First Click Attribution
First Click Attribution is an attribution model in which the entire value of a conversion is assigned to the first source of interaction with the user.
Simply put:
whoever brought the user first gets all the credit
How It Works
A user’s journey might look like this:
- Saw an ad on social media
- Visited the website
- Returned via search
- Received an email
- Made a purchase
In the First Click model, the entire conversion value is attributed to the first channel (social media).
When It Is Used
This model is useful when it is important to:
- evaluate the effectiveness of acquisition channels;
- understand which sources bring in new users;
- analyze the top of the funnel (Awareness stage).
Advantages
- simple and easy-to-understand model;
- shows which channels are best at attracting audiences;
- helps evaluate the effectiveness of branding and reach campaigns.
Disadvantages
- ignores all subsequent interactions;
- does not account for the contribution of other channels (e.g., retargeting or email);
- can distort the true picture of conversion.
Comparison with Other Models
- First Click — all value goes to the first touchpoint,
- Last Click — all value goes to the last touchpoint,
- Linear — distributes value equally among all touchpoints,
- Data-driven — calculates each channel’s actual contribution.
Key Takeaways
First Click Attribution is a model in which the entire contribution to a conversion is assigned to the first source of user interaction.
It is useful for acquisition analysis but does not provide a complete picture of the entire customer journey.
