practical attribution on a budget by adam proehl

#SMX #24B @adamproehl

Hacks & Tips for Diving Deeper Than Last Click

Practical Attribution on a Budget


§  Digital Marketer since 1998

§  Specialize in Complex & Omni-Channel sales

§  Partner at NordicClick Interactive – a Minneapolis based agency

§  Past Instructor at Online Marketing Institute, University of San Francisco, and Instant Training

§  Hopeless MN sports fan

About Me


§  Attribution – A practical approach

§  What you CAN do with what you ALREADY have

§  Testing your way there

§  Lessons learned from an 18 year vet

Topics


and I am a recovering last click marketer…

Hi, my name is Adam -

34:1 ROAS! …on branded keyword phrases (for one of the most recognized software products in history)


GA Today – 7 Default Attribution Models

100% of credit to a single click

First Four


GA Today – 7 Default Attribution Models

Unearned equality

Increasing Importance

40% First & Last

Last Three


Attribution Model:

What does any of this actually mean?


GA Today – Other Options

Build Your Own

Choose from Gallery


Attribution – Plethora of Tools & Resources

Not to Mention…. Big Data & Predictive Analytics


Attribution: What are you REALLY after?

§ What gets credit?

§ How much?

§ Why bother?


With what you already have?

What can you do…

Token 80’s icon photo


§ Do not track settings

§ Multiple devices

§ Regulatory

Cookies…just not what they used to be


Think:

Touchpoints

Starting Point

Source: Forrester


Build Your Own Start with Today

Evolve over Time


Tactics in Google Analytics

Top Conversion Paths


Tactics in Analytics

§ Tagging

§ Campaign Tracking

§ Offline Asset Tracking


§ Cross Domain Tracking

Attribution Challenges


Attribution Challenges 19% of referral traffic was actually their own sub domains.

MAJOR attribution challenge


Attribution How To’s § Assigning Credit?

§ What actually does work?

§ How?!?!?!?!?


Attribution – Simple How To #1: § Custom Audience & Email A/B Testing

&


Attribution – Simple How To #1: § Custom Audience & Email A/B Testing

Metric20k email list A(Also targeted on facebook)

20k email list B(No additional targeting)

Orders 200 150Revenue 20,000$ 13,500$ AOV 100$ 90$

Difference of $6,500 (= 32.5% of $20k)


Attribution – Simple How To #2: Marketing 101: Geo Control Tests

§  In Market Audience Display Advertising

§  Offline Advertising

§  Similar Markets


Attribution – Simple How To #2: Marketing 101: Geo Control Tests

Direct Traffic – Ad period Test Market

Direct Traffic – Ad period Control Market


Attribution – Brief Word on Testing

§ Perform multiple tests

§ One variable and one only

§ Document & Save


Attribution – Simple How To #3:

Ad Network Data Analytics Export

&


Attribution – Simple How To #3: Excel Magic

TypeFirst Action Tme Stamp

Order Confirm Time Stamp Time Lag

Last Click Source Action Order ID

QC.View 4/11/2014 22:55 4/12/2014 23:37 1 day 00:41:47 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989745QC.View 4/11/2014 23:33 4/12/2014 23:22 23:49:06 google Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989740QC.View 4/8/2014 21:22 4/12/2014 23:08 4 days 01:46:18 google Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989738QC.View 4/10/2014 0:06 4/12/2014 22:31 2 days 22:24:42 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989719QC.View 4/1/2014 23:24 4/12/2014 21:44 10 days 22:19:47 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989699QC.View 4/12/2014 11:31 4/12/2014 21:17 9:46:07 google Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989680QC.View 4/4/2014 21:06 4/12/2014 21:10 8 days 00:04:35 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989675QC.View 4/4/2014 16:28 4/12/2014 20:23 8 days 03:54:25 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989659QC.View 3/14/2014 22:22 4/12/2014 19:21 28 days 20:59:04 moreware.se Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989645QC.View 4/11/2014 19:28 4/12/2014 18:55 23:26:57 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989632QC.View 3/21/2014 11:34 4/12/2014 18:17 22 days 06:43:40 moreware.se Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989624QC.View 4/12/2014 12:22 4/12/2014 18:03 5:41:32 moreware.se Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989621QC.View 3/23/2014 15:31 4/12/2014 17:18 20 days 01:47:18 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989606QC.View 4/5/2014 17:31 4/12/2014 16:38 6 days 23:07:01 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989584QC.Click 4/11/2014 20:43 4/12/2014 16:08 19:24:39 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989572QC.View 4/12/2014 10:03 4/12/2014 15:51 5:48:50 google Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989558QC.View 4/5/2014 20:29 4/12/2014 15:41 6 days 19:12:58 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989547QC.View 4/5/2014 10:35 4/12/2014 15:14 7 days 04:38:22 (direct) Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989531QC.View 3/27/2014 13:45 4/12/2014 15:01 16 days 01:15:53 moreware.se Purchase+Plus+Order+Confirmation989525

Not Foolproof Just Potential Actionable Trends


Attribution – Simple How To #4: Email Analysis

§  Email platform data

§  Analytics data

§  Backend data


Attribution – Simple How to #5

Remember this?

Business Card with Coupon Code

Retail


Attribution on a Budget – What it means

NOT ABOUT:

§  Canned formula fractions

§  Drowning in data

§  Being perfect or precise


Attribution on a Budget – What it Really Means

IS ABOUT LEARNING:

§  Your Customer’s Journey

§  How tactics fit together

§  Where to Focus


Attribution: The “Marketing Fluff” Charge

DOCUMENT:

§  What can be measured

§  “Known Unknowns”

§  Assumptions


§ Bad Data

§ Assumptions made in a vacuum

§ Trying for Perfection

Attribution: Gotcha’s

It’s a Trap! Image Credit: Starwars.com


§ Forget complicated models

§ Start with blank slate – draw the journey

§ A/B test your way to actionable trend data

Takeaways – Attribution on a Budget


THANK YOU!

SEE YOU @SMX WEST SAN JOSE, CA

MARCH 1-3, 2016