The Google Analytics attribution paths report

The attribution paths report is a great one, but it generally does not get the attention it deserves, especially in long conversion processes.

Perhaps because it is somewhat hidden.

Perhaps because its display is a little different from that of more common reports.

Perhaps because we know it does not reflect the full reality of the business's marketing.

Whatever the reason, it is never one of the priority reports, so I am going to try to get you to take a look at it.

Before we start, there are a couple of details you need to know.

Essential requirement for viewing it

You must have key events or purchases configured for ecommerce in GA4.

Obviously.

After all, if you do not collect conversions, how do you expect to attribute them?

If that is your case, you should know that in this article I explain how to track contact conversions in Analytics.

Take a look and configure your key events now. Then come back to this article.

How to access the attribution paths report

You access it from Advertising, not from Reports, where the usual reports are.

What the report shows

Once inside, you will find a report that shows all the channels used by users who converted on your website.

In other words, not the last or first channel, which is what you see in traffic reports—session and user reports, respectively—but the full path. More or less (I will explain later):

How to use the attribution paths report

Although this report already existed in Universal, its capabilities have expanded in some ways and shrunk in others. I will tell you in a moment what we have gained and lost, but first, let us see what we can adjust.

In the report, you can configure almost everything you need:

The type or types of key events you want to analyse: choose the one you are interested in if you have several, such as purchases and registrations.

The attribution model you want to use: my recommendation is to start with Data-driven and compare it with Last click.

In fact, when you choose data-driven, you will see the early and mid touchpoints, whereas if you choose last click, you will see only that: the last click.

That said, the table will always show every path. It does not matter which attribution model you have selected.

Now, the problem here is that Google has removed the old attribution models from the tool:

• First click (first-click).
• Linear (linear).
• Time decay (time decay, one of my favourites).
• Position-based (position-based, another one I found useful).

The excuse—because it is more excuse than reason—is that since the data-driven attribution model appeared (data-driven attribution), users have stopped using these models.

Do you believe that?

Neither do I.

Let us draw a veil over it and continue with the report's configuration options.

The dimension to analyse: default channel group, source, medium or campaign. It is a shame that we have lost the landing page here.

The number of interactions in the path: using a filter, you may want to examine long conversion paths with three or more touchpoints, which are more typical of new customers.

As well as, of course, the date range or user segment you are interested in, as in any GA4 report.

For example, these may be interesting:

• Conversion paths from a specific country.
• Or excluding conversions by the customer service team from the report, if they are in the same Analytics property.

Final report result

Once everything is configured, the chart at the top will divide the channels into:

1. Those that introduce you.
2. Those that assist the conversion.
3. Those that close it:

Considerations

Things you should know:

• Google considers the first 25% as early touchpoints of a user's touchpoints before conversion.
• Mid touchpoints make up 50% of the complete path
• Late touchpoints are the remaining 25% of touchpoints that close the path.
• By default, you will see paths of up to 20 touchpoints.

Conclusions

Obviously, with this information, you will have a better idea what to do with your marketing:

If remarketing does not close sales, something strange is happening.

Or if SEO does not open them.

Or email does not assist.

You see where I am going, right?

Well, having briefly explained the report, the main problem I see with it is, as always, cross-device tracking.

In an environment where almost everyone has a mobile phone and a PC to access the internet, this report does not show you the complete journey, which would be ideal.

No matter how much GA4 tries to make progress in that direction, we are still a long way from achieving it. At least with this tool and its default reporting.

The second problem is inherent to the tool, which measures consented website visits while ignoring user interactions that matter to conversion, such as:

• Email opens.
• Ad views.
• Views of organic social media content.
• Sessions from users without consent (despite advances in consent mode).
• And, of course, all offline marketing.

Even so, it is a report I recommend reviewing at the end of every month and experimenting with the different models, so you can get an idea of how your marketing channels really work.

And if you have doubts when interpreting it, let me know and I will take a look. Four eyes always see more than two.

To finish, if you liked what you read, here are more Google Analytics tips.

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