Why Last-Click Attribution is Outdated: Snap’s Insights

Social media platforms are pushing for a shift away from last-click attribution to better measure the true impact of ad campaigns. In today’s digital landscape, purchase journeys are more complex and involve broader discovery and awareness.

Snapchat recently released a report emphasizing the limitations of relying solely on last-click attribution in understanding modern consumer behavior. According to Snap,

“Both Gen Z and Millennials have a ton of spending power, however, how and where they purchase have evolved in the past few years as they engage across multiple devices and channels. The path to purchase is no longer linear and last-click attribution can not stitch together their non-linear paths to purchase accurately.”

The report delves into how younger audiences discover products and how this discovery process influences purchasing behavior.

Snap highlights that younger audiences heavily research and discover products on social media and through influencers before making a purchase. Last-click attribution fails to capture this important upper-funnel discovery process, undervaluing the role of engagement in marketing strategies.

Therefore, Snap advises brands to balance their focus on brand awareness and direct response campaigns to gain a comprehensive understanding of their brand impact. While branding efforts may not lead directly to purchases, they play a crucial role in overall brand perception.

While these insights benefit Snap’s business, they also highlight the platform’s strengths in providing impactful brand experiences and building community connections, rather than driving direct purchases.

While each platform has its unique approach to tracking attribution, Snap encourages businesses to look beyond direct ROI and consider the correlation between impression data and sales to better understand campaign performance.

For more detailed insights, you can read Snapchat’s full report here.