Attribution reporting can be a daunting task in the marketing world. How do we track the effectiveness of each touchpoint? Which attribution models should we use? How do we ensure our data is accurately tracked? These questions remind me of planning a summer holiday. We’ve all organized a summer trip; whether for ourselves or our families and while the analogy may not be perfect, the principles of careful planning and consideration translate well. I’ll use this analogy in this post to discuss the pitfalls of setting up attribution reporting for an affiliate program.
Planning the Perfect Trip
The key to any successful trip is meticulous planning. We get excited about the idea of the trip and the experiences we’ll have. Such a trip requires coordination, good communication, thorough documentation, and expert consultation.
Many of the same principles apply when setting up an affiliate program that requires an intricate attribution model. Proper attribution tracking setup is essential to achieve the desired attribution reporting necessary for a successful affiliate program.
Research and Preparation
Thorough research is needed. If you’re working with a third-party tracking network, request the tech setup plan prior to the planning stage. Ensure that your current tech suite supports the necessary changes needed to be successful.
Plan for contingencies. Make sure you have alternative options built into your plan for tracking in case plugins and tools evolve; potentially breaking the original integrations. If possible, provide unique identifiers for each touchpoint or event. This will help troubleshoot tracking issues down the road. It will also allow you to evaluate the value and complexity of the conversion funnel.
Mapping Out the Journey
Don’t overlook important facts and details. Map out the key touchpoints you want tracked, and how and where they’ll be implemented. Collaborate with your technical team to assess the feasibility of your plan and uncover potential obstacles that could prevent you from achieving your goal. Document your process!
Consider the following:
- Does everyone involved in the project have the proper access to make necessary changes to the tech plan and to the partners hired to implement tracking codes, CRM integrations, and form-fill data pass-throughs?
- Has everyone been informed about the goals and their roles in achieving them?
- Are they supported with the necessary resource documentation?
- Are the steps, along with the decisions made and their rationale, being documented?
- Have you understood the limitations of the technology you are leveraging?
- Are you aware of the typical purchase cycle of your audience?
- Have you understood the gaps in attribution tracking for your tech plan?
These are crucial details because it’s often difficult to troubleshoot issues when individuals involved have moved departments or left the organization.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Just like planning for a summer vacation, booking the wrong hotel location, mis-booking your car rental, or failing to plan your logistics for pickup and drop-off can make it difficult to pivot and solve problems once everything is set in motion. Similarly, in attribution reporting, failing to plan and communicate effectively can lead to significant challenges that are difficult to address after the fact.
Conclusion: Navigating the Journey
In both trip planning and attribution reporting, the journey is as important as the destination. By recognizing the value of each touchpoint, understanding their unique contributions, and maintaining high data quality, you can navigate the complexities of attribution reporting effectively.
Just as a well-planned trip creates lasting memories, a thoughtful approach to attribution reporting drives successful marketing outcomes. If in doubt, reach out to one of our experts to help you avoid falling into the common pitfalls.
Happy travels on your marketing journey!
