Google announced yesterday that Google Ads is moving away from last-click. Instead the data-driven attribution (DDA) will soon be the default attribution model for all new Google Ads conversion actions, Google said. In addition, Google is removing the data requirements & adding support for all conversion action types to be able to use DDA.

The two big changes here are:

1) Data Driven Attribution (DDA) will be the default attribution model

2) Data Driven Attribution (DDA) conversion minimums will no longer be required

Here is how Ginny Marvin of Google summed it up:

In a move away from last-click, data-driven attribution will soon be the default attribution model for all new Google Ads conversion actions. We’re removing the data requirements & adding support for all conversion action types to be able to use DDA. https://t.co/uQ1YOZ8sdJ

— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) September 27, 2021

Over the coming months, we’ll be migrating existing conversion actions to DDA for many advertisers. We’ll give plenty of notice and you’ll still be able to opt out. Rules-based attribution ****** will continue to be available. Learn more about DDA: https://t.co/MIiYAO4ssq

— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) September 27, 2021

I asked some PPC experts for some translation help and Kirk Williams was first to reply with why this is important:

So this means 2 big changes:

1) all accounts can now run DDA immediately (I assume this means Google has enough confidence in its algorithms and sampling now, even for smaller accounts.

2) attribution by default on accounts appears to have changed from last click to DDA.

— Kirk Williams 🚴 (@PPCKirk) September 27, 2021

My assumption is Google will use cross-account modeling. They may even say this somewhere in some policy doc already and possibly PPC-Encyclopedia-Patrick will know? @PatrickJGilbert

(BTW anybody else **** the Encyclopedia Brown books as a kid?) #PPCCHAT

— Kirk Williams 🚴 (@PPCKirk) September 27, 2021

When you set up a new conv action it’ll default to DDA (instead of last-click). You can select a different model if preferred. For existing conv actions, many will be migrated to DDA, but with plenty of warning to opt out & stick with another model. You can still switch any time.

— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) September 27, 2021

The data-driven attribution change as the default model is starting in October and Google plans to have it in all Google Ads accounts by early next year. Google said “you’ll still have the option to manually switch to one of the five rule-based attribution ******. With these upgrades, data-driven attribution can help every advertiser clearly understand the full value of their Google Ads campaigns.”

Forum discussion at Twitter.