Running Ads on 5 Channels: Why Your Attribution Is Confused
Multi-channel advertising complicates attribution. Discover how causal inference clarifies channel impact for Shopify brands running campaigns on multiple platforms.
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By Joris van Huët, Founder & CEOUpdated 1 min read
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The Challenge of Multi-Channel Attribution
Advertising across multiple channels such as Facebook, Google, Instagram, TikTok, and email marketing creates complex customer journeys. Each channel contributes differently at various stages, making it difficult to assign proper credit.
Common attribution models like last-click or linear fail to capture the incremental value and interactions between channels, often leading to:
Over- or under-valuing specific platforms.
Double counting conversions.
Misallocation of budget.
Why Your Attribution Is Confused
When running ads on five or more channels, simple attribution models attribute conversions to the last touchpoint or distribute credit equally without considering causal impact. This results in poor decision-making.
Take Control of Your Attribution
Review your options on our pricing page and start at causalityengine.ai/start.
Related Resources
TikTok Ads Not Converting: It Might Be an Attribution Problem
Frequently asked questions
Why is last-click attribution insufficient for multiple channels?
Last-click ignores earlier touchpoints that assist conversions, undervaluing channels that drive awareness or consideration.
Go deeper: Causal attribution, explained.
Sixty-second versions of these ideas: Causality Engine on YouTube Shorts.
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Terms in this article
- AttributionAttribution identifies user actions that contribute to a desired outcome and assigns value to each. It reveals which marketing touchpoints drive conversions.
- Attribution ModelAn Attribution Model defines how credit for conversions is assigned to marketing touchpoints. It dictates how marketing channels receive credit for sales.
- CausalityCausality is the relationship where one event directly causes another, essential for identifying specific actions that drive desired outcomes in marketing.
- ConversionConversion is a specific, desired action a user takes in response to a marketing message, such as a purchase or a sign-up.
- Customer journeyCustomer journey is the path and sequence of interactions customers have with a website. Customers use multiple devices and channels, making a consistent experience important.
- Email MarketingEmail Marketing is sending commercial messages to a group of people using email. Every email sent to a potential or current customer constitutes email marketing.
- TikTok AdsTikTok Ads are advertisements on the TikTok platform. They allow brands to reach younger audiences through short-form video content.
- TouchpointTouchpoint is any interaction a customer has with a brand throughout their journey. In marketing attribution, each touchpoint is a data signal to understand marketing impact.