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In this issue: free yourself from in-platform reporting and rise above 🎻

Meta's changes

As you're well aware, Meta removed 7-day and 28-day attribution windows from the Ad Insights API. This only matters if you're still using Meta's in-platform numbers. If you're using Northbeam, this doesn't affect you in the slightest, as Northbeam's infinite lookback windows are built on separate, independent data. 

Agency operators and contractors still reliant on Meta's reporting are in a tailspin, trying to explain why reported conversions are dropping 15%-40% - in some cases, overnight.

Once again: this does not affect Northbeam users, because if you're using Northbeam, you have an independent set of ad performance data that is unaffected by reporting changes or adjustments made by any ad platform. 

The reason this hurts in-platform-data reliant marketers so much? Over-reliance on last-click. 

You should re-evaluate your own dependence on last-click attribution. It has a time and a place. 

An eMarketer report sponsored by Snapchat states that 74.5% of marketers are either "moving away from last click or would like to do so." The report continues on to discuss the limitations of last click, the importance of brand building, and so on.

So why the hate for last click?

I'll tell you: because last-click is often abused and misunderstood. Over-dependence on last-click attribution can send your ad account into a death spiral, where the fundamentals of marketing are ignored in exchange for low-quality vanity metrics. Let's get into it. 

Last-click attribution is only one part of a new buyer journey - it cannot be studied in a vacuum. The arrival of TikTok and algorithm-driven feeds over network-driven feeds permanently changed the way that digital shoppers operate.

No longer are shoppers simply seeing ads, clicking, then buying. The journey is a mashup of consideration, research, brand recognition... but last-click attribution tries to boil that entire thing into this question: "which ad motivated them to buy?" If you are only using last-click then you're ignoring all the awareness and brand building efforts that actually summarized a customer's purchase intent.

Last-click has been the attribution model most easily connected to revenue generation, but this is no longer true. Agencies, marketers, and CMOs have relied on last-click to demonstrate marketing efficacy to the rest of the business who don't understand softer things like "brand health."

I cannot blame them for this, I have been this person myself. Before the advent of good multi-touch attribution tools, marketers had no choice. You either had to demonstrate value to your leadership or you'd get fired. These days are gone.

If you're using a proper MTA tool, you can communicate the value of any marketing campaign at any stage of the funnel. This means you can actually behave like a responsible marketer instead of one under duress. And this is important because:

Focusing exclusively on last-click cannibalizes budget from the rest of your marketing efforts, which kneecaps your growth. 

If you are only optimizing for ads that perform well under last-click, that means you're targeting a tiny subset of customers who are already ready to purchase and just need a final push.

This will lead you to start discounting (never a good idea) shifting all your budget exclusively to Meta (also not a good idea) and overweighting towards static ads.

You will end up pulling budget away from the stuff that actually grows your business.

You'll see your search volume dry up, site traffic will disappear, and the LTV of your customers will drop. This is because instead of making new potential customers, focusing on last-click leads you to mine existing warm prospects.

Instead of refilling your barrel, you're scraping the bottom of it, metaphorically. It's ironic - the last-click attribution that allegedly demonstrates marketing revenue is actually the model that is responsible for growing your business.   

My advice? Examine your own bias toward last-click. Attribution models are only as effective as the people who use them. And start using Northbeam's independent ad performance data as your baseline instead. 

🔧 Meta dropped an easy button for CAPI, with a one-click setup and an AI-powered Pixel that auto-enriches your event data. Or you can use Northbeam Apex.

📌 Pinterest launched "Promote a Pin," letting businesses turn any existing post directly into a paid ad. Organic to paid in one tap. Simplicity wins. 

📐 Google is unifying enhanced conversions for web and leads into a single on/off toggle starting June 2026. One switch to rule them all. 

💸 Meta is charging advertisers new "Location Fees" to cover Digital Service Taxes in Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the UK. Your EU ROAS targets just changed.

🎬 TikTok added two new retailer ad formats, "Logo Takeover" and "Prime Time," for premium placement. TikTok is coming for your upfront budget.

🚨 JOB: Senior Paid Search and YouTube Manager / Grüns / Remote: how about a gig at the fastest growing DTC brand in the world?

🚨 JOB: Senior Designer, Marketing Brand and Creative / Northbeam / remote: join me in making amazing content for social and this newsletter!

🚨 JOB: Partnership Marketing Specialist / Qualia / remote: a travel-focused affiliate role that seems exciting. 

🚨 JOB: Senior Amazon Growth Manager / Qualia / remote: Amazon-focused role at this excellent supplement business. 

🚨 JOB: Head of Growth / Javvy Coffee / Remote: join the best marketers in the game, $5m budget, and freedom to make infinite scale happen. This is one of the most exciting roles we've seen in a while. 

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