Planning Calculators
Attribution broke in 2021 and never fully recovered. iOS14 limited pixel tracking, third-party cookies are deprecating, and platform-reported metrics consistently overstate incremental impact. The calculators in this category help operators measure attribution accurately in the modern environment and make budget decisions despite imperfect data.
These 13 tools cover the modern attribution stack: measurement infrastructure (UTM builder, MTA platform comparison for Triple Whale / Northbeam / Hyros, GA4 event setup, post-purchase survey ROI), incrementality testing (tracking gap estimator, true vs reported lift, incrementality test cost-benefit, click vs view attribution gap), and strategic allocation (channel mix modeler, brand vs DR split, first-party data value).
The framework: pixel-based attribution captures last-click and click-attributed view-through, missing 20-40% of true conversions. Server-side conversion APIs (Meta CAPI, Google Enhanced Conversions) recover 15-25% of that loss. Post-purchase surveys capture another 15-25% from non-trackable channels. Combined: ~85-95% attribution coverage for sophisticated brands; 50-70% for those still on pixel-only.
The strategic insight: most operators over-trust platform-reported ROAS and under-trust blended efficiency (MER). Run incrementality tests on your largest channels at least annually — a 6-week 10% holdout costs ~$50K of foregone revenue but typically informs $200K+ of better budget allocation per year.