What are attribution models in Yandex.Metrica

Users typically return to a site several times before actually completing a conversion. First, for example, a user clicks on a banner, followed by a second click via a link in a social network, and then manually enters the site's address into their browser and places an order.

By default, Yandex.Metrica reports show that a conversion took place as a result of the click from the last source, meaning that the previous sources — the banner and social network — go unnoticed. Their invisibility is misleading, however, given the important role they played: the banner ad introduced the user to the site, and the social network post maintained their interest.

Let's look at our example, where a banner first interested the user to the site. They returned via a post on a social network and then manually entered the site's address to complete their purchase.

• The “First click” attribution model in Yandex.Metrica will ignore all sources except the very first one, and consider that it was the banner that brought the conversion.
• With the “Last non-direct click” model, the conversion will be assigned to the click from the social network. This model divides all sources into direct and non-direct. Non-direct refers to sources that do not help make conclusions about which channels are worth spending more time and resources on: direct clicks, clicks from saved webpages and from other pages of the same site. This model discards such sources and attributes conversions to those that appear as a result of the business's activity: ads, links on sites, email newsletters, clicks from search engines. So in our example, the model will not count the “Direct clicks” source and will instead show that the last direct click came from social networks.
• The “Last click” attribution model ignores all click sources except the final one.
• The new “Last click from Yandex.Direct” model is already available for use in Yandex.Metrica reports starting from July 30, 2019. 

How the new attribution model works

The “Last click from Yandex.Direct” model will be available in Yandex.Metrica and Yandex.Direct. It operates similarly to the “Last direct click” model in Yandex.Metrica — with the difference that of all the direct clicks it takes only the clicks from Yandex.Direct into account.

Statistics by attribution model in Yandex.Direct

In Report Wizard, as before, you can see statistics for any attribution model: “First click,” “Last click,” “Last direct click” and for the new “Last click from Yandex.Direct” model.

These changes will also affect the “General statistics” report constructed for periods after July 30, 2019. By default, statistics for the “Last click from Yandex.Direct” model appear for all campaigns, with the exception of campaigns using “Optimize ROI” and “Optimize conversions” strategies. They will retain the attribution models previously defined by our system, because changing the model will affect the algorithms' performance and the settings of existing campaigns. For such campaigns, statistics on the new attribution model will be available in Report Wizard. To work with the new model, you can reconfigure them yourself.

Choosing an attribution model when setting up a strategy

You can now set an attribution model in your Yandex.Direct campaign settings. By choosing a model according to your goal, you give the algorithm a signal as to how to manage your ad campaign more effectively. In the future, the attribution model you choose will begin to appear in the “General statistics” report.

This innovation is available when editing strategies in campaigns with Smart banners, Text & Image ads and Dynamic ads.

How model attribution reports differ in Yandex.Direct and Yandex.Metrica

Yandex.Metrica shows statistics for all channels attracting traffic, including Yandex.Direct — and helps compare various sources. “Last click from Yandex.Direct” will make it easier to see (in Yandex.Metrica) those conversions linked to Yandex.Direct that other attribution models might assign to other sources. Let's say that the sequence was: Search --> Yandex.Direct --> links on sites --> direct clicks. In this case, Yandex.Direct will not be first, last, or even the last direct source. Only the “Last click from Yandex.Direct” model in Yandex.Metrica will make it clear that Yandex.Direct played a role in the leadup to this conversion.

In Yandex.Direct statistics, you can check whether there are ads that are really performing badly — or if they are actually the first to bring visitors who convert later. This might be the case if your ad doesn't generate conversions according to other attribution models, but does with the “First click” model.

If you have any questions, get in touch with us, and we will be glad to help!