Why Jay Schwedelson Says Attribution in Marketing is Garbage

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Attribution in Email Marketing: Why It May Be Overrated

In the world of marketing, attribution often dictates how success is measured. Yet industry expert Jay Schwedelson, CEO of Outcome Media and founder of SubjectLine.com, boldly claims that this focus on attribution is misguided. According to Schwedelson, the true power of email marketing lies not in tracking clicks or conversions, but in the cumulative effect of sustained communication with your audience.

Rethinking the Inbox as a Social Space

Schwedelson encourages marketers to reframe how they view email. He suggests thinking of the inbox as a “social scroll” where the key is engaging your audience with valuable content rather than bombarding them with promotional offers. “If ‘cold email’ is your go-to-market, or you only send out promotional emails, you will fail miserably,” he warns. The most effective strategy is to nurture relationships through consistent, informative communication before making requests.

Holdout Groups: A Better Way to Measure Impact

While measuring efforts is important, Schwedelson introduces a unique approach called “holdout groups” to better gauge the true effectiveness of email campaigns. By isolating a small segment of your database—around 5-10%—from marketing efforts, you can draw clearer conclusions about the influence of your broader campaigns. “It’s a way to understand what you might be missing,” he explains, helping marketers to find the balance between measurable outcomes and the invisible threads that build brand awareness.

The Future of Marketing Is About Value, Not Attribution

As the marketing landscape evolves, so must our strategies. Schwedelson’s insights offer a refreshing perspective: the most crucial factor is how well brands communicate value to their audiences over time, rather than focusing predominantly on attribution metrics. Embracing this mindset could redefine how businesses approach their marketing efforts, paving the way for deeper connections that are ultimately more beneficial than mere numbers.

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