Linear Attribution
A multi-touch attribution model that distributes conversion credit equally across all touchpoints in the customer journey. Linear attribution treats every interaction as equally important in driving the conversion.
Linear attribution is the simplest multi-touch model. If a customer had five touchpoints before converting, each receives 20% of the credit. This model acknowledges that every interaction contributed without making assumptions about which interactions mattered more.
For marketing teams moving beyond single-touch attribution, linear is an accessible starting point. It corrects the most egregious biases of first-touch and last-touch models by giving some credit to middle-funnel activities like email nurturing, social engagement, and content consumption. The limitation is that linear attribution treats a casual social media impression the same as a high-intent demo request. In reality, touchpoints near the beginning and end of the journey often have more influence than those in the middle. Use linear attribution as a stepping stone while building toward more sophisticated models. It works best for short sales cycles with few touchpoints. For longer, more complex B2B journeys, position-based or data-driven models provide more actionable insights.
Related Terms
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
The systematic process of increasing the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action such as purchasing, signing up, or requesting a demo. CRO uses data analysis, user research, and A/B testing to improve conversion performance.
Conversion Funnel
A model representing the stages a user progresses through from initial awareness to completing a desired action. Each funnel stage narrows as some users drop off, and optimizing each stage's conversion rate improves overall throughput.
Landing Page
A standalone web page designed specifically to receive traffic from a marketing campaign and drive a single conversion action. Landing pages remove navigation distractions and focus entirely on persuading visitors toward one goal.
Call to Action (CTA)
A prompt that encourages users to take a specific next step, typically presented as a button, link, or form. Effective CTAs use clear, action-oriented language and create a sense of value or urgency to drive conversions.
Social Proof
Evidence that other people or organizations have chosen, endorsed, or benefited from a product or service. Social proof reduces purchase anxiety by showing prospects that peers have already validated the decision.
Value Proposition
A clear statement that explains how your product solves a customer's problem, what specific benefits it delivers, and why customers should choose it over alternatives. The value proposition is the foundation of all marketing messaging.