The migration to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has introduced significant shifts in revenue attribution across various channels, with notable under-reporting in non-Google channels like affiliate marketing. This change primarily stems from GA4’s Data-Driven Attribution (DDA) model, which contrasts sharply with the last-click basis prevalent in previous versions.
GA4’s Attribution Models and Their Impact
GA4 offers three main attribution models, each impacting affiliate marketing differently:
- Last Interaction: Attributes conversions to the last touchpoint, similar to the Last Click model in previous Analytics versions.
- Last Non-direct Click: Excludes direct traffic, offering a closer alignment with affiliate marketing needs.
- Data-Driven Attribution (DDA): GA4’s default model, using extensive data sampling, significantly differs in channel performance metrics compared to Last-Click models.
Key Challenges with GA4
- Bias Towards Google-Owned Channels: DDA is inherently designed to measure Google-owned channels, leading to data gaps and inaccuracies for non-Google channels, including affiliate marketing.
- Methodological Gaps in DDA: DDA requires a minimum of 400 conversions per unique path over 30 days, discarding paths that don’t meet this criterion. This change has led to the exclusion of a significant portion of affiliate conversion paths, with some affiliate platforms reporting that only 1.4% of affiliate paths reached this threshold.
- Preference for Google Channel Interactions: Google’s DDA gives precedence to Google-owned channel interactions, creating a bias in results. Non-Google channels are disadvantaged by less reliable measurement methods and the omission of impression and video data.
- Lack of Alignment with Previous Methodology: The shift in DDA’s functioning from earlier versions means that an apples-to-apples comparison with previous data is currently impossible.
Recommendations and Best Practices
- Utilizing Last Click in GA4: For a more reliable attribution method, setting GA4 to Last-Click can offer a deduplicated view of channel performance, though it may still misrepresent non-Google clicks.
- Alternative Tracking Solutions: Affiliate marketing platforms (like Impact, and CJ) offer robust tools for measuring affiliate channel value, unaffected by GA4’s biases. These include Cross-Channel Customer Journey reporting, Channel Incrementality tools, and Competitive Benchmarking.
The transition to GA4 necessitates a careful evaluation of attribution models, particularly for those in affiliate marketing. Understanding the inherent biases and limitations of GA4’s DDA is crucial for accurate revenue attribution and strategic decision-making
Derrick Branco 