What is an attribution report in HubSpot?

Marketing attribution has become a topic of growing interest for many companies as they look to understand the full impact their digital advertising and social media campaigns have on sales. But not all marketing departments are using it effectively or at all.

One reason could be that most organizations don't know what an Attribution Report actually does. In this article we'll explain everything about attribution reporting so you can take advantage of its benefits. We'll also discuss some common questions around attribution reporting and answer them based on our experience working with clients.

So let's start by explaining why marketers need attribution reporting first.

Why do I care if my marketing drives customers into my stores?

In order to get more out of your marketing spend and make informed decisions, you should pay attention to where leads come from. If you're spending money on Facebook ads but only getting small percentage of clicks converted into sales, then you may want to rethink your campaign goals. Or maybe you've seen great results with Instagram ads but aren't sure whether people who follow you will end up buying anything from your site.

The good news is there are several ways to figure these things out without having to hire someone else just to run analytics. Marketing attribution tools like Hubspot's AttributeIQ provide powerful insights through easy-to-understand graphs and charts. These types of solutions allow advertisers to track every lead source, such as organic search engine traffic, paid online display ads, email marketing and others. With this information, businesses can better determine ROI (returns on investment) and which channels drive the highest conversion rates.

HubSpot offers multiple plans depending on business size and needs. Our enterprise plan allows us to support larger enterprises across industries with detailed marketing attribution analysis. It includes access to advanced features such as multi-dimensional segmentation and audience profiles, as well as demographic targeting capabilities. This program costs $199 per month when billed annually ($149/month). For smaller businesses looking to test out attribution software for the first time, we offer a free trial option via our website.

What role can attribution play in your reporting strategy HubSpot?

As mentioned earlier, one of the main reasons marketers cite for avoiding marketing attribution is because it takes too long to produce accurate results. However, HubSpot's AttributeIQ gives users realtime insight into conversions right after they happen. As soon as visitors convert on something within your ecommerce store, we automatically detect the event and send them directly back to the product page. Customers never even see another pop-up!

This way, you can instantly measure the performance of each piece of content you create or promote. You can use this knowledge to optimize your future investments while giving audiences exactly what they came searching for. And since AttributeIQ provides complete transparency into your customer journey, you can easily identify areas for improvement.

And speaking of improvements, HubSpot's reporting system lets you tweak metrics and dimensions whenever you'd like. So you can compare different marketing strategies against one set of criteria until you find the winning formula. Additionally, most of our platforms now feature automated updates so stats stay current throughout the year.

What role can attribution play in reporting strategy?

Another important aspect of measuring success is making sure everyone understands the metric being used to evaluate effectiveness. That means communicating clearly what "conversion" really means. Conversion refers to any action taken by a visitor that indicates intent to purchase. The goal is to turn those potential buyers into paying customers.

For example, sending someone to checkout, adding items to cart, filling out contact forms -- none of these actions represent true conversions. Only transactions resulting from an actual payment qualify as successful conversions. When evaluating marketing activities, keep this distinction in mind. Otherwise, you might draw wrong conclusions.

Also, consider including conversion rate measurements alongside other key metrics. By doing so, you can put conversion numbers front and center. Instead of thinking solely about dollars earned from specific sources, think instead in terms of number of qualified prospects gained. Think about it: How much would you invest in your next ad campaign if you knew it was going to generate 2,000 qualified leads vs. 1,500 unqualified ones?

It doesn't matter whether you choose to include total impressions or unique views in your measurement mix. What matters here is understanding the difference between quantity and quality. A single view counts as a conversion no matter how high the clickthrough ratio happens to be. Conversely, a higher CTR isn't necessarily indicative of increased volume. Just remember that both factors contribute equally toward achieving overall engagement goals.

What is attribution in reporting?

Attribution simply refers to determining the exact point along the buyer's path where a prospect became interested enough in your products or services to reach out to you. Let's say you ran a banner advertisement on Google Search last week. Did anyone respond to your landing page? Were they able to fill out the form on your webform? Do they eventually buy anything from your site?

