First off, for all you Star Trek fans out there, I know “Final Frontier” sounds better, but the title should really be “ABM’s Final Hurdle.” Why? Because monitoring campaign effectiveness is often the most neglected step in an account based marketing strategy, and it may be the only thing stopping a good ABM strategy from becoming truly great.

Account based marketing is not a one and done strategy. Your target audience, goals, and the overall marketing landscape are constantly evolving. If your strategy does not adapt to these changes, it will fall short no matter how much work you put in up front. Once your ABM campaign is running, it is essential to measure performance and understand what is working and what can improve.

This article walks through different marketing attribution models so you can choose the one that fits your business best. A good attribution model helps you accurately assess your ABM campaigns and align budget with the most impactful channels.

Understanding Attribution Models

When it comes to attribution, there are two major types of models: single touch and multi touch.

Single Touch Attribution

This model gives all the credit to one touchpoint. It is simple and easy to implement but lacks depth.

  • First Touch Attribution gives credit to the first touch that created the lead.
  • Last Touch Attribution gives credit to the last touch before conversion.

While straightforward, these models do not account for the full buying journey in B2B.

Multi Touch Attribution

These models assign value across multiple touchpoints and give a clearer picture of the buyer’s journey. They are more complex but much more useful for ABM.

  • Linear Attribution gives equal credit to all touchpoints. If there are four interactions, each gets 25 percent.
  • Time Decay Attribution gives more credit to the most recent touchpoints. This model emphasizes actions taken closer to the deal close.
  • U Shaped Attribution gives 40 percent to the first touch, 40 percent to the touch that converted the lead, and splits the remaining 20 percent among interactions in between.
  • W Shaped Attribution gives credit to the first touch, the lead creation, and the opportunity creation. Each gets about 30 percent, with the rest split among other touches.
  • Full Path Attribution includes the same as W shaped but adds credit for closed deals. It splits about 22.5 percent across the four major milestones and distributes the remaining credit among other interactions.

Choosing the Right Attribution Model

Each model has its strengths and limitations. Choosing the right one depends on the complexity of your sales process, your available data, and the collaboration between sales and marketing teams.

Your decision should also align with your key performance indicators. For instance, if you care about pipeline creation, a W shaped model may make sense. If your focus is revenue attribution, the full path model might be a better fit.

Attribution in ABM

We are in the golden age of data. That means attribution is no longer about assumptions, it can be rooted in real behavior. Website visitor tracking tools can reveal not just clicks and form fills but which companies are taking action on your site.

Using IP address intelligence, you can identify the industries, company sizes, and locations of your site visitors. This bridges the gap between traffic numbers and actual business value, helping you understand whether your campaigns are bringing in qualified accounts.

The sheer volume of impressions, clicks, and content downloads can suggest that a campaign is working. But meaningful attribution goes deeper. It means connecting real buyer signals to actual target accounts and adjusting your approach based on what drives results.

Final Thoughts

Attribution may be the final step in your ABM process, but it is essential. With the right model in place, you can stop guessing and start measuring what truly moves the needle. With the right data, tools, and strategy, attribution can take your ABM efforts from good to great.