If you’re running marketing campaigns and trying to figure out what’s actually working, you know how quickly things can get muddy. Proof is supposed to help clear that up—but only if you set things up right and stay realistic about what attribution can (and can’t) tell you. This guide is for marketers, founders, and anyone who needs a straight answer about tracking marketing attribution in Proof without losing your mind or your time.
Why Attribution Gets Messy (and Why Proof Helps)
Let’s get this out of the way: no attribution tool is magic. Tracking where customers come from is a mix of science, guesswork, and hoping your UTM tags didn’t get stripped by some weird browser. Proof does a solid job making sense of things, but it only works as well as the data you feed it.
Proof connects your marketing touchpoints (ads, emails, socials, etc.) to conversions, helping you see which channels pull their weight. But it can’t fix sloppy tracking or tell you the full story if your setup is half-baked.
Step 1: Nail Your Tracking Basics Before Touching Proof
Before you even look at your Proof dashboard, you need a foundation. Miss the basics and your attribution data will be garbage—no matter how shiny the tool.
Here’s what you actually need:
- Consistent UTM tagging. Always use the same naming conventions. “Facebook_Ad” and “facebook ad” are not the same thing.
- UTMs on everything. Yes, even your email signatures and one-off landing pages. If someone can click it, tag it.
- Test your links. Click them yourself. Make sure UTMs don’t disappear after redirects or through link shorteners.
- Coordinate with your team. Everybody needs to tag things the same way. Make a short doc or cheat sheet and share it.
Pro tip: If you’re using automation tools or ad platforms that “auto-tag,” double-check what parameters they add. Sometimes they’re not what you expect.
Step 2: Set Up Proof to Match Your Marketing Reality
Once your tracking basics are tight, it’s time to get Proof humming. Don’t just accept the default settings—customize things so your data actually reflects how you run campaigns.
a) Connect All Your Sources
Make sure you link up every channel Proof supports: Google Ads, Facebook, email platforms, custom sources. Don’t leave holes, or you’ll get a skewed view.
- Use direct integrations when possible. They’re less likely to break than manual uploads.
- For custom sources (like podcasts or offline events): Use unique landing pages or custom UTMs you can track.
b) Define What Counts as a Conversion
Not every form fill is created equal. Figure out what “success” means for your business and tell Proof to track it.
- Set up custom conversion events (like sign-ups, demo requests, or purchases).
- Avoid vanity metrics. Tracking “page views” as conversions will only confuse you later.
c) Map Your Funnel
If you have a multi-step funnel (ads → landing page → webinar → purchase), set up Proof to follow the whole path, not just the last click.
- Enable multi-touch attribution if Proof supports it for your plan.
- Label each step clearly. Don’t just use generic names like “Step 1.” Be specific.
Step 3: Choose the Right Attribution Model—And Don’t Overthink It
Proof offers different attribution models (first-touch, last-touch, linear, etc.). Here’s the honest truth: none are perfect.
What actually matters: - Pick one that fits your sales cycle. Fast sales? Last-touch might be fine. Longer, complex journeys? Try linear or time-decay. - Don’t get paralyzed by choice. Start simple, then tweak if you see weird results. - Compare a couple models if you’re curious, but don’t obsess over tiny differences.
Ignore: Anyone selling you on “AI-powered, next-gen attribution.” The basics still work for 95% of use cases.
Step 4: Clean Up and Maintain Your Data (Regularly)
Attribution isn’t “set it and forget it.” Dirty data will sneak in over time—typos in UTMs, broken links, new channels you forgot to tag.
What to do: - Audit your UTMs monthly. Look for stray tags, misspellings, or channels showing up as “(other)” or “unknown.” - Fix broken integrations ASAP. Proof’s value drops fast if a key source goes dark. - Update your naming conventions if your campaigns change. Don’t let the system get out of sync with reality.
Pro tip: Assign one person to own attribution hygiene. If it’s everyone’s job, it’s nobody’s job.
Step 5: Actually Use the Reports—Don’t Just Admire Them
It’s tempting to stare at pretty dashboards, but attribution is only useful if it shapes your decisions.
How to make it count: - Tie spending to results. If Proof shows Facebook is eating budget and not converting, cut back or fix your targeting. - Look for patterns, not one-offs. A single spike doesn’t mean a channel’s gold. Consistency matters. - Share findings with your team. Marketing, sales, and product should all see what’s working.
What not to do: Don’t chase every small fluctuation. Focus on trends over weeks or months, not day-to-day noise.
Step 6: Accept the Imperfections and Set Expectations
No attribution tool—including Proof—can read your customers’ minds. Some touchpoints (word of mouth, dark social, offline events) just won’t show up.
- Use Proof as a guide, not gospel. Make decisions, but keep a little healthy skepticism.
- Combine with qualitative feedback. Ask customers how they heard about you—it fills in the blanks data can’t.
Ignore: People promising “100% accurate attribution.” That’s just not possible.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Skip
Works well: - Clean, consistent UTM tagging - Connecting all possible sources directly - Focusing on conversions that move your business, not vanity numbers
Doesn’t work: - Setting and forgetting your setup - Tracking every possible touchpoint “just in case” - Relying only on default attribution models
Skip it: - Fancy, overcomplicated dashboards you never use - Changing models every month because you read a new blog post - Tagging channels you can’t actually influence or optimize
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
Don’t get hung up on perfection. The best marketers get started with a solid-but-simple setup in Proof, check their data regularly, and tweak as they go. The goal isn’t to have flawless attribution—it’s to make better decisions, faster. Stay skeptical, keep your process lean, and remember: sometimes the best move is to double down on what’s already working.