What attribution models are available for conversion tracking in Bing Ads?

In Bing Ads (Microsoft Advertising), advertisers can choose from several attribution models to better understand the role of each touchpoint in the customer journey leading to a conversion. Attribution models help determine how much credit is given to different interactions (such as clicks or impressions) along the conversion path.

Here are the attribution models available for conversion tracking in Bing Ads:

1. Last Click Attribution
The Last Click attribution model gives 100% credit for the conversion to the last ad interaction (click) that directly led to the conversion.

How It Works: If a user clicks on multiple ads before converting, the last ad clicked is attributed with the conversion, regardless of any previous interactions.

Best for: Advertisers who want to prioritize the final touchpoint that directly drives conversions.

2. First Click Attribution
The First Click attribution model gives 100% credit for the conversion to the first ad interaction (click) the user had before converting.

How It Works: If a user interacts with multiple ads during their journey, the first click (the first time they clicked an ad) will be credited with the conversion, even if later clicks were involved.

Best for: Advertisers who want to understand the role of the initial touchpoint in driving conversions, such as when focusing on lead generation or awareness campaigns.

3. Linear Attribution
The Linear attribution model distributes equal credit for the conversion across all ad interactions (clicks) in the user's conversion path.

How It Works: Every interaction with your ads (clicks) gets an equal share of the credit for the conversion, regardless of when the interaction happened in the customer journey.

Best for: Advertisers who want to treat every touchpoint equally, providing a more balanced view of all ad interactions along the conversion path.

4. Time Decay Attribution
The Time Decay attribution model gives more credit to ad interactions that occur closer to the conversion, and less credit to earlier interactions.

How It Works: The model assigns higher value to ad interactions that occur nearer in time to the actual conversion. For example, if a user clicks on multiple ads over the course of a few days, the click closest to the conversion gets the most credit.

Best for: Advertisers whose conversion cycle is shorter and want to prioritize the most recent interactions before the conversion.

5. Position-Based Attribution (U-Shaped)
The Position-Based attribution model, also known as the U-Shaped model, assigns more credit to the first and last interactions in the conversion path, and distributes the remaining credit evenly among the middle interactions.

How It Works: This model gives 40% of the credit to the first interaction, 40% to the last interaction, and splits the remaining 20% evenly among any intermediate interactions.

Best for: Advertisers who believe the first and last interactions are the most important (e.g., the initial introduction to the brand and the final conversion-driving touchpoint).

6. Custom Attribution (Advanced)
While Bing Ads doesn't natively offer custom attribution modeling like some other platforms, Custom Attribution can be implemented using third-party tools and advanced reporting techniques.

How It Works: Advertisers can create their own models by integrating with external tools (such as Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or specialized attribution platforms) and use the UTM parameters or offline conversion imports to track touchpoints across multiple channels and customize their attribution based on unique business needs.

Best for: Advanced advertisers who need more control over how they attribute credit across touchpoints and want to integrate data from multiple sources.

How to Choose the Right Attribution Model
The right attribution model for your campaigns depends on your goals, sales cycle, and the type of conversion you're tracking. Here are some recommendations:

If you're running brand awareness campaigns: Use First Click Attribution to understand how your ads introduce customers to your brand.

If you want to track the final decision point: Use Last Click Attribution to see which ad click drove the final conversion.

If you want to give equal credit to all touchpoints: Use Linear Attribution for a more balanced approach.

If your sales cycle is short: Use Time Decay Attribution to focus on more recent interactions leading to conversion.

If you believe both the first and last touchpoints are important: Use Position-Based Attribution to highlight the importance of both initial and final interactions.

Benefits of Attribution Models in Bing Ads
Better Insights: Attribution models help advertisers understand which interactions along the customer journey are the most influential in driving conversions.

Optimized Budget Allocation: By understanding the value of each touchpoint, advertisers can allocate budget more effectively and focus on the channels or ads that contribute most to conversions.

Improved Campaign Strategy: Attribution models provide data that helps refine your marketing strategy by showing where to focus efforts for better conversion rates.

Conclusion
Bing Ads provides several attribution models that help you analyze how different ad interactions contribute to conversions across the customer journey. Whether you prefer to focus on the first or last interaction, or want a more balanced view with linear or time decay models, these options give you the flexibility to choose the best approach for your business objectives.