Email marketing attribution is a great way to track the success of your email campaigns and understand which elements are driving conversions. By tracking conversions, you can optimize your email campaigns to improve results.
In this article, you will learn about email attribution and how to track conversions using Google Analytics. You will also learn how to set up conversion tracking for your email campaigns. Most importantly, you will learn how to attribute conversions to the correct email campaign. This is important because it will allow you to see which email campaigns are driving conversions and which ones are not.
What is email attribution?
Email attribution is the process of identifying which marketing channels are responsible for generating leads and conversions from email campaigns. By tracking conversions and leads generated from email campaigns, businesses can better understand which marketing channels are most effective at driving sales and can allocate their resources accordingly.
However, Google Analytics is a powerful tool that can be used to track email conversions and leads. By setting up conversion tracking in Google Analytics, businesses can see which email campaigns are generating the most conversions and leads.
Additionally, businesses can use Google Analytics to track the path that users take from opening an email to converting or taking the desired action. This information can be used to optimize email campaigns and improve conversion rates.
Email attribution techniques
There are a few attribution techniques that can be used to identify the source of an email. These techniques may not be foolproof, but they can give you some clues as to where the email may have come from.
Check the email header
Every email has a header, which contains information about the email, such as the sender, recipient, date, and subject. The header can also contain information about the path the email took to get to your inbox.
To view the header in Gmail, open the email and click on the down arrow next to the reply button. A drop-down menu will appear with the option to show original.
Click on show original and a new window will open with the full header information.
In the full header, you will see a section called Received. This section lists each server that handled the email on its way to your inbox. The email will usually go through several servers before it arrives in your inbox.
The first server in the list is the server that the email was sent from. The last server in the list is the server that delivered the email to your inbox.
You can use this information to try to track down the source of the email. For example, if the email was sent from a Gmail account, you will see gmail.com in the Received section.
Check the IP address
Every computer that is connected to the internet has a unique IP address. When an email is sent, the IP address of the computer that sent the email is recorded in the email header.
You can use this information to try to track down the source of the email. For example, if the email was sent from a Gmail account, you will see gmail.com in the Received section.
Check the email signature
Some email providers, such as Gmail, allow you to add a signature to your emails. This signature can contain your name, contact information, or even a picture.
If the email you received has a signature, you can try to contact the person who sent the email and ask them if they sent it.
Use a reverse email lookup service
There are several online services that allow you to enter an email address and they will try to find information about the owner of the email address.
These services are not always accurate, but they can be worth a try. Some of these services are free, while others charge a fee.
Contact the email provider
If you still can’t figure out who sent the email, you can try contacting the email provider. For example, if the email was sent from a Gmail account, you can contact Google and ask them to help you track down the owner of the account.
However, most email providers will not give out this information unless you have a court order.
Benefits of email attribution
There are several benefits of email attribution, including:
1. Increased ROI
Email attribution can help you increase your ROI by allowing you to track and measure the performance of your email campaigns. This way, you can determine which campaigns are most effective and make necessary adjustments to improve your results.
2.Improved customer insights
Email attribution can also provide you with valuable insights into your customers. By tracking their interactions with your emails, you can learn more about their needs and preferences. This information can be used to improve your marketing strategies and better target your audience.
3. Enhanced email deliverability
Email attribution can also help you enhance your email deliverability. By tracking which emails are opened and which ones are not, you can identify potential delivery problems and make necessary changes to improve your chances of reaching your target audience.
4. Greater email marketing efficiency
Email attribution can also make your email marketing more efficient. By tracking the performance of your campaigns, you can quickly identify which ones are working and which ones are not. This way, you can focus your resources on the most effective campaigns and eliminate those that are not yielding the desired results.
5. Better decision making
Email attribution can also help you make better decisions about your email marketing strategies. By tracking the performance of your campaigns, you can identify which strategies are working and which ones are not. This information can be used to improve your overall marketing strategies and make more informed decisions about your email marketing campaigns.
How to check Google Analytics attribution?
