Google has announced that it will retire four rules-based attribution models in Ads and Analytics, namely First-click, Linear, Time decay, and Position-based. Marketers who are still using these models will be able to do so until September, after which they will be completely removed. This update will impact the Google Ads accounts of all marketers who rely on these attribution models.

The change means that any attribution model other than last-click will become more difficult to monitor. Each marketer typically uses their own data-driven attribution formulas, so without these models, it will be harder to see the first-touch information and compute the attribution scores.

For marketers who have conversions using these models, they can continue to use them until September. However, after that deadline, the models will be removed and any associated data may be lost. For those working on conversions not using these models, they will not have the option to switch over after mid-July. Additionally, newly created conversions will no longer have the option to choose these four models.

Google decided to retire these four attribution models due to their low adoption rates, with fewer than 3% of conversions in Google Ads using them. The decision will not impact data-driven attribution, last-click, and external attribution.

This update raises concerns for marketers who rely on these attribution models to understand the effectiveness of their advertising efforts. The retirement of these models means that they will have to find alternative ways to measure and attribute conversions.

Google’s default attribution model, data-driven attribution, is one alternative that marketers can consider. Data-driven attribution uses machine learning to assign credit to touchpoints along the customer journey based on their influence on conversions. However, it is important for marketers to carefully evaluate and customize this default model to ensure it aligns with their specific goals and strategies.

In conclusion, Google’s decision to retire these attribution models will have a significant impact on marketers who rely on them. Marketers will need to explore alternative methods of attribution to continue monitoring and optimizing their advertising efforts effectively. The retirement of these models is a reminder of the constant evolution of digital marketing and the need for marketers to adapt and stay updated with the latest changes in the industry.