Marketing attribution without the headache

Perfect attribution does not exist. Useful attribution absolutely does, and it takes weeks rather than quarters to implement.

Start by defining the two or three events that genuinely represent progress toward revenue. Everything else is diagnostic detail, not a KPI.

Push those events server-side and stamp them with a source identifier your CRM stores permanently. That single step resolves the majority of reporting disputes.

Then hold yourself to a blended view. Channel-level reported numbers will always over-claim; blended cost per acquisition against actual revenue keeps everyone honest.

Review incrementality quarterly with holdout tests where budgets allow. It is the only way to know what your spend truly produced.