Trying to make sense of your marketing campaign results? If you’re juggling ads, emails, social posts, and more, you already know: tracking what’s actually working is a headache. This guide’s for marketers, growth folks, and anyone who’s tired of cobbling together spreadsheets from five different platforms. We’ll break down, step-by-step, how to track and measure multichannel campaigns using Factors—in plain English, no buzzwords, and no sugarcoating what works and what doesn’t.
Why Multichannel Campaign Tracking Is So Messy
Let’s be real: most campaign tracking is duct-taped together. You’ve got Google Analytics open in one tab, your CRM in another, maybe some UTM links, and a bunch of screenshots from Facebook Ads Manager. Not fun.
The problem is, each channel (email, paid ads, organic, etc.) measures things differently. You can’t just add up numbers and call it a day. Multichannel attribution is hard, and no tool is perfect. But some platforms—like Factors—are at least trying to make it less painful.
Step 1: Get Your Channels and Goals Straight
Before you touch a tool, get clear on what you actually want to measure.
Questions to ask yourself: - What channels are you using? (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, Email, Google Ads, Organic Search, etc.) - What counts as a conversion? (Demo request, purchase, signup, etc.) - Do you care about leads, revenue, or just clicks?
Pro tip: Don’t try to track everything. Start with the channels that drive the most traffic or budget.
Step 2: Clean Up Your Tracking Links
UTM parameters are boring, but they’re essential. If you’re not tagging your links, you’re flying blind.
Do this: - Add UTM parameters to every link you share (emails, ads, social, everything). - Be consistent with naming. “utm_source=linkedin” and “utm_source=LinkedIn” are not the same. - Document your naming conventions somewhere your team can find them.
What to ignore: Don’t bother with “viral” or “other” as sources—it’s lazy and you’ll regret it later.
Step 3: Connect Your Channels to Factors
Now for the actual setup. Assuming you’ve picked Factors as your tool, here’s what to do:
- Sign up and get access. (Obvious, but worth saying.)
- Integrate your main channels. Factors connects to most ad platforms, email tools, CRMs, and website analytics. The more you connect, the more complete your tracking will be.
- Google Ads
- Facebook/Meta Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
- HubSpot, Salesforce, or your CRM
- Email marketing tools (Mailchimp, etc.)
- Web analytics (Google Analytics, Segment)
- Follow the connection instructions. Usually, it’s OAuth or API keys. If you hit a wall, Factors’ support is decent, but expect to wrangle some permissions.
- Set up your website tracking. This might mean dropping a tracking script or hooking into Segment.
Honest take: Some integrations will break or need re-authentication from time to time—don’t pretend it’s “set and forget.”
Step 4: Map Your Funnel and Conversion Events
Factors lets you define what counts as a conversion, so take time to set this up properly.
- Start with the basics: Page views, form submissions, purchases.
- Map your funnel: Awareness → Consideration → Conversion. Assign events to each stage.
- Custom events: Use them sparingly. Only track what matters.
Pro tip: Don’t obsess over micro-conversions (like “clicked a button”) unless you have a very specific reason. Focus on the stuff that actually moves the needle.
Step 5: Create Campaigns in Factors (and Sync Your Data)
Factors lets you group your efforts into campaigns. This is where you actually see multichannel results side by side.
- Create a campaign: Name it something obvious (“Q2 Product Launch” beats “Spring Push 2024”).
- Associate assets: Add your emails, ads, landing pages, and any other assets to the campaign.
- Sync data: Factors will start pulling in performance data from all the connected channels.
What to ignore: Over-complicating your campaign structure. If you need a whiteboard to explain it, you’ve gone too far.
Step 6: Analyze Channel Performance (Don’t Get Distracted by Vanity Metrics)
This is where most people get lost. Don’t just stare at the dashboards—look for real insights.
- Key metrics to focus on:
- Cost per conversion
- Conversion rate by channel
- Lead quality (if you can track this)
- Revenue attribution, if possible
- Ignore: Impressions, likes, and “reach” unless brand awareness is your actual, stated goal.
- Compare apples to apples: Not every channel is about cheap leads—some are about quality or long-term value.
- Look for drop-offs: Where are people bailing out of your funnel? That’s where to fix.
Honest take: Attribution will never be perfect. Some conversions will look like “direct” or “unknown.” That’s life.
Step 7: Set Up Reporting and Alerts
Good reporting saves you from spending weekends in spreadsheets.
- Automate reports: Set up weekly or monthly reports to go to your team (or your boss).
- Custom dashboards: Build dashboards for what actually matters—don’t just use the defaults.
- Set alerts: Get notified if conversions drop, costs spike, or something breaks. (Factors does this, but test it yourself.)
Pro tip: Don’t bombard people with daily reports. Weekly is usually enough for most teams.
Step 8: Iterate, Test, and Don’t Fall for Attribution Hype
The best campaign tracking isn’t about finding “the” perfect answer—it’s about spotting what’s working and what’s not, then making changes.
- Run experiments: Try new messages, channels, or audiences, and see what moves the needle.
- Accept uncertainty: Even with great tools, attribution is messy. Some credit will always go to the wrong channel.
- Don’t chase the latest attribution model: Last-touch, first-touch, multi-touch—they all have flaws. Pick one, understand its limitations, and move on.
Honest take: Anyone selling “perfect attribution” is selling snake oil.
Quick Troubleshooting: Common Pitfalls
- Missing data? Check your integrations. Sometimes tokens expire or permissions change.
- Numbers look weird? Compare with the original source (e.g., Facebook Ads Manager). Small differences are normal; big ones mean something’s off.
- Team confused by reports? Simplify. Too many metrics just create noise.
Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Tracking multichannel campaigns isn’t magic, and no tool—including Factors—solves everything out of the box. But if you set clear goals, tag your links, connect your channels, and focus on the numbers that matter, you’ll finally get a handle on what’s working and where you’re wasting money.
Don’t overthink it. Start small, review results regularly, and tweak as you go. That’s how the best teams actually improve—and keep their sanity.