Getting traffic is easy — knowing which traffic actually leads to customers is where most advertisers fail. This chapter breaks down how to use UTM tags, GA4 events, and attribution models to finally connect clicks with revenue.

Key Points:

UTM tags add tracking parameters to your URLs, helping you identify traffic sources in GA4 and beyond. They're especially important for non-Google campaigns (e.g., Meta, LinkedIn, email).

Standard UTMs include source, medium, and campaign, with optional term and content fields for keywords or A/B test variations.

In GA4, you can set up standard events (like purchases or add-to-cart) or custom events tailored to your funnel. Registering custom dimensions and metrics allows you to capture specific user behaviors that matter most.

Attribution models define how credit for conversions is assigned across multiple touchpoints. Relying only on last-click attribution often undervalues upper-funnel campaigns like video or display.

Google Analytics offers models such as First Interaction, Last Interaction, Linear, Time Decay, and Position-Based, each giving a different perspective on performance.

Use the Model Comparison Tool in GA4 to evaluate campaigns under different attribution lenses, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

A practical rule: use first interaction attribution to evaluate acquisition campaigns and last interaction for conversion-focused campaigns, while testing advanced models to get a balanced view.