Why Last-Click Attribution Isn't Dead—But It’s Not Enough

For years, last-click attribution has been the default for measuring marketing performance. It’s simple, accessible, and often the go-to for finance teams. But as the marketing landscape evolves, brands are starting to ask a more important question: What’s really driving growth?

In our recent webinar, Courtney Bittelari (Director of Analytics at New Engen) put it best:

"It is very easy to villainize last-click attribution, but I don’t think it’s a dirty word. It’s just kind of an incomplete view of what’s going on."

Last-click attribution still plays a role—especially for lower-funnel tactics like paid search and affiliate marketing. The problem arises when it’s used as the only measurement approach. Brands that rely solely on last-click often underinvest in upper-funnel channels because they can’t directly tie them to conversions.

The Shift to Unified Measurement

The real game-changer is moving beyond a single measurement model. Marketers are adopting a Unified Measurement approach that blends:

• Multi-Touch Attribution (MTA): Provides real-time insights on how touchpoints contribute to conversions.
• Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM): Offers long-term budget allocation and strategic planning.
• Incrementality Testing: Validates what’s actually driving performance.

Ashley McAlpin (Head of Marketing at Rockerbox) explained the shift in mindset:

"Brands used to ask, ‘What drove the sale?’ Now they’re asking, ‘What’s the real driver of performance over time? Where should I invest next?’"

By integrating multiple methodologies, marketers are making smarter investment decisions—ones that balance short-term performance with long-term growth.

The Challenges of Moving Beyond Last-Click

While the benefits of Unified Measurement are clear, implementing it comes with challenges:

1. Data Fragmentation – Each methodology relies on different data sources. MTA uses user-level tracking, MMM relies on aggregated data, and testing requires experimental design. Integrating these datasets requires a strong data foundation.
2. Time Horizons – MTA provides near real-time insights, MMM analyzes trends over months or years, and incrementality testing offers a snapshot of performance at a given time. Brands need to understand how to balance and interpret these timelines effectively.
3. Cross-Team Alignment – Finance, analytics, and marketing teams often have different definitions of success. Without a unified KPI framework, teams can end up working from conflicting data points, leading to inefficiencies in decision-making.

The Role of Technology and Analysts in Unified Measurement

Technology plays a crucial role in bringing these methodologies together. Platforms that centralize data, automate attribution modeling, and enable cross-channel analysis help brands scale their measurement efforts. However, technology alone is not enough.

As Ashley noted, measurement platforms are only valuable if they lead to action. Brands need analysts who can interpret data, uncover meaningful insights, and ensure that findings translate into strategic decisions. Without this, even the most sophisticated measurement frameworks risk becoming static dashboards rather than dynamic decision-making tools.

Courtney reinforced this point:

"There’s no single model that will tell you the whole story. You have to use all of them."

The Future of Measurement: Unifying MTA, MMM, and Testing

As privacy regulations evolve and tracking restrictions increase, marketers can no longer rely on one data source or measurement approach. Brands that embrace a Unified Measurement strategy will be best positioned to navigate these changes.

This means using MMM to guide strategic budget allocation, leveraging MTA for day-to-day optimizations, and validating insights with incrementality testing. It also means breaking down data silos and fostering collaboration between marketing, finance, and analytics teams.

Moving forward, the brands that succeed will be those that shift their measurement mindset from “what drove the last sale” to “what’s driving long-term business performance.”

For companies still relying on last-click as their primary measurement tool, now is the time to evolve. The future of measurement is not about choosing one methodology over another—it’s about blending them together strategically to build a more comprehensive, resilient approach to marketing analytics.