‘How do I know which media channels will drive the most conversions?’
For years we’ve been searching for an attribution solution that will help answer this question. While there are a number of great tools out there, attribution modeling is a blessing and a curse – it aims to give us deeper visibility, but its limitations also give us a false representation of which channels are actually most effective.
This is where I believe the industry gets caught up in itself. Because if we’re honest with ourselves, is there really a tool or methodology out there that can give us the clear and definitive answer on attribution for every diverse media mix? No. But that’s what marketers are desperate for.
Consider this: if digital channels are all that’s actually trackable (as is the case with most attribution tools out there), it’s going to seem on paper that your Googles and Metas are the strongest performers.
But how do you compare CTR and CVR to platforms like OOH and CTV where there is a ton of value but those metrics aren’t 1:1? And moreover, how do we quantify this to our clients when these platforms don’t fit in standard attribution modeling?
To put it another way, everyone understands the value of an integrated media plan in theory: top of funnel tactics to build your brand awareness balanced with bottom funnel conversion drivers. But in practice, when we start reviewing analytics, they’re all held to the same standard: what is bringing in sales?
If we put such a heavy reliance on partial data to make decisions about our media mix, it leads to fear-based decisions. When we should be focused on what media channels our competitors are using and we’re missing out on–like TV and DOOH, we’re instead fearful of not having the data telling us everything is going to be ok.
So, we need an equalizer. Something to point to and say with confidence that top of funnel platforms are working hard even though they’re not tallying up conversions the same way Meta and Google do.
Here is my suggestion – and it’s not scientific – but, I would advocate for relinquishing any anxiety around not having 1:1 data and instead focus on content and what we know about how consumers engage and digest that content.
Focus on clearly articulating your brand or product story, include images or video that quickly get people’s attention, and have an obvious CTA.
Put trust in top of funnel platforms and know that with the right creative and messaging, you’re going to see brand lift, affinity, and soon your lower funnel platforms will work harder for you in driving conversions.
What channels are you seeing provide the most brand lift? And how are you tracking this?