Google Analytics 4 (GA4) uses attribution models to show you how customers find and interact with your business online. Think of attribution like following breadcrumbs in your customer's journey – from their first click on an ad to their final purchase. Understanding which marketing efforts actually lead to sales, helps you to make smarter decisions about where to spend your time and budget. This guide will show you how to change the attribution model in Google Analytics 4 (GA4), as well as discuss some frequently asked questions about attribution models!
How to Change the Attribution Model in Google Analytics 4 (GA4):
Login to your Google Analytics account
Navigate to Admin (bottom-left-hand-side)
Scroll down and under click on "Attribution settings" under Data display
Choose one of the following Attribution models from the drop-down menu:
Data Driven (Paid and organic channels): The system will decide where to attribute the events.
Last Click (Paid and organic channels): Events will be attributed to the last interaction, unless the last interaction is direct.
Last Click (Google paid channels): Events will be attributed to the last click of a Google Ads channel.
Scroll down to customise the Click-through window for Key Events and Events
Frequently Asked Questions on Attribution Model in Google Analytics 4 (GA4):
What is attribution in GA4?
Think of attribution as tracking your customer's journey to a purchase. GA4 attribution models help you understand which of your marketing efforts (like ads, emails, or social media) actually convince people to buy from you or take actions on your website.
What attribution model does GA4 use by default?
GA4 automatically uses Data-Driven Attribution. This smart system uses machine learning to look at your actual customer data and figures out which marketing touchpoints deserve credit for making a sale happen.
Which attribution models are available in GA4?
Data-Driven Attribution
Best for: Most businesses
Why use it? It's the smartest option because it learns from your actual data
When to use: When you want the most accurate picture of how your marketing works together
Last-Click Attribution (Paid and Organic)
Best for: Simple marketing campaigns with quick purchases
Why use it? Shows you what finally convinced someone to buy
When to use: If you mainly care about the last thing customers see before buying
Google Ads Last-Click
Best for: Businesses focused on Google Ads
Why use it? Shows which Google Ad finally led to a sale
When to use: When you're mainly running Google Ads campaigns
Which attribution model is most accurate?
Data-Driven Attribution is the recommended option because:
It uses smart technology to analyze your data
Looks at the complete customer journey
Adjusts itself based on how your customers actually behave
Why do Google Ads and GA4 show different conversion numbers?
Your numbers might be different because:
They use different ways to count conversions
Google Ads only tracks ad clicks, while GA4 tracks everything
They report at different times
They track devices differently
You might have set them up differently
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