Meta says ROAS is 4x and Triple Whale says 2x and MER says 3x, the answer is probably between them, not whichever number you like best.
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Definition published by Frontier Visions. Operator commentary reflects the editor's view and is not financial or investment advice.