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How do I fix broken marketing attribution?

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Quick Answer

Most attribution breaks because it relies on platform pixels and cookie-based tracking -- each platform claims the same conversions, showing 200% more total conversions than reality. Fix it: (1) Implement server-side tracking via Meta CAPI, Google Enhanced Conversions, and TikTok Events API. (2) Unify data by capturing source data on arrival, preserving it through conversions, and passing it into your CRM. (3) Run first-touch, last-touch, and multi-touch attribution models simultaneously to reveal hidden channel performance. (4) Make your CRM or data warehouse the source of truth, not ad platforms. Attribution doesn't need to be perfect -- it needs to give you directional accuracy for budget allocation.

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 always 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 Normal variance: 10-30%. Problematic variance: >50%. Symptom: Data Loss Trends Upward If your tracked conversions are...

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