Open your Google Analytics account and click “Acquisition” on the left-hand sidebar. In the drop-down menu, click “All Traffic” and then “Channels.” This will bring up a table that shows how users found your site. Look in the “Source/Medium” column to see which channels are bringing users to your site.
Google Analytics also offers a lot of other features like conversion tracking, remarketing, and much more. You can see all the conversions in your Google Analytics account. Just click on “Conversions” and then “Multi-Channel Funnels” to see all the conversion paths from start to finish.
Google Analytics attribution model types
There are four types of email attribution models in Google Analytics:
- Last click attribution
- First click attribution
- Linear attribution
- Time-decay attribution
Last click attribution
Last click attribution is the most commonly used email attribution model. Under this model, the last campaign that a customer clicked on before making a purchase is given credit for the sale.
For example, if a customer clicks on an email from Campaign A, then clicks on an email from Campaign B, and finally clicks on an email from Campaign C before making a purchase, Campaign C would be given credit for the sale.
First click attribution
First click attribution is the opposite of last click attribution. Under this model, the first campaign that a customer clicked on before making a purchase is given credit for the sale.
For example, if a customer clicks on an email from Campaign A, then clicks on an email from Campaign B, and finally clicks on an email from Campaign C before making a purchase, Campaign A would be given credit for the sale.
Linear attribution
Linear attribution is a more complex email attribution model. Under this model, each campaign that a customer clicks on before making a purchase is given an equal share of credit for the sale.
For example, if a customer clicks on an email from Campaign A, then clicks on an email from Campaign B, and finally clicks on an email from Campaign C before making a purchase, each campaign would be given one-third credit for the sale.
Time-decay attribution
Time-decay attribution is similar to linear attribution, but the credit that each campaign receives is based on how close in time the campaign was to the purchase.
For example, if a customer clicks on an email from Campaign A, then clicks on an email from Campaign B, and finally clicks on an email from Campaign C before making a purchase, Campaign C would be given more credit for the sale than Campaign B, which would be given more credit than Campaign A.
Multichannel email attribution
In general, multi-channel attribution means that a business assigns credit for a conversion to each of the marketing channels that were involved in the customer’s journey. There are a variety of ways to attribute conversions across channels, but the most common is last-touch attribution, which gives all credit to the last channel that a customer interacted with before converting.
However, last-touch attribution doesn’t give a full picture of the customer’s journey, and as a result, businesses may be over-investing in certain channels while under-investing in others. Multi-channel attribution can help businesses get a more holistic view of the customer journey and make more informed decisions about their marketing mix.
Some common methods of multi-channel attribution include:
First-touch attribution: All credit for a conversion is given to the first channel that a customer interacted with.
Linear attribution: All channels are given equal credit for a conversion.
Time-decay attribution: More credit is given to channels that are closer to the conversion.
Position-based attribution: More credit is given to the channels that are most influential in the customer’s journey, regardless of when they occurred.
Multi-channel attribution can be a complex topic, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The best approach for a business will depend on its specific goals, products, and customers.
Measuring the effectiveness of email campaigns
Using email to promote your business can be extremely effective, but it can be difficult to track how effective your campaign is. By using a tool like Google Analytics, you can track how many people visited your website after clicking on a link in your email. You can also track how many people unsubscribed from your email list after receiving your email.
Email campaigns can be a great way to promote your business, but it’s important to measure their effectiveness. By using a tool like Google Analytics, you can track how many people visited your website after clicking on a link in your email. You can also track how many people unsubscribed from your email list after receiving your email.
Email attribution has come a long way in recent years, and there are now a number of different ways to attribute emails to specific campaigns or channels. However, it is important to remember that not all attribution methods are created equal, and some may be more accurate than others.
Ultimately, the best way to attribute emails is to use a combination of different methods and to constantly test and optimize your attribution strategy.
Lastly, it’s also important to keep in mind that attribution is not an exact science. There will always be some uncertainty when attributing emails to specific campaigns or channels. However, by using the best methods available and constantly testing and optimizing your attribution strategy, you can minimize this uncertainty and make the most informed decisions possible.
