Attribution Model

What Is an Attribution Model?

An attribution model is a set of rules that determines which marketing source, channel, or affiliate receives credit for a conversion, such as a sale, signup, or lead.

In affiliate marketing, attribution models help answer an important question: Which affiliate should receive credit, and potentially a commission, when a customer interacts with more than one affiliate before converting?

How Does Attribution Work?

A customer's journey isn't always straightforward.

For example, imagine a customer:

1. Clicks Affiliate A's referral link and visits your website.
2. Leaves without making a purchase.
3. A week later, clicks Affiliate B's referral link.
4. Makes a purchase.

Which affiliate should receive credit for the sale?

That's where your attribution rules come in.

Affiliate marketing software uses tracking information to connect customers and conversions to affiliates.

Depending on the platform and program setup, attribution can use information such as:

• Unique affiliate referral links
• Affiliate or coupon codes
• Customer-to-affiliate assignments
• Tracked purchases or bookings

When a customer completes a qualifying action, the affiliate software uses these relationships and the program's attribution rules to determine which affiliate should receive credit.