Data-driven attribution (DDA)
Data-driven attribution is the attribution model in which Google splits the credit for a conversion among the ads before it, using the account's own data.
How it works
Last-click attribution gives the whole conversion to the last ad clicked. Data-driven attribution compares the paths of customers who converted with those who didn’t. It finds the ad interactions that raise the chance of a conversion and gives them a larger share. In Google Ads it is the default for most conversion actions.
Any conversion action can use it, but Google recommends at least 200 conversions and 2,000 ad interactions in 30 days. Target ROAS and Target CPA bidding optimise for the conversions it credits. Our comparison of data-driven vs last click attribution covers Shopping and Performance Max.
Ways to calculate
- Google Ads: covers Search (including Shopping), YouTube, Display and Demand Gen ads (About data-driven attribution).
- Google Analytics 4: one of three reporting models. With the Paid and organic channels setting, organic visits share the credit too (Select attribution settings). Direct visits get no credit unless the whole path is direct (Get started with attribution).
Where you see it
- Google Ads: the Attribution model setting of each conversion action; the Model comparison report puts Last click next to Data-driven.
- Google Analytics: Admin → Data display → Events → Attribution settings.
Example
Example store, not client data.
A shopper clicks the tableware shop’s Shopping ad twice in a week, then a Search ad for the shop’s name, and buys a dinner set for 600. Under last click, that Search ad gets 1 conversion and 600; Shopping gets nothing. Suppose data-driven attribution gives Shopping 0.7 and Search 0.3: 420 and 180 of value. Shopping bidding now sees 420 from this order, not 0.
Not to be confused with
- Attribution model — the general rule for sharing credit. Google Ads offers two: last click and data-driven.
- Incrementality — sales that would not have happened without ads. DDA splits credit for conversions that happened; it does not say how many would have come anyway.
Right and wrong readings
- Wrong: “Switching a Google Ads conversion action to data-driven rewrote last month’s report.” Right: the switch applies to conversions counted from then on. For past data, Google Ads offers “current model” columns.
Sources
- About attribution models — the two models, bidding, current model columns. Checked 2 October 2026 (archived copy of 28 May 2026).
- About data-driven attribution — networks, default, data recommendation. Checked 2 October 2026 (archived copy of 9 September 2026).
- Get started with attribution — GA4 models and direct visits. Checked 2 October 2026 (archived copy of 26 September 2026).
- Select attribution settings — channels that can receive credit. Checked 2 October 2026 (archived copy of 28 July 2026).
- AttributionSettings — Google Analytics Admin API: the three reporting models and the paid and organic channels scope. Checked 2 October 2026.