First-Touch Attribution
Also known as: first-click attribution
First-touch attribution credits the entire value of a conversion to the very first marketing interaction a customer had, highlighting which channels create awareness.
First-touch attribution assigns 100% of the credit for a conversion (including a phone call) to the first touchpoint in the customer’s journey. If someone discovered you through an organic search, then later called from a paid ad, first-touch gives organic all the credit.
It is a simple model that spotlights awareness-driving channels, but because it ignores later interactions it tells only part of the story. Compare it with last-touch and multi-touch attribution.
Frequently asked questions
When is first-touch attribution useful?
It is best for understanding which channels introduce new prospects to your brand. It answers 'what got them in the door?' but ignores everything that happened afterward, so it overstates top-of-funnel channels.
What is the difference between first-touch and last-touch attribution?
First-touch gives all the credit to the interaction that first introduced someone to you; last-touch gives it all to the final interaction before they convert. First-touch favors awareness channels and last-touch favors closing channels, so the honest answer usually sits between them, which is why multi-touch models exist.
Related terms
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