What does attribution in advertising measure?

Attribution in advertising is fundamentally about understanding how different touchpoints contribute to a consumer's decision-making process and eventual conversion. It evaluates the performance of ads across various channels and devices by assigning value to each interaction a person has with an ad during their customer journey. This can include interactions across social media platforms, display ads, search engine ads, email marketing, and more.

By accurately measuring these interactions, businesses can gain insights into which platforms and strategies are most effective in driving conversions. This understanding helps advertisers allocate their budgets more effectively, optimize campaigns based on performance, and improve overall return on investment.

The other options relate to aspects of advertising but do not directly define what attribution measures. Profitability of ad campaigns is a broader outcome that may be influenced by attribution but does not encapsulate its essence. Historical data of consumer purchases refers more to tracking past behaviors rather than analyzing the impact of current advertising. Frequency of ad views is more about how many times an ad is seen, rather than how those views lead to conversions.