You probably already know the answers to these questions, but you can gain additional clarity by analyzing the following three pieces of information together:

1. Source - Where did your prospective customer arrive from? Was it organic search, PPC ads, referral links, etc.? Knowing where your audience started helps guide your entire marketing effort. Plus, knowing where they ended up is even more valuable.

2. Behavior - After arriving at your site, were they ready to engage further? Are they checking out your blog posts, clicking on banners, reading your white papers or taking a tour of your virtual showroom? Depending upon what stage of the buyer cycle you're currently experiencing, you'll want to tailor messaging accordingly.

3. Response - Once visitors reached your website, were they able to perform the desired task? Did they leave your site immediately or stick around to check out your offerings? Understanding the response behavior of your target audience is critical when gauging marketing performance.

What is revenue attribution?

Revenue attribution shows you how much credit goes to various promotional tactics. It's often referred to as return on investment (ROI), but it differs slightly from monetary ROI. Revenue attribution focuses on direct revenue generated from marketing initiatives rather than indirect expenses incurred during production or servicing.

If you sell widgets and the widget company spends $5 million on marketing, but earns $10 million due exclusively from sponsored placements on websites, then revenue attribution tells you the latter amount.

However, if you're a restaurant owner trying to estimate your monthly profit margin, revenue attribution won't work for you. Because restaurants serve hundreds of meals daily, it makes sense that certain elements of food preparation require more man hours than others. Even though revenues attributed specifically to marketing may seem low, they still add up over time. To truly calculate profitability, you must break down service fees associated with labor and overhead costs.

But again, revenue attribution is ideal for tracking the efficacy of particular promotions. Whether you're selling physical goods or digital subscriptions, identifying the best performing assets becomes easier once you establish which channels deliver the maximum payoff and which fall flat.

Now that you've read this article, go ahead and try out the demo tool yourself. There are plenty of resources available to walk you through setting up your account.

Marketing attribution tools are powerful and essential for marketers who want to understand where their leads come from and what actions drive conversions. But these complex reporting systems aren't always intuitive or easy to use, which means companies often don't get full value out of them. That's why we created our Attribution Model -- a simple way that businesses can easily access this important information. Our Attribute Model allows anyone at any company level to get started quickly by simply adding one piece of customer data per lead source they track. This gives users the ability to run tests on multiple sources and compare results across different channels like email, social media, etc.

In order to create an effective attribution model, it helps if you have a clear understanding of exactly what attribution really is. And there are three key terms we'll be using here:

Attribution Testing - The process of running tests to see whether certain things cause specific events (conversions), such as signing up for a newsletter or filling out a form.

Attribution Models - A mathematical formula used to calculate conversion rates based on the number of sales generated.

First Touch Attribution - When someone visits a website but does not complete the purchase right away.

What is attribution testing?

When working with attribution models, people tend to think about "attributing" credit for a sale when the person made the final decision to buy something. However, attribution testing involves going further back and looking at other factors that may have influenced this decision. For example, did the prospect remember seeing an ad before coming to the site they're interested in buying from? Or were they exposed to many emails promoting similar products before making a choice? These questions become even more relevant given recent changes to US privacy laws around consumer data collection. In fact, according to research conducted last year by the Data & Marketing Association, 89% of consumers would rather opt-out than share personal details with brands.

To illustrate the difference between Attributed Conversions vs. Actual Conversions, let's take a look at two hypothetical scenarios involving identical products being sold online. Let's say two customers bought a pair of shoes from both Amazon and eBay over the course of a month. If Amazon only offered free shipping while eBay charged extra, then attributed all purchases to Amazon because those customers didn't make a second trip to eBay after checking prices. But if both sites had free shipping policies, then you'd actually end up attributing most of the orders to eBay since they went there once anyway. You wouldn't attribute anything to Amazon unless they specifically found each product through Amazon, so long as no special promotions appeared on either site.

