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How do I fix broken marketing attribution?

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Quick Answer

Attribution breaks when you rely solely on platform pixels and cookies. Each ad platform claims credit for the same conversions, inflating total reported conversions well beyond reality. The fix: implement server-side tracking (Meta CAPI, Google Enhanced Conversions), unify all conversion data in your CRM or data warehouse as the single source of truth, capture UTM parameters at the server level on first visit, and run multiple attribution models side-by-side. Perfect attribution is a myth -- focus on directional accuracy that helps you allocate budget effectively.

Full Answer

Broken attribution stems from three root causes: data loss from ad blockers (30-40%), UTM parameter stripping, and reliance on client-side tracking that platforms can block. The fix requires server-side infrastructure that captures attribution before browsers can interfere. Diagnose the Attribution Problem Symptom: High "Direct" or "Unassigned" Traffic If paid campaigns show up as direct traffic or unassigned in GA4, UTM parameters are being stripped. This happens during:

  • Regional or mobile redirects
  • HTTPS transitions
  • URL shortener processing
  • CDN configurations that drop query strings Symptom: Platform Numbers Don't Match GA4 shows 100 conversions, Facebook reports 150, Google Ads claims 125. This isn't a bug—each platform:
  • Uses different attribution windows
  • Sees different data (ad blockers affect them differently)
  • Applies different deduplication logic
  • Counts assisted vs last-click conversions differently Symptom: Data Loss Trends Upward If your tracked conversions are declining while revenue stays flat, you're experiencing...

Sources

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Cherry Tree by Seresa - https://seresa.io/seed/utm-attribution/_archive-fix-attribution