Are you overlooking the marketing channels driving your best leads?

You’re spending time and budget across channels – paid search, SEO, social media, events, email, content. But which marketing channels truly influence conversions?

The paid social ad that sparked interest weeks before a phone call. The content download that warmed them up. The PPC click that didn’t convert, but kept your business in play. These are the hidden influence points that fuel demand – yet they often go unnoticed.

If you’re relying on first or last click attribution to answer that question, you’re only seeing a fraction of the picture. And that could be costing you conversions.

Why marketing attribution matters more than ever

When budgets are under pressure and performance is everything, you need to know what’s working and why. Marketing attribution helps you understand how different channels and touchpoints work together to drive results.

It’s not just about proving ROI – it’s about making better decisions. With clearer visibility, you can:

• Optimise spend across channels, based on influence as well as conversion.
• Understand how content and media work together to drive outcomes.
• Justify budget for campaigns that play a crucial assisting role.
• Connect online journeys with offline conversions – like phone calls.

Why first and last click attribution isn’t enough

“Marketing performance isn’t just about what gets the first click or last conversion,” says Faye Thomassen, Head of Marketing at Mediahawk. “It’s the journey in between – the interactions that build intent, trust, and momentum. That’s where real influence happens. The buyer is doing their research, interacting with your brand on and off the web, and often converting offline.”

But many marketers still can’t answer:

• Which campaigns play a key role in influencing buying decisions, even if they don’t convert directly?
• What role does content or paid media play in nurturing leads?
• How many leads look like they come from organic or brand, but were actually driven by paid campaigns earlier in the journey?
• How many conversions are actually coming in via phone – and where did those calls originate?

If you don’t have answers, you’re not alone. In our recent survey, 79% of marketers identified achieving 100% attribution as a challenge – an increase of 15% from 2024. “The persistent and increasing challenge of 100% attribution indicates that many marketers haven’t yet found the right mix of tools and strategies to accurately track and measure the impact of marketing efforts,” adds Faye.

“Marketing performance isn’t just about what gets the first click or last conversion. It’s the journey in between – the interactions that build intent, trust, and momentum. That’s where real influence happens. The buyer is doing their research, interacting with your brand on and off the web, and often converting offline.”
– Faye Thomassen, Head of Marketing, Mediahawk

Where demand really builds: The messy middle

The ‘messy middle’ of the journey is where buying decisions start to take shape. “It’s where people read your guides, watch your videos, speak to your sales team, revisit your website, and compare you to your competitors,” Faye says.

But most analytics platforms don’t capture this journey well – especially when offline conversions like phone calls play a key role. If your reporting only accounts for what happens online, or you can’t link leads back to the marketing channels that influenced them, you’re making decisions with half the picture. That’s why many marketers turn to tools like call tracking software to bridge the gap between digital journeys and real-world outcomes, and give you complete visibility across your whole marketing and sales funnel.

Our survey also revealed that 76% of respondents use call tracking software to understand the effectiveness of their marketing channels and campaigns, as it allows marketers to trace the customer journey from marketing activity to conversion and prioritise channels and campaigns that deliver results.

Bridging the gap between digital and offline interactions

Offline interactions are often the missing link in attribution. If you rely on phone calls, contact centres, or a sales team to close leads, you could be missing attribution for a huge chunk of your pipeline.

“Calls might be captured in your CRM, but are they tied back to the campaign, keyword, or piece of content that sparked interest?” Faye goes on to explain: “Without that, your reports are skewed – and your top-performing activity may be going unrecognised.”

Armed with full-funnel visibility, you’ll be able to make much smarter decisions because you can:

• See the full customer journey: first click, assisted touchpoints, and last click.
• Attribute inbound calls to the right source, keyword, or campaign.
• Uncover the channels influencing conversions during the ‘messy middle’.
• Make strategic decisions based on complete data, not just what’s easy to measure.

Ultimately, that means:

• Double down on the marketing that’s building momentum.
• Optimise assets that engage, but don’t convert – yet.
• Cut spend on channels that aren’t pulling their weight.
• Refine messaging based on what resonates at each stage.

“Calls might be captured in your CRM, but are they tied back to the campaign, keyword, or piece of content that sparked interest? Without that, your reports are skewed – and your top-performing activity may be going unrecognised.”
– Faye Thomassen, Head of Marketing, Mediahawk

Summary

The most effective marketers don’t just measure what converts – they uncover what influences. They go beyond surface-level metrics to understand how every touchpoint and channel contributes to the bigger picture. It’s not just better reporting – it’s actionable insight that helps you invest in what works:

• Measure the true performance of every channel – not just the one that gets the last click.
• Spot the campaigns and keywords that drive action, even if they don’t convert immediately.
• Reveal the full influence of your content, ads, and events, across the entire customer journey.
• Give credit (and budget) to the channels and assets that quietly power conversions.

“Then you’re no longer going off guesswork”, says Faye, “you’re seeing the whole picture – and using that insight to drive more sales, more efficiently. With 100% marketing attribution and better visibility of your channel performance, you can move from reporting to optimising, and from missed opportunities to measurable growth.”