Attribution Bias
Attribution bias is the systematic error in assigning credit to marketing channels, typically favoring channels that are 'easier to track' (like Bottom-of-Funnel Search) over channels that create demand (like Video or TV). It leads marketers to mistakenly believe that harvesting demand is more profitable than creating it.
The Short Version
Giving the assist player zero credit and the striker all the credit.
Visual Explanation
Attribution vs Incrementality
One measures correlation. The other measures causation. See the difference.
The Click-Harvesting Spiral
You look at your attribution report. Branded Search has 20x ROAS. YouTube has 0.5x ROAS.
You cut YouTube and double Search. Revenue collapses. Why? Because you cut the bias-victim (YouTube) that was feeding the bias-beneficiary (Search).
How it works
Identify channels with high 'View-Through' rates (often undervalued)
Identify channels with high 'Last-Click' dominance (often overvalued)
Measure the discrepancy between Attributed ROAS and Incremental ROAS
Common Misconceptions
Optimizing strictly for Last-Click ROAS
Assuming 'Direct Traffic' just happens by magic (It's often misattributed)
Ignoring the 'availability heuristic' (Giving credit to what you can see)
Frequently Asked Questions
QIs attribution bias inevitable?
With tracking methods, yes. Every model (First, Last, Linear) introduces some bias. Only incrementality modeling eliminates it.
QHow do I fix it?
You don't fix the attribution; you stop using it for budget decisions. Use Incrementality for allocation and Attribution for tactical optimization.