- Last Click: assigns 100% of conversion to the user’s last click before purchase, regardless of channel (paid, organic, or direct).
- Last Click Paid: assigns 100% of conversion to the last click on a paid channel. If there’s no paid interaction in the journey, the conversion will be attributed to the last organic or direct channel.
Which model to use?
| Analysis objective | Ideal model |
|---|---|
| Understand final channel of customer journey | Last Click |
| Evaluate direct performance of paid media | Last Click Paid |
| Compare influence of paid and non-paid channels | Use both together |
Example 1: When Last Click is Direct
Scenario
A customer clicks on paid ads throughout the journey but completes the purchase by accessing the site directly (typing the URL or via favorites).User journey:
- Clicked on an Instagram ad
- Returned to the site via email marketing
- Clicked on a Google Ads ad
- Accessed the site directly and purchased
Attributed revenue:
| Channel | Last Click Revenue | Last Click Paid Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram Ads | $0 | $0 |
| E-mail Marketing | $0 | $0 |
| Google Ads | $0 | $120 |
| Direct | $120 | $0 |
Interpretation:
- In the Last Click model, the Direct channel receives 100% attribution because it was the last click before purchase.
- In the Last Click Paid model, credit goes to Google Ads, which was the last paid channel before the direct click.
Best practices:
- Use Last Click Paid to evaluate the impact of paid campaigns that directly influenced the purchase.
- Use Last Click to understand final user behavior and the role of direct visits in conversion.
- When many direct visits appear in Last Click, it’s worth investigating whether paid media is generating purchase intent that only materializes later.
Example 2: When Last Click is Organic
Scenario
A customer sees paid ads, searches for the brand on Google, clicks on an organic link, and completes the purchase.User journey:
- Clicked on a TikTok ad
- Clicked on a Facebook ad
- Did a Google search, clicked on organic result
- Purchased
Attributed revenue:
| Channel | Last Click Revenue | Last Click Paid Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok Ads | $0 | $0 |
| Facebook Ads | $0 | $150 |
| Google Organic | $150 | $0 |
Interpretation:
- In Last Click, conversion is attributed to Google Organic because it was the last click.
- In Last Click Paid, credit goes to Facebook Ads because it’s the last paid channel before the organic click.
Best practices:
- If your strategy includes SEO, content marketing, or strong branding, the Last Click model helps visualize the real impact of these channels.
- If the focus is on paid media performance, the Last Click Paid model prevents organic channels from “stealing” credit from campaigns that influenced the decision.
- Using both models together allows understanding both who generated the intent and who finalized the conversion.
Final Tips for Analysis
Compare both models regularly:Frequent differences between Last Click and Last Click Paid indicate many users are completing the journey through non-paid channels, like direct or organic. Use Last Click Paid for investment decisions:
It shows which paid channels actually influenced the purchase decision, avoiding wrong decisions based only on the last click (which may have no cost). Use Last Click to understand final behavior:
Ideal for UX actions, remarketing, and recurring navigation, where the final click may occur days after contact with ads.
Conclusion
Last Click and Last Click Paid models don’t compete — they complement each other.- Use Last Click Paid to measure paid media performance accurately.
- Use Last Click to understand the real customer journey to purchase.
- By crossing both, you’ll have a complete view of who created the intent and who converted.