Understanding changes in historic reporting of attribution
Updated
by
Anton Lauritsen
Dreamdata reports are always built on the current data and configurations. Consequently, if your data changes, historical attribution can change over time.
This means that the attribution for your closed won deals last quarter can vary if you do a report at the end of the quarter and then again at the end of the year.
These changes are usually minor, if at all, and happen because Dreamdata always ensures the most accurate representation of the customer journey with the data currently available.
Why attribution on existing deals can change?
Attribution for existing deals may evolve for two primary reasons:
- De-anonymization of events
Anonymous events become de-anonymized when additional information, such as a user logging into an app or signing up for a webinar, links those events to identifiable contacts.
- Changes in configured events
New events that are configured or tracked after the deal has been reported may be retroactively added to the historical journey of the relevant opportunity.
Example of Attribution Change
Consider a deal that was closed last month. The reporting for this deal, based on the information available at the end of the month, included:
- 1 form submission (from the channel "Direct")
- Some LinkedIn ad impressions
- 3 meetings
- 4 emails
Changes After New Information is Added
The following month, the new customer engages with your business again. For instance, multiple contacts fill out forms on your website by logging into your app or signing up for customer webinars. This activity de-anonymizes prior website interactions, revealing previously unidentified visits. These visits may show touchpoints such as branded and unbranded paid searches that occurred before the deal closed.
With this new information, the current channels for the same deal would now include:
- 1 form submission (from the channel "Direct")
- Some LinkedIn ad impressions
- 3 meetings
- 4 emails
- Paid search (branded)
- Paid search (unbranded)
This updated information provides a more complete and accurate view of the customer journey and how various touchpoints contributed to closing the deal. But since the multitouch attribution now is split over more channels. The split of attribution between the channels can change.
Key Takeaways
- Dreamdata’s attribution model dynamically updates as new data becomes available.
- Historical attribution can change, reflecting a more precise understanding of customer journeys.
- Understanding these changes helps ensure that reporting and analytics are aligned with the most accurate data possible.
- If these metrics are key and you need to prove your reporting over time, it is relevant to keep key reporting numbers archived outside Dreamdata as well.
