Understanding Attribution Traffic Sources

Created by PX Marketing, Modified on Tue, 19 Aug at 5:38 PM by PX Marketing

Overview

Attribution in PXME helps you identify where leads and contacts originate, giving you clarity on which channels deliver the most value. By tracking both first attribution (initial touch) and latest attribution (most recent touch), you can better measure ROI and allocate budget effectively.

Step 1: Grasping the Basics of Attribution

First Attribution – The first recorded interaction a contact has with your system.
Latest Attribution – The most recent interaction recorded.

This dual tracking ensures you see both the origin and the ongoing journey of a lead.

Step 2: Locating Attribution Data

Navigate to Contacts.
Select a contact record.
Go to the Activity tab (bottom-right column).
Review attribution details to see traffic source, UTM values, and conversion actions.

Step 3: Deciphering Session Sources

Traffic is categorized into the following types:

Paid Search – Traffic from Google Ads or other paid search campaigns.
Paid Social (Facebook & Instagram) – Visitors from paid social ad campaigns.
Direct Traffic – Users typing your URL directly into their browser.
Organic Search – Visitors arriving from search engines without paid ads (Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, etc.).
Social – Visitors from social platforms not tied to paid campaigns.
Referrals – Visitors coming from another website linking to your site.
Others – Leads via calls, SMS, emails, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger.
CRM UI – Leads manually created inside the platform.
Third-Party – Leads generated via integrations (e.g., Zapier).

Step 4: Using UTM Parameters for Paid Campaigns

Attribution relies on UTMs (case-sensitive). Always use the provided templates.

Google Ads Example

{YourLandingPageUrl.com}?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium={adname}&utm_campaign={campaignname}&utm_content={adgroupname}&utm_keyword={keyword}&utm_matchtype={matchtype}&campaign_id={campaignid}&ad_group_id={adgroupid}&ad_id={creative}

Name	Key	Value
Source	utm_source	adwords
Medium	utm_medium	{adname}
Campaign	utm_campaign	{campaignname}
Content	utm_content	{adgroupname}
Match Type	utm_matchtype	{matchtype}
Campaign ID	campaign_id	{campaignid}
Ad Group ID	ad_group_id	{adgroupid}
Ad ID	ad_id	{creative}

Facebook & Instagram Example

{YourLandingPageUrl.com}?utm_source=fb_ad&utm_medium={{adset.name}}&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{ad.name}}&campaign_id={{campaign.id}}

Name	Key	Value
Source	utm_source	fb_ad
Medium	utm_medium	{{adset.name}}
Campaign	utm_campaign	{{campaign.name}}
Content	utm_content	{{ad.name}}
Campaign ID	campaign_id	{{campaign.id}}

⚠️ Important: Attribution is case-sensitive. Do not add custom UTMs, spaces, or special characters.

Step 5: Events That Trigger Attribution

Attribution data is recorded when a contact completes one of these actions:

Form or survey submission
Calendar booking
Chat widget submission
Order form submission

Step 6: Troubleshooting Ad Reporting

If attribution isn’t working correctly, check:

Tracking URLs – UTMs must be correctly set.
Final URL – Submissions must happen on a page containing the UTMs.
No Custom UTMs – Use only the templates provided.
Spelling/Spacing – Even small errors break tracking.
Submission Behavior – If a user doesn’t complete the form, attribution won’t be captured.

Pro Tips

Always implement tracking templates exactly as provided.
Verify Facebook Pixel and Google Ads tracking are installed.
Check attribution directly inside a contact record to confirm UTM capture.

FAQ

Q: What are the two types of attribution?
A: First attribution (initial touch) and latest attribution (most recent touch).

Q: What traffic sources are tracked?
A: Paid Search, Paid Social, Direct, Organic, Social, Referrals, Others, CRM UI, and Third-Party.

Q: What events record attribution?
A: Form/survey submissions, calendar bookings, chat widget submissions, and order form completions.

Q: What happens if UTMs are missing or incorrect?
A: The lead may be tracked as Direct or uncategorized, making reports inaccurate.

Q: Why is attribution important?
A: It ensures you allocate budget effectively, optimize campaigns, and measure ROI across channels.