The power of Allocation & Expiration settings

It's a well known fact that in the realm of digital analytics, capturing data is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in understanding how data is assigned (allocation) and for how long it remains valid (expiration) before it gets replaced.

If you've ever struggled with tracking conversions accurately or wondered why a metric’s attribution looks different across reports, then understanding Allocation & Expiration is key.

This article will break down these two crucial concepts, how they work in Adobe Analytics, and best practices to ensure your data remains reliable and insightful.

What is Allocation?

Allocation defines how a variable stores values when multiple values are encountered within the same visit or tracking period.

In simpler terms, if a user interacts with multiple touchpoints, which one gets credit for the conversion? That’s where allocation comes into play.

Types of Allocation in Adobe Analytics:

Adobe Analytics allows three primary allocation methods for eVars (conversion variables):

1. First Touch Allocation

• Definition: Assigns 100% credit to the first value captured during the variable’s lifetime.
• Example: If a user first comes from Paid Search, then later via Organic Search, and finally converts via Direct, the Paid Search value remains allocated throughout the variable’s expiration period.
• Use Case: When analyzing the first source of acquisition (e.g., first marketing touchpoint).

2. Last Touch Allocation

• Definition: Assigns 100% credit to the most recent value encountered before a conversion.
• Example: If a user first arrives via Email, then visits again through Social Media, and converts after a Direct visit, the Direct channel gets 100% credit.
• Use Case: Most commonly used for conversion tracking (e.g., last marketing touchpoint before purchase).

3. Linear Allocation

• Definition: Distributes credit equally across all touchpoints.
• Example: If a user interacts with Paid Search, then Organic Search, and finally converts via Direct, each touchpoint gets 33.3% credit for the conversion.
• Use Case: Useful for multi-touch attribution where all interactions should be weighed equally.

💡 Key Takeaway: First Touch is great for acquisition analysis, Last Touch is ideal for conversion-focused reporting, and Linear helps in multi-channel impact assessment.

What is Expiration?

Expiration determines how long a variable holds onto its value before it is cleared or replaced.

Types of Expiration in Adobe Analytics

1. Hit Expiration – The variable value resets after a single hit (e.g., page view, event trigger). Example: A prop tracking "Page Category" resets every time a new page loads.
2. Visit Expiration – The value remains active for the entire session (visit) before resetting. Example: If a user first interacts with Email, that value persists throughout the visit unless explicitly updated.
3. Custom Time-Based Expiration – The variable remains active for a set period (e.g., 7 days, 30 days, etc.). Example: A campaign eVar with a 30-day expiration ensures that conversions occurring within that window still attribute back to the campaign.
4. Purchase Expiration (Event-Based) – The variable persists until a specific event (e.g., purchase) occurs. Example: A user interacts with Affiliate Marketing, and even if they return after multiple days, the affiliate still gets credit if the conversion happens before expiration.

💡 Key Takeaway: Choosing the right expiration ensures data consistency. A shorter expiration is good for session-based tracking, while longer expiration is useful for marketing campaigns that have lasting influence.

How do Allocation & Expiration work together?

Imagine a 30-day eVar tracking the marketing source with First-Touch allocation. If a user first arrives via Facebook Ads, then later via Google Ads, and finally through Direct, the Facebook Ads source remains allocated throughout the expiration period (unless a purchase occurs or the 30 days pass).

However, if the same eVar had Last-Touch allocation, the last source (Direct) would get full credit for any conversion happening before expiration.

First touch & Last touch are terms used for Attribution models as well. So how is Allocation different from Attribution?

First-Touch and Last-Touch are both used in Allocation and Attribution models, but they serve different purposes in Adobe Analytics. Let’s break it down.

• Allocation is how an eVar (conversion variable) stores a value when multiple values are encountered. Allocation is about how an eVar holds values for tracking purposes (it doesn't analyze all touchpoints).
• Attribution models define how credit is distributed when multiple touchpoints contribute to a conversion. Attribution models distribute conversion credit across different touchpoints (they analyze the entire user journey).

Let us consider an example to understand this better:

Scenario:

A user interacts with different marketing channels before making a purchase:

1. Day 1: Clicks on a Facebook Ad → Visits website but doesn't buy.
2. Day 3: Returns via Google Search → Still no purchase.
3. Day 5: Comes back Directly → Makes a purchase.

If Using Allocation (eVar Tracking):

• First-Touch Allocation: Facebook remains stored in the eVar (if expiration allows).
• Last-Touch Allocation: Direct will be stored in the eVar before purchase.

If Using Attribution Models (Conversion Credit):

• First-Touch Attribution: 100% of the purchase credit goes to Facebook Ad.
• Last-Touch Attribution: 100% of the purchase credit goes to Direct.
• Linear Attribution: Facebook, Google, and Direct each get 33.3% credit.
• Participation Attribution: All touchpoints get full credit for assisting the conversion.

Additional articles to read:

1. Conversion Variables (eVars)
2. Linear Allocated eVar with Conversion, Orders