[GA4] Select attribution settings

Attribution is the act of assigning credit for conversions to different ads, clicks, and factors along a user's path to completing a conversion. If you have the Editor role for a Google Analytics 4 property, you can adjust 4 settings that affect attribution for your property: the reporting attribution model, channels eligible to receive credit for web conversions shared with Google Ads, and the conversion windows for (1) acquisition conversion events and (2) all other conversion events.

In this article:

• About reporting attribution model
• About channels that can receive credit for conversions shared with Google Ads
• About conversion window
• Select or update attribution settings

About reporting attribution model

An attribution model can be a rule, a set of rules, or a data-driven algorithm that determines how credit for conversions is assigned to touchpoints on conversion paths. In Attribution settings, you can select data-driven attribution, Paid and organic channel rules-based models (such as Paid and organic channels time decay), or the Google paid channels last click model. Learn more about attribution and attribution models

Note: The first click, linear, time decay, and position-based attribution models are no longer available as of November 2023. Learn more

Use the Reporting attribution model section to select which attribution model you want to use to calculate conversion credit in your reports within your Analytics property, and also within the conversions reports of any linked Firebase projects. Changing the attribution model will apply to both historical and future data.

These changes will be reflected in all reports that use event-scoped traffic dimensions (for example, Source, Medium, Campaign, and Default channel group). Impacted reports include the Conversions details reports and Explorations. In Explorations, you can see a full list of dimensions that are compatible with attribution. User- and session-scoped traffic dimensions--such as Session source or First user medium--are unaffected by changes to the reporting attribution model.

Note: Attribution models were introduced on different dates (see below). This means if you select a date range that includes a timeframe before the "start date" for a model, you will see partial data.

• Paid and organic channels data-driven attribution: November 1, 2021
• Paid and organic channels rules-based models: June 14, 2021

Based on your selected attribution model, you'll notice changes to the following metrics when used with event-scoped traffic dimensions: Conversions, Total revenue, Purchase revenue, and Total ad revenue. When you switch to a non-last click attribution model, you may see decimals (or, "fractional credit") for the first time in these columns. This is because credit for a given conversion is distributed between contributing ad interactions according to your selected attribution model.

Example

You select the Linear model. A user follows the path keyword1 > keyword2 and then converts. In this case, each keyword will display 0.5 in the Conversions column from that conversion.

The Advertising > Attribution reports aren't affected by the reporting attribution model you select at the property level. Any user with the Viewer role can adjust the attribution model within the Model comparison and Conversion paths reports.

About channels that can receive credit for conversions shared with Google Ads

Google Analytics conversions can be imported into linked Google Ads accounts. This setting allows you to choose which channels are eligible to receive conversion credit for web conversions shared with Google Ads.

• Google Paid Channels: Only Google Ads paid channels are eligible to receive conversion credit.
• Paid and Organic Channels: Paid and organic channels are eligible to receive conversion credit, but only credit assigned to Google Ads channels will appear in your Google Ads accounts.

Changing this setting will apply going forward and will apply to all linked Google Ads accounts. It may impact the conversions you import into Google Ads for bidding and reporting. These changes may take a few days before they're reflected in your Google Ads campaigns and reports. This setting does not impact reporting in Google Analytics 4. 

Learn more about importing conversions into Google Ads.

About conversion window

Conversions can happen days or weeks after a person interacts with your ad.

The conversion window determines how far back in time a touchpoint is eligible for attribution credit. For example, a 30-day conversion window will result in January 30th conversions being attributed only to touchpoints occurring from January 1-30.

The conversion window applies to all attribution models and all conversion types. Changes to the conversion window apply going forward and will be reflected in all reports within your Analytics property.

For Acquisition conversion events (first_open and first_visit), the default conversion window is 30 days. You can switch to 7 days if you have different attribution needs.

For all other conversion events, the default conversion window is 90 days. You can also choose 30 days or 60 days.

Select or update attribution settings

You need the Editor role on the account to select an attribution model and conversion window for the property.

1. In Admin, under Data display, click Attribution settings.
2. Under Reporting attribution model, select your desired model from the drop-down.
3. Under conversion window, select the conversion windows for Acquisition conversion events and All other conversion events.
4. Click Save.