Multi-Touch Attribution is Dead
09/07/2023
Author: Matt Voda, CEO of OptiMine
Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA) is the method of attempting to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns by tracking users across devices and ads using their identities and clicks to determine which ads “caused” the customer to make a purchase (or complete the desired action). This method of measurement was never very accurate or reliable to begin with – and is now under significant privacy pressure. MTA is no longer a viable method of marketing measurement, or in other words… Multi-Touch Attribution is Dead.
A Period of Massive Disruption and Change
The marketing ecosystem is now in a period of massive disruption and change (and has been for quite some time). There are several factors stopping MTA measures dead in their tracks:
State-By-State Privacy Regulations
There is a constant stream of new state-by-state consumer privacy regulations – with no signs of it slowing down anytime soon. This creates new risks for brands that continue to use PII and identity data in their marketing measurement.
Apple’s Privacy Changes
Apple continues its march for consumer data privacy, with App Tracking Transparency (ATT) changes in iOS essentially killing user-based attribution. And since Apple iPhones make up approximately 50% of the user-base in the U.S., this has a large impact on marketers.
Google’s Privacy Sandbox
Google’s Privacy Sandbox deserves a little extra attention. Much of their focus has been on the fact that the 3rd party cookie is being killed off in Chrome in 2024—but that’s only part of the story. Google’s Privacy Sandbox will also stop ALL consumer identity tracking in Chrome and Android, which should be alarming to all marketers considering that Chrome owns 60% of the web browser market share and Android usage continues to rise…
Brands must look for new ways of measurement to stay competitive and protect their marketing investments – and fast, before Google completes these changes in 2024.
Making the Case for Privacy-Safe Measurement
The increase in state-by-state regulations and privacy changes in favor of the consumer by major tech players like Apple & Google aren’t going to stop any time soon. With these changes, data loss will continue while compliance risks steadily increase – so if your brand is still reliant on tracking and/or Multi-Touch Attribution for marketing measurement, now is the time to move towards a privacy-safe solution—before it’s too late. By 2024, nearly the entire consumer tracking ecosystem will have gone dark – so switching over to a solution that doesn’t rely on consumer tracking before that happens is absolutely crucial.
OptiMine provides attribution without PII, cookies, or consumer data—making it the only 100% future-proof solution on the market. Ready to learn how OptiMine can guide you on the path forward to privacy-proof measurement? Download our “Multi-Touch Attribution is Dead” eBook and / or contact us today!