Position-Based Attribution
Assigns 40% credit to first touch, 40% to last touch, and 20% among middle touchpoints.
1 min readLast updated Apr 2026
Quick Reference
CategoryMarketing & Paid Advertising
Related Terms2
Assigns 40% credit to first touch, 40% to last touch, and 20% among middle touchpoints.
Why It Matters
Position-based (U-shaped) attribution recognizes that discovery and conversion moments are typically most critical. This model balances crediting channels that bring customers in and ones that close sales, while still acknowledging nurturing touchpoints in between.
Practical Example
Scenario
A 5-touchpoint journey: YouTube ad → blog post → email → Instagram → Google Shopping. Using 40/40/20 position-based attribution on a $100 purchase.
Calculation
YouTube (first): $40 | Blog: $6.67 | Email: $6.67 | Instagram: $6.67 | Google (last): $40Result
Both awareness (YouTube) and conversion (Google) get significant credit, while middle touchpoints share the remainder.
Pro Tips
- 1Adjust the 40/40/20 split based on your business—brands with stronger discovery value might use 50/30/20
- 2Position-based is excellent for brands with distinct prospecting and retargeting strategies
- 3Use this model to justify brand awareness spend while still valuing conversion channels
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Accepting the default 40/40/20 split without validating it matches your customer journey
Using position-based for very short journeys where all touches are nearly simultaneous