Attribution Overview
Attribution answers the most important marketing question for contractors: which of my ads actually produce signed jobs?
CustomerFlows tracks the complete journey from the first touchpoint (a Google Ad click, a Meta ad impression, an organic search visit) through the entire pipeline to the closed deal. This means you can see not just which campaigns generate leads, but which campaigns generate revenue.
How Attribution Works
When a visitor arrives on your website, the CustomerFlows tracking snippet captures where they came from:
- Visitor lands on your website from an ad, search result, or direct visit
- Tracking snippet captures the source: Google Ads (via GCLID), Meta Ads (via FBCLID), organic search, referral, or direct
- Visitor converts to a lead by messaging you on WhatsApp or submitting a form
- Lead becomes a deal in your pipeline, with the source attached
- Deal progresses through stages to Closed/Won or Lost
- Attribution dashboard connects the source to the outcome
The result: a clear line from "I spent $X on this campaign" to "it produced $Y in closed deals."
What Gets Tracked
| Source Type | What's Captured | How |
|---|---|---|
| Google Ads | Campaign, ad group, keyword (via GCLID) | Automatic when tracking snippet is installed |
| Meta Ads | Campaign, ad set (via FBCLID) | Automatic (Growth and Scale tiers) |
| Google Organic | Landing page, search query (when available) | Automatic |
| Google Local Service Ads | Lead type | Via lead source tag |
| Direct / Typed URL | Marked as "Direct" | Automatic |
| Referral | Referring domain | Automatic |
| WhatsApp Direct | Marked as "WhatsApp - Direct" | When customer messages without visiting website first |
Reading the Attribution Dashboard
The attribution dashboard is available at Analytics, then Attribution.
The key view -- Revenue by Source:
| Column | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Source / Campaign | The channel or specific campaign name |
| Leads | Number of leads attributed to this source |
| Deals Closed | Number of deals that reached Closed/Won |
| Revenue | Total value of closed deals |
| Ad Spend | Your spend on this channel (if connected) |
| ROAS | Return on Ad Spend (Revenue divided by Ad Spend) |
| Cost Per Lead | Ad Spend divided by Leads |
| Cost Per Acquisition | Ad Spend divided by Deals Closed |
Example:
| Campaign | Leads | Closed | Revenue | Spend | ROAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Ads - Emergency AC | 23 | 8 | $68,000 | $3,200 | 21.3x |
| Google Ads - Seasonal Tune-Up | 15 | 4 | $3,200 | $1,800 | 1.8x |
| Meta Ads - Roof Inspection | 12 | 3 | $25,500 | $2,100 | 12.1x |
| Organic Search | 18 | 5 | $22,000 | $0 | -- |
This tells you: double down on emergency AC and roof inspection, rethink seasonal tune-up, and organic search is producing $22K at zero ad cost.
Setting Up Attribution
Google Ads (GCLID) -- All Tiers
No additional setup required beyond installing the tracking snippet. When a visitor clicks a Google Ad and lands on your website, the GCLID is captured automatically.
Verify it's working: Click one of your own Google Ads, check that the URL contains ?gclid=, then check Analytics, then Attribution for the visit.
For detailed setup, see Google Ads Attribution (GCLID).
Meta Ads (FBCLID) -- Growth and Scale Tiers
Similar to Google Ads, the FBCLID is captured automatically when a visitor clicks a Meta ad. Available on Growth and Scale tiers.
For detailed setup, see Meta Ads Attribution (FBCLID).
Other Sources
Organic search, direct visits, and referral traffic are tracked automatically with no configuration.
Attribution Model
CustomerFlows uses first-touch attribution by default: the source of the deal is the first interaction that brought the visitor to your website.
Why first-touch for contractors: Contractor sales cycles are typically short (days to weeks). The marketing channel that initially brought the homeowner to your business is usually the most meaningful driver. Multi-touch models are more relevant for B2B SaaS with 90-day sales cycles.
When Data Starts Appearing
| Timeframe | What You'll See |
|---|---|
| Day 1-3 | First source data on leads |
| Week 1-2 | Enough leads to see which channels produce pipeline value |
| Month 1 | Enough closed deals to calculate ROAS by campaign |
| Month 2-3 | Statistically meaningful data for budget decisions |
Don't make major budget reallocation decisions based on less than 30 days of data.
FAQ
What if a customer visits my website from a Google Ad but then messages my WhatsApp directly? If the customer visited your website first (GCLID captured) and later messages your WhatsApp number, CustomerFlows links the conversation to the earlier visit. The deal is attributed to the Google Ad.
What if I'm not running any ads? Attribution still tracks organic sources: which pages people visit before converting, whether they came from Google search, referrals, or direct visits.
How accurate is the attribution? Accuracy depends on the tracking snippet being installed on all pages visitors might land on. Install it on every page of your website for maximum accuracy.
Related
- Google Ads Attribution (GCLID) -- Detailed Google Ads setup
- Meta Ads Attribution (FBCLID) -- Meta Ads setup
- Reading the Attribution Dashboard -- Interpreting your data
- Tracking Not Working -- Troubleshooting
- Marketing Attribution Guide -- Full strategy guide
Need help? Email support@customerflows.com or ask in r/CustomerFlows.