If you're tired of the same old "just trust the numbers" approach to B2B marketing attribution, this one's for you. This guide is a no-fluff walkthrough for setting up multi-touch attribution in Rb2b, with a focus on what actually helps you report accurately — not just what looks shiny on a dashboard. Whether you're a marketing ops pro or a smart generalist who keeps getting stuck with analytics, you'll find out where to focus, what to skip, and how to get numbers you can actually trust.
Why Multi-Touch Attribution Actually Matters (and Where It Falls Short)
Let’s get one thing out of the way: Multi-touch attribution isn’t magic. It won’t solve all your marketing arguments. But it does give you a more realistic picture of how prospects turn into customers, especially if your sales cycles are long and your marketing isn’t just one-and-done.
Single-touch models (like first or last click) are simple, but they ignore everything else that nudges a buyer along the way. Multi-touch gives credit to all the steps. That’s good. But don’t let the buzzwords fool you — attribution is always a model, not a perfect reflection of reality.
What this guide covers: - A step-by-step process for setting up multi-touch attribution in Rb2b - Honest advice on what’s worth your time (and what isn’t) - Pro tips for cleaner, more believable reporting
Step 1: Get Your Data House in Order
Before you even open Rb2b, check your data sources. Attribution is only as good as the data feeding it.
- Inventory your touchpoints: List every channel and tactic you want to track. Think emails, ads, webinars, events, content downloads, and the sales team’s efforts. If you can’t reliably track it, don’t include it.
- Audit your UTM usage: If your UTM tags are a mess, attribution will be too. Standardize your UTM scheme now. Set up rules and stick to them.
- Clean up your CRM: Junk in, junk out. Make sure lead and account data is accurate. Duplicate records, missing fields, or inconsistent naming will screw up attribution models later.
Pro tip: Don’t try to track everything. Start with your top 5–7 channels. It’s better to be accurate on a few than “comprehensive” but unreliable.
Step 2: Map Out Your Buyer Journey
You can’t measure what you don’t define.
- Sketch your typical sales cycle: Where do people first hear about you? What’s the hand-off to sales? Where do they drop off?
- Identify key conversion points: These are your milestones — ebook downloads, webinar sign-ups, meetings booked, deals closed.
- Document it: Write it down. Share it with sales and anyone else who cares about reporting. If your journey is a black box, expect headaches later.
What to skip: Don’t get lost in edge cases. Focus on what happens most of the time.
Step 3: Set Up Tracking in Rb2b
Now jump into Rb2b and lay your foundation.
- Connect your data sources: Bring in your CRM, marketing automation, ad accounts, and website data. If a tool doesn’t integrate, don’t force it — manual uploads are a pain and won’t scale.
- Configure touchpoints: Rb2b should let you define what counts as a “touch.” Get specific: is it any email open, or only clicks? Is a webinar attendance or just a signup?
- Align touchpoints to journey stages: Map each touch to a stage in your buyer journey (awareness, consideration, decision, etc.). This is what enables multi-touch modeling to make sense.
Pro tip: Keep your definitions tight. If you’re vague (“engaged with content”), your attribution reports will be too.
Step 4: Choose and Apply Your Attribution Models
Rb2b will probably offer a buffet of attribution models. Here’s the truth: most of them are just variations on how to slice credit. You don’t need them all.
- Start with the basics: First touch, last touch, linear, and maybe W-shaped. Ignore anything that sounds like it was invented for a Gartner report.
- Compare models — don’t obsess: It’s helpful to see how different models assign value, but don’t chase the “perfect” model. There isn’t one.
- Pick one primary model: For reporting, pick the model that fits your sales cycle best. For long, complex cycles, linear or W-shaped usually makes the most sense.
Watch out for: Overfitting. More complex models aren’t better if your data quality is shaky.
Step 5: Test, QA, and Sanity-Check Your Results
This is where the wheels often come off.
- Pull sample reports: Do they make sense? If your biggest deal is credited 100% to a single email, something’s off.
- Check for data gaps: Are all your key channels showing up? Missing touchpoints usually mean broken integrations or bad data.
- Sanity-check with sales: Bring your findings to someone in sales. If they laugh or look confused, dig deeper.
Pro tip: Attribution isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it thing. Revisit your reports monthly, especially after marketing or sales process changes.
Step 6: Build Reports That People Will Actually Use
It’s tempting to make dashboards that look impressive but don’t help anyone make better decisions.
- Stick to the questions that matter: Which channels create pipeline? What actually influences closed-won deals? Cut the fluff.
- Limit your metrics: Too many numbers = nobody pays attention. Focus on a handful of actionable KPIs.
- Segment by what matters: Reporting by segment (industry, deal size, product line) is more useful than just “all deals.”
- Explain your models: Don’t assume everyone knows what “W-shaped” means. Add footnotes or quick primers.
What to avoid: Vanity metrics. If a report isn’t helping someone do their job better, kill it.
Step 7: Roll Out, Train, and Keep Iterating
Even the best setup flops if nobody trusts or uses it.
- Walk through your setup with stakeholders: Show how data flows, what counts as a touch, how attribution is calculated.
- Document everything: Not for compliance — for the poor soul who has to fix it later.
- Gather feedback: If people are ignoring the reports, find out why. Maybe you’re missing something obvious.
- Plan for regular reviews: Attribution needs maintenance, especially as campaigns and tools change.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What works: - Clear definitions and tight data hygiene - Focusing on your main channels and touchpoints - Limiting your attribution models to what’s actually useful
What doesn’t: - Trying to track every single interaction (you’ll drown in noise) - Overcomplicated models your team doesn’t understand - Dashboards that look impressive but don’t drive action
Ignore: - Shiny new attribution models with fancy names (unless you actually understand and need them) - “Industry benchmarks” — your sales cycle is your own
Keep It Simple — and Don’t Be Afraid to Change
The most accurate attribution setup is the one your team actually trusts and uses. Start simple. Nail the basics. Iterate as you go. Attribution will never be perfect, but it can absolutely be useful — and that’s what matters.
If you hit a wall, step back and ask: Is this helping us make better decisions, or just making the spreadsheet bigger? If it’s the latter, cut ruthlessly. You’ll thank yourself later.