Now that we've clarified some basic definitions, let's walk through how we built our Attribution Model using HubSpot's own CRM system, Salesforce. Once you start building your own attribution model within HubSpot, you will save time by having everything already set up. Our Attribute Model contains every single channel, campaign, offer, and promotion that has ever been sent to a contact. It also includes demographic information, including gender, age range, job title, location, education, marital status, household income, and home ownership status. After clicking Create Report, you will immediately be able to filter down to whichever campaigns you wish to test and view the following metrics:

Sales Value Per Campaign Source

Conversion Rate %

Average Sale Amount Per Lead Source

Time Spent On Site Per Visit

Average Time Between First Contact and Conversion

The image below shows how easy it was to build these filters. We selected Email as the primary campaign source, along with New Customer as the default target audience. Then, under Target Audience, I chose Business Owner/Director. Finally, I clicked Save Changes, and my report instantly populated itself with actual numbers for comparison. As you can see, this isn't rocket science. Anyone can pick apart analytics reports and figure out useful bits of information without needing advanced training.

If you prefer Excel instead of creating a custom report, HubSpot offers a handy tool called Attribution Insights. With just a few clicks, you can generate detailed charts comparing your top performing campaigns versus non-performing ones. To learn more about how this works, check out the video above!

What is an attribution model?

A good attribution model should answer several critical questions: Which channels work best? What kind of content performs best? How much impact does geography play into performance? Are there differences among demographics? Answering these kinds of questions requires a lot of analysis, and HubSpot's Attribute Model makes it easier than ever to perform this type of evaluation.

For example, say you wanted to know which campaign performed better overall -- email or phone calls -- and split it down by campaign source. All you have to do is select Phone Calls or Emails as the Primary Channel, and HubSpot automatically populates all the columns needed to break down your stats by campaign type, channel, and source. Here's what happens next:

After choosing Split Channels, you'll be asked to choose the metric you wish to evaluate. From there, you can decide whether you want to measure success by lead count, total revenue, average amount spent, etc.

Once you click Create Your Analysis, you can customize your chart however you desire. By setting the dimensions to Demographics, you can change the color legend to View Only or Show Labels. Then, under Dimensions, you can adjust the options shown under Age Range, Gender, Income Level, Job Title, Home Ownership Status, Geography, Education, and Marital Status.

Finally, under Actions, you can choose to sort your rows alphabetically by Campaign Name, Date Created, or Date Modified. This is optional, but it can give you additional insight into trends over time. Click Done when done, and you will receive a link to download the file containing your customized visualization.

There are plenty of ways you could explore your data beyond analyzing its raw numbers alone. One popular approach is to visualize your KPIs alongside visualizations showing historical traffic patterns. Another option is to dive deeper into your attribution modeling by exploring segmentation. Segmentation lets you group contacts together based on behavior, allowing you to drill down into your data to find relationships between high performers and low performers.

Here's what segmentation looks like within HubSpot's Attribute Model. Using segments, we created four buckets of Contacts: Low Performers, Medium Performers, High Performers, and Superstar Contacts. The green line represents Average Revenue for Contacts in that bucket, and the blue lines represent standard deviation.

We labeled these groups based on revenue so we could identify outliers. In this case, we noticed that Superstars tended to spend less money compared to the rest of the population despite generating higher revenues overall. So, if we're trying to determine how to allocate resources towards certain initiatives, knowing where to focus might prove beneficial.

It doesn't stop at identifying distinct user behaviors. Within the same table, you can add another dimension titled User Type, which divides Contacts into Prospects or Customers. While prospects visit websites to collect information, customers typically convert into paying clients. Now that you've identified your main goals, you can begin to tailor messages to meet specific needs.

Under the Advanced Filters section, you can search for more refined parameters like Product Category, Industry, Loyalty Program Membership, Interested in Specific Products, and so forth. There's also a convenient sidebar where you can input new variables at a later date whenever necessary.

What is the first touch attribution model HubSpot?

HubSpot's Attribution Model is optimized for simplicity and ease of implementation. It provides leaders with valuable insights that allow them to prioritize investments effectively. Since everyone's workflow is different, sometimes managers may feel overwhelmed during onboarding. Luckily, HubSpot's Attribute Model comes equipped with self-service capabilities that provide immediate visibility into your business. No matter how busy you are, everyone -- from executives to entry-level employees -- can gain actionable feedback.

