Document Type: Standard
Status: Canon
Authority: HeadOffice
Parent: Governance
Applies To: All MWMS traffic systems, funnels, landing pages, analytics environments, and conversion tracking implementations
Version: v1.0
Last Reviewed: 2026-04-23
Purpose
The MWMS Attribution Preservation Standard defines how MWMS captures, preserves, and maintains the integrity of traffic source data across the full user journey.
Attribution determines:
• which traffic sources drive performance
• which campaigns generate results
• where budget should be allocated
• how channels are evaluated
If attribution is not preserved:
• sources are misclassified
• campaigns are incorrectly evaluated
• optimisation decisions become invalid
• capital is misallocated
This standard ensures attribution reflects the true origin of user behaviour.
Core Principle
The original source must be preserved.
If the original source is lost:
→ attribution becomes unreliable
Scope
This standard governs:
• traffic source capture
• campaign parameter handling
• session continuity
• cross-page attribution persistence
• multi-step funnel attribution
• analytics attribution integrity
This applies to:
• Google Ads traffic
• organic traffic
• referral traffic
• direct traffic
• all funnel types
Attribution Definition
