In the fast-evolving world of digital marketing, one stubborn relic continues to hold brands and advertisers back: last-click attribution. Despite knowing there’s a better way to measure success, many marketers remain addicted to this outdated model—one that prioritises short-term conversions over long-term customer value.
As the regional CEO for APAC at Epsilon, Rob Odd has seen firsthand how reliance on last-click attribution creates a distorted view of performance, leading to suboptimal investment decisions and missed growth opportunities. The good news? The industry is waking up to the need for more sophisticated measurement models. The challenge? Making the transition requires a shift in mindset, technology, and execution.
The Problem with Last-Click Attribution
Last-click attribution assigns full credit for a conversion to the final ‘click’ before purchase, ignoring the complex, multi-touch journeys a customer takes. This oversimplification leads to several issues:
- Undervaluing Upper-Funnel Efforts – Brand awareness campaigns, social media, and display advertising often don’t get the credit they deserve, even though they play a crucial role in influencing purchase decisions.
- Over-Investing in Short-Term Wins – Paid search and retargeting campaigns often receive inflated credit because they sit at the bottom of the funnel. While effective, over-reliance on these channels can lead to diminishing returns.
- Clicks Don’t Reflect Real Consumer Behaviour – When was the last time you wanted to buy something but waited to see an ad just so you could click on it? It’s just not how people operate. Consumers engage with brands in many ways before purchasing—browsing, researching, asking for recommendations—often without clicking at all. Basing measurement on a final click misses this reality entirely.
- Ignoring Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) – A last-click approach measures success by immediate sales rather than long-term customer relationships, leading to poor retention strategies and inefficient spending.
A Smarter Approach: Alternative Measurement Models
Marketers who move beyond last-click attribution unlock deeper insights and drive more sustainable business growth. Here are three superior models:
- Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA) – MTA distributes credit across all customer touchpoints, providing a more holistic view of what’s driving conversions. By analysing the impact of various interactions—such as display ads, social engagement, and email marketing—brands can optimise spend across the entire funnel rather than just the last click.
- Incrementality Testing – Incrementality helps marketers understand the true impact of their campaigns by measuring what happens when a specific channel or tactic is added or removed. This method prevents wasted budget on tactics that might not be driving real, additional revenue.
- Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM) – MMM uses historical data and statistical analysis to measure the contribution of different marketing channels over time. This is especially useful for understanding long-term brand impact and optimising media investments at a macro level.
The Path to Transition
While brands recognise the flaws of last-click attribution, transitioning to a better model requires commitment. Here’s how marketers can take the first step:
- Invest in the Right Technology – Advanced data platforms, AI-driven analytics, and identity solutions help unify customer journeys and provide more accurate attribution.
- Adopt a Test-and-Learn Approach – Brands should experiment with new attribution models, running A/B tests and incrementality studies to validate impact before fully shifting strategies.
- Educate Internal Teams and Stakeholders – Convincing leadership and finance teams to move away from last-click requires clear communication of long-term benefits and success stories.
The Bottom Line
The industry has outgrown last-click attribution. In today’s privacy-first, omnichannel world, marketers need measurement frameworks that reflect the true complexity of the customer journey. By embracing multi-touch attribution, incrementality testing, and marketing mix modelling, brands can optimise their investments, drive greater customer value, and achieve sustainable growth.
At Epsilon, we work with brands across APAC to help them move beyond outdated measurement practices and harness the power of data-driven insights. The future belongs to those willing to break free from last-click addiction—are you ready to make the shift?