Another benefit of HubSpot's Attribute Model is that it can be accessed via the web interface or mobile app. Users can log in remotely to review real-time reports on desktop computers or tablets. Additionally, they can export datasets directly into spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, or PDF files. This flexibility ensures that teams across departments stay informed of crucial information wherever they go.

One of the biggest challenges facing CMOs today is keeping tabs on changing digital landscapes. Companies must adapt to keep pace with emerging technologies, shifting market dynamics, and evolving user expectations. Although traditional tactics still remain viable, technology advancements continue to disrupt conventional approaches.

That's why implementing an attribution model is becoming increasingly vital for modern marketers. Not only does it help shed light onto future opportunities, but it also increases ROI by reducing waste. Simply put, it saves businesses money and reduces wasted effort.

This article describes HubSpot's Attribution Model, but it's not meant to replace expert advice or consulting services. Because HubSpot uses real-world examples, you may encounter unique situations or issues depending on your industry and market. Therefore, it's recommended that you consult with a trusted advisor prior to investing in an attribution solution.

Marketing attribution tools are designed to give marketers more information about their customers so they can better understand what drives customer behavior and improve the effectiveness of specific campaigns or messages. But what exactly do these tools look like and how can you use them for your business?

In this article we'll explain everything there is to know about Attribution Reporting in HubSpot Marketing Cloud. We'll cover who can access it, why you need one, and how to get started using it. Let's dive right into it!

What is a attribution report?

An attribution analysis takes a set of actions on social media sites (such as clicks) and tries to determine which action was performed first to ultimately reach that result. The goal of any attribution tool is to track visitors' journey through a website — starting at the top navigation menu, going down deeper pages, clicking links within site content, etc., until finally arriving at the purchase page. It's important to note that attributions aren't always easy to make because many factors play a part in whether someone will be willing to buy something, including location, intent, previous purchases, and other variables. That being said, understanding where people start before purchasing helps businesses identify those most likely to convert and makes future improvements easier.

What does attribution reporting mean?

Hubspot has been offering attribution analytics since 2014, making us uniquely qualified to provide valuable insight into attribution reporting. Here's some quick background on what attribution reporting means and how it works.

Attribution reporting tracks visitors' journeys throughout your entire web property (including mobile), giving insights into traffic sources and conversions. This allows you to see which channels led to sales, gain knowledge regarding which products appeal to certain demographics, and focus areas needing improvement. You can also discover which social networks have higher conversion rates than others. Attributing individual users provides detailed statistics on each person's path across all channels leading up to conversion, helping companies pinpoint which aspects of online user experience increase engagement and lead to increased revenue and profits.

What does attribution mean in data?

When talking about attribution, "data" refers specifically to clickstreams or paths taken by visitors when navigating your digital properties. When analyzing data, you're looking for patterns between various groups and trying to figure out if there are differences among different segments based on key metrics such as number of steps, time spent reading product descriptions, etc. In addition, you want to evaluate conversion rate performance over time and compare it against competitors. For example, if you run an e-commerce store selling shoes, you might look at the percentage of total orders placed via mobile devices compared to desktop computers. If you sell clothes accessories, you could examine the difference between the types of clothing items purchased per gender.

The best way to visualize this type of data is through heat maps. A heat map shows visitor activity within a given area, typically represented by color intensity levels. These heatmaps allow you to easily spot anomalies or deviations in order to find potential problems. They show trends over time and reveal useful data, allowing you to better strategize the design of your websites.

What can you learn from attribution reports?

There are four main benefits of having good attribution reporting:

1. Identify channel usage: By tracking visits, you can tell which channels drive the highest volume of leads and therefore should receive priority in terms of budget allocation. If you've ever wondered why Facebook ads consistently outperform Google Ads, now you have the answer. From our own experience working with hundreds of B2B brands around the world, we've seen that while both channels work well together, Facebook tends to produce higher ROI. Why? Because Facebook offers high-quality audiences that closely match your target audience and enables you to measure campaign success very accurately. And while Facebook may not necessarily offer lower cost per acquisition (CPA) than Google AdWords, its ability to deliver highly relevant audiences and accurate measurement often makes it worth the extra investment.

