Copy of ???? Moving Beyond Last-Click Attribution: How Social Media Drives ROI

“What’s the ROI of social media?”

That’s a question I’m sure you get a lot. And to be fair, it’s a tough one to answer. It’s particularly tough when marketers worship metrics like last-click attribution.

However, a recent report from Snapchat shows that last-click attribution is downplaying the importance of brand discovery efforts.

Social media marketers don’t get the credit they deserve. That’s because too much focus is on short-term metrics like last-click attribution.

Last-click only tracks the final step of a purchase. It completely ignores brand discovery happening on social media.

Data shows 69% of shoppers recommend brands they love. 71% actually purchase those brands after first discovering them online.

But last-click attribution misses those early touchpoints completely. It overlooks the role social media plays in building trust.

Gen Z and Millennials discover products across multiple platforms and devices. They engage with brands long before clicking “buy.”

Social media is one of the top three places for product discovery. Last-click can’t track those crucial upper-funnel moments. And as Snapchat shows, it’s across all age demographics.

So how can you explain this value to your team?

Here’s how you can show your boss the value of social media:

1. Explain last-click misses brand discovery Last-click only captures the final purchase step, not earlier brand interactions.
2. Share key data Show that 69% of shoppers recommend, and 71% purchase, after discovering brands on social media.
3. Highlight multi-platform engagement Gen Z and Millennials engage with brands across social media, apps, and devices before buying.
4. Use platform-specific insights Platforms like Snapchat reach large audiences in the early discovery stages.
5. Propose better measurement Recommend more holistic methods like Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM), which captures both short-term conversions and long-term brand-building.

Proving social media’s value means moving beyond last-click. Combining brand-building and direct response brings better results.

Your work drives discovery, builds trust, and leads to sales. It’s time to get the recognition you deserve for that effort.

Until next week, Jordan

P.S. If you want to connect on social media, where I share tips throughout the week, follow me on Linkedin .

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