"Many teams still judge channel performance based on last-click results. That once made sense in a simpler search world where users moved quickly from query to website to conversion. But that model no longer reflects today's behavior, and GA4 makes that gap more visible as AI-led search, multiplatform browsing and multimodal decision-making reshape the user journey. Why last-click reporting no longer works"
"Channels like SEO, content, social, email and even paid media influence users much earlier in the journey. Today's users naturally switch between devices, platforms and surfaces as they explore ideas and refine decisions. They move from traditional search to AI chat, from retailer search to social proof, from product comparisons to brand queries and from AI summaries back to Google with clearer intent. They discover in one place, research in another and convert only once they've filtered the market."
"This creates journeys that are both multimodal and multiplatform, where the final click doesn't reflect the value of earlier touchpoints. Many reporting setups still reward only the last visible action, overlooking the channels that build understanding, confidence and intent. GA4's Advertising Snapshot helps correct this by revealing how channels work together across the whole journey. It highlights the impact of organic channels and the increasing importance of AI-driven touchpoints."
Last-click attribution fails to capture early and mid-funnel contributions from channels such as SEO, content, social, email and paid media. Users increasingly switch between devices, platforms and surfaces, shifting from traditional search to AI chat, retailer search to social proof, and from product comparisons to brand queries. Discovery, research and conversion often occur across different touchpoints, so the final click rarely reflects prior influence. GA4's Advertising Snapshot reveals cross-channel interactions by visualizing how channels work together across the whole journey. The view highlights organic and AI-driven touchpoints and helps demonstrate the evolving role of SEO and content in learning, comparison and decision-making.
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