Using HubSpot Marketing cloud’s Smart Campaign Manager, you can create custom ad sets that include multiple placements, targeting options, budgets, landing pages, and even integrated forms. With simple drag-and-drop customization capabilities, you can take advantage of all available formats and settings without writing code.

Google Analytics is great but doesn't automatically display full callflows nor deep linking/behavioral retargeting. Furthermore, while GA can provide realtime stats, it lacks critical depth and accuracy needed to fully optimize advertising spend. For instance, you cannot view unique device flow, session duration, funnel completion, exit points, geo-targeted vs non-geo targeted sessions, and more. All of these crucial details are missing in Google Analytics, but included in HubSpot's solution. Additionally, unlike HubSpot, you won't find a builtin option to connect third party systems like Adobe Omniture, Flashpixx, Sitecore Commerce, Salesforce CRM, Mailchimp, Market Central, etc.

2. Discover what converts: With HubSpot's advanced analytics features, you can uncover hidden gems buried under mountains of unprofitable clicks. As mentioned above, attribution reports let you determine which step in your conversion process resulted in a successful sale. However, just knowing which steps contribute to a sale isn't enough. To truly maximize profit margins, you must drill down further. Knowing only that a particular piece of copy received 500 clicks during a two week period would indicate a problem if it turned out no one clicked on anything else after that point. On the flip side, identifying that a specific headline generated 100% of clicks indicates a winner. Afterward, you'd want to test variations of the same idea to find the winning combination. Once you've done this, you can then repeat the process for related ideas.

3. Improve efficiency: One of the biggest challenges facing advertisers today is finding ways to generate more effective, efficient results from limited resources. Using HubSpot's attribution feature, you can quickly assess current campaigns to ensure they're running efficiently. Then, you can take immediate action to adjust strategies accordingly.

4. Reduce risk: While testing new approaches, sometimes things don't go according to plan. It's difficult to predict every variable required to achieve optimal outcomes. By having clear visibility into your overall marketing strategy and performance, you can address issues early on and avoid costly mistakes.

Now that we've covered the basics, here are some additional helpful tips to consider when getting started with attribution reporting in HubSpot Marketing Cloud...

How to integrate HubSpot’s attribution functionality into existing platforms:

It's possible to use HubSpot’s attribution integration services alongside traditional analytical solutions. Our integrations service includes support for popular analytic platforms, including Adobe Omniture, IBM Cognos BI, Oracle Hyperion Planning, SAP BusinessObjects Insightly, SharePoint Portal Server 2010, SQL Server Analysis Services, and WebMethods Data Management Solution.

You can choose to either embed the necessary scripts directly onto your site or rely on a managed hosting provider to handle the technical elements of the integration. Either method ensures maximum compatibility and seamless operation.

Tips for improving attribution reporting quality:

Improving attribution reporting quality starts with choosing the appropriate platform. There are several considerations you should keep in mind when deciding which platform(s) to utilize. First, consider your company size, needs, and goals. Second, think about the amount of data you wish to manage. Third, decide whether you prefer self hosted or managed hosting. Fourth, select the platform that meets your organization’s compliance requirements. Finally, consider the vendor partner providing the service.

Here are a few examples of questions you should ask yourself when evaluating your preferred technology choice:

Do I require complex data cleansing processes?

Can I scale my analytical models in response to changing demands?

Am I interested in integrating external data?

Are there legacy systems involved?

Is my system scalable?

Will I have direct control over my source data?

Who manages the underlying infrastructure?

Does the chosen platform offer 24 x 7 monitoring and management services?

Which vendors specialize in developing sophisticated attribution platforms?

What kind of training and consulting expertise do providers possess?

Should I hire a dedicated team to implement the solution?

How long will it take me to realize returns on my investments?

As you can see, the possibilities are endless when it comes to leveraging attribution reporting in order to grow your brand and boost sales. Now that you know more about its intricacies, how about learning how to build up your account in HubSpot Marketing Cloud? Check out these handy guides below to speed up onboarding:

Build Your Brand & Grow Revenue Through Email Automation Guide

Create Awesome Emails Easily With Step-By-Step Guides

Become a Master At Making Sense Of Social Media Insights Reports

Boost Conversions & Increase Profits Today With HubSpot Marketing Cloud