One of the biggest challenges in marketing is figuring out what’s actually working.
Did that customer buy because of the Google ad they clicked yesterday? Or was it the blog post they found two months ago that really got the ball rolling?
That's where attribution models come in. They help you decide which marketing channels deserve credit for a conversion.
The catch? There are multiple ways to do attribution, and no single model tells the whole story.
In this post, we’ll break down what attribution models are, explain the difference between first touch and last touch attribution, and show you how to decide which one makes the most sense for your business.
What is an attribution model?
At its core, attribution is about assigning credit. After all, most customers don’t discover your brand and convert in a single step.
They might find you through organic search, sign up for your newsletter, click a retargeting ad, and eventually make a purchase.
An attribution model is simply the rule you apply to decide which touchpoint gets the credit for that conversion.
Different models highlight different parts of the customer journey. And that’s why choosing the right one matters.
First touch vs. last touch attribution
The two simplest (and most commonly used) attribution models are first touch and last touch. Here's how they work.
First touch attribution
This model gives 100% of the credit to the very first interaction a customer had with your brand.
For example, someone first discovers your site by clicking a blog post from Google Search. A month later they return through a Facebook ad and convert. Under first touch attribution, the credit goes to Google and the original blog post.
Why it’s useful:
First touch doesn’t just show which channels drive awareness — it shows which early touchpoints bring in visitors who eventually convert.
Two channels may send the same amount of traffic, but if one reliably brings visitors who later become customers, first touch is the model that reveals that.
Last touch attribution
This model assigns 100% of the credit to the final interaction before the conversion.
For example, in the same scenario above, the Facebook ad would get all the credit since it was the last touchpoint before the purchase.
Why it’s useful:
Last touch tells you which channels are best at closing the deal. It helps you understand what pushes someone from “interested” to “ready to act.”
The key difference
Both models provide valuable insights. They just answer different questions:
- First touch: Where did your highest-quality visitors originally come from?
- Last touch: Which touchpoint triggered the conversion?
Using them together gives you a more complete view of the journey.
Other attribution models
Since marketing isn’t always a neat, linear process, there are more advanced attribution models:
- Linear: Every touchpoint gets equal credit.
- Time Decay: Later interactions get more credit than earlier ones.
- Position-Based: The first and last touchpoints get the most credit, while the middle steps share the rest.
- Data-Driven: Uses machine learning to allocate credit (usually requires large datasets).
These can add nuance but also add complexity. For most small and medium-sized businesses, first touch and last touch offer more than enough clarity.
Which attribution model is best?
As you may have guessed, there isn’t a single “best” model. It entirely depends on the question you’re trying to answer.
If you want to know which early touchpoints tend to produce customers (not just traffic), look at first touch.
If you want to know which channels are responsible for closing conversions, look at last touch.
Most businesses get the clearest picture by using both.
How attribution works in GoodMetrics
GoodMetrics is built to keep attribution simple and actionable. That’s why we provide both first touch and last touch attribution out of the box.
By default, reports in GoodMetrics use last touch attribution. This gives you a clear view of which channels directly drive conversions.
But you’ll also see first touch attribution in reports like Initial Referrer, Initial UTM Source/Medium, and Initial Landing Page. Here’s how it works:
- When someone visits your website for the first time, GoodMetrics generates a privacy-friendly visitor signature .
- At that moment, we record their initial referrer , initial landing page , and any UTM parameters in the URL.
- If that same visitor returns later and converts (using the same device + IP), we can tie the conversion back to the very first source that introduced them to your business.
This gives you a full-funnel view: last touch shows what’s closing deals, while first touch reveals which early touchpoints bring in visitors who are most likely to convert.
Final thoughts
Attribution isn’t about picking one perfect model. It’s about getting the right perspective for the question you’re trying to answer.
First touch helps you figure out which channels bring in visitors who end up converting later. Last touch shows you what actually closes the deal.
When you look at both together, you get a balanced view of what’s working across your whole funnel and where your marketing is really paying off.