click attribution

Beyond the Click: Rethinking Attribution

Third-party cookies have long been the go-to for targeted online ads. In the face of increasing privacy concerns and regulations, things have changed somewhat. But Google’s keeping cookies in Chrome (letting users choose whether to be tracked). So what now?

On the latest episode of the Hot Pursuit Podcast, we talked to Jeff Greenfield from Provalytics on what marketers should be doing to improve business outcomes.

Play the Long Game

First off, Jeff says we need to refocus on advertising fundamentals. “We invest money to buy impressions to build awareness.”

Track total impressions across all platforms, not just clicks and conversions.

Why? Adstock.

Adstock (also known as advertising carry-over) refers to the lasting impact of ads. Many studies show that ads can continue to influence long after the campaign ends.

Ads Have Lasting Effects

The lasting effects of advertisements vary significantly based on several factors, including the type of ad, the medium of presentation, frequency of exposure, and emotional content.

While political ads often have short-lived effects, cumulative exposure can lead to long-term impacts. TV ads generally create stronger long-term memory effects compared to online ads. Emotional engagement also plays a crucial role in enhancing the lasting impact of advertisements.

The impact of advertisements, whether political or commercial, has been a subject of extensive research. Here are some examples:

  • Short-lived Effects of Political Ads. Televised political ads have strong but short-lived effects on voting preferences, aligning with psychological models of priming rather than long-term influence. (Read the study)
  • Long-term Effects of Cumulative Exposure. Political ads can have both immediate and long-term effects, especially when exposure is cumulative across multiple election cycles. These effects can influence political and social trust and modes of political talk long after the campaign has ended. (Read the study)
  • Impact of Presentation Mode on Memory. TV advertisements capture more visual attention and create stronger implicit long-term memory effects compared to YouTube ads. This suggests that the medium of advertisement plays a significant role in its lasting impact. (Read the study)
  • Frequency of Exposure and Memory. In sports arenas, the frequency of exposure to ads is positively associated with recall, purchase intentions, and actual purchasing behavior. However, most ads do not produce lasting memory traces unless frequently encountered. (Read the study)
  • Role of Affect in Memory. Ads with higher affective content tend to have higher recognition and recall. This indicates that emotional engagement can enhance the lasting impact of advertisements. (Read the study)
  • Effectiveness of Negative Political Ads. Negative political ads are not more effective than positive ones and do not have especially detrimental effects on the political system. This challenges the conventional wisdom that negative ads are more impactful. (Read the study)

New Attribution Approaches

With all the technological changes that have taken place over the last few years, traditional multi-touch attribution is less viable now. Greenfield’s Provalytics uses non-PII data for insights similar to multi-touch attribution, optimizing campaigns across media without user-level data.

Preparing for the Future

Here’s how Jeff recommends you prepare for the future:

  • Track impressions alongside clicks and conversions.
  • Consider long-term ad impact (ad stock).
  • Explore new attribution models not relying on third-party cookies.
  • Re-educate your team on traditional marketing principles.
  • Use this time to reassess and possibly gain more budget for upper-funnel activities.

The Silver Lining

The shift to first-party data and privacy-first solutions will shape the industry. Greenfield says, “This will change how you target and measure.” Marketers who adapt quickly will have an edge.

Embrace these changes and fundamental marketing principles to turn this challenge into an opportunity. Adapting and evolving is crucial in digital marketing’s ever-changing landscape.