U-Shaped Attribution
U-shaped attribution is a multi-touch model that assigns the most credit to the first touch and the last touch before conversion, splitting the remaining credit among middle interactions.
In depth
The model typically gives 40% of the credit to the first touchpoint that introduced the lead and 40% to the touchpoint that drove the conversion, leaving 20% to be shared across everything in between. This shape recognizes two moments that matter disproportionately in B2B journeys: the channel that earned attention and the channel that closed the deal. It works best when you trust your tracking on entry and conversion points but care less about the nuance of the messy middle.
A common pitfall is treating the 40/40/20 weighting as a law of nature rather than a default; if your sales cycle has a long nurture phase, undervaluing the middle can starve content and retargeting budgets that quietly do the heavy lifting. In a quiz-funnel workflow, U-shaped attribution maps cleanly onto reality: the ad or post that earned the first click gets recognized, and the scorecard quiz that captured the lead and qualified them gets equal weight, so you can defend spend on both the top of funnel and the conversion experience itself.
Example in practice
Frequently asked questions
How does U-shaped attribution differ from last-click?
Last-click gives 100% of the credit to the final touchpoint, ignoring how the lead was discovered. U-shaped splits credit so the introducing channel also gets recognized, giving a fairer view of the full journey.
What weighting does U-shaped attribution use?
The standard split is 40% to the first touch, 40% to the last touch before conversion, and 20% shared among the middle interactions. Many analytics tools let you adjust these percentages.
When should I use U-shaped attribution for a quiz funnel?
Use it when both your acquisition channel and your conversion experience deserve credit, such as an ad that drives discovery and a quiz that captures the lead. It is ideal for funnels with a clear entry and a clear conversion event.