One of the latest additions to Google Analytics Solutions is Google Attribution. Still in beta, this product provides you another way to gain insights about your customers — this time by showing you how your marketing efforts impact the customer journey. Attribution provides you with information that can help improve your results and ROI for digital marketing and (if you choose Attribution 360) for your TV ads.
How Google Attribution Works
Google Attribution works by examining behavior across different devices and channels to map customer journeys. It uses imported data about performance, costs, and context from Google Analytics, AdWords, and DoubleClick. Using machine learning, the algorithm determines how much credit to give each touchpoint in the journey. For instance, it considers differences in journeys of users who convert and those who don’t.
All this allows you to see how much effect your efforts have on users and which channels are yielding results. Attribution also provides you with insights on where you should be investing and other ways you can make improvements.
Solution According to Business Size
Google offers Attribution as two solutions. Choose the right one for you according to your business size and needs.
For most small businesses, the standard Google Attribution solution is sufficient. It provides you with cross-channel and cross-device attribution for free. Big businesses, however, can benefit from Google Attribution 360. This has greater capabilities, allowing you to manage advanced data integration and modeling requirements.
For instance, Attribution 360 offers DoubleClick integrations with Search, Bid Manager, and Campaign Manager — Search is coming soon to standard Google Attribution. Plus, whereas both versions allow you to import data from Google platforms, Attribution 360 also allows you to import from third-party platforms. Another difference is that Attribution 360 has spend optimizer and TV attribution features.
Finally, you’ll receive additional support if you choose Attribution 360: through SLAs, a dedicated account manager, and the certified service partner program. Users of the standard Google Attribution can find support in the help center and community forums.
Digital Attribution Capabilities
Whichever solution you choose, you’ll receive digital attribution features that enable you to optimize all aspects of your digital marketing strategy. Thanks to cross-device attribution, you can put the pieces together to create comprehensive customer journeys. Google’s device graph does this for multiple devices while maintaining privacy for the user.
Spend optimizer, for Google Attribution 360 only, also allows you to examine various budget optimization options. You can apply these to your future efforts to improve the effectiveness and return on your investments.
TV Attribution Capabilities
TV attribution capabilities for Attribution 360 add broadcast data to the equation. Features include:
- Airings data. From standard broadcast sources and partners.
- Digital response data. This encompasses website visits, conversion data, and search query data for keywords related to your ads.
- Integrated insights. Digital Attribution and Marketing Mix Modeling uses broadcast lift and optimization insights to show how your TV ads impact performance on all digital channels.
- Machine learning impact estimates. An analysis of your website and search queries after your TV ad airs. Machine learning takes into consideration other factors to ensure accurate insights, even when more than one spot airs at the same time.
It is often difficult to interpret data to figure out how your marketing efforts are contributing to sales. It is more complex still when users are engaging with your brand on various channels or on different devices. Google Attribution does the hard work for you, providing you with actionable insights that you can use to improve performance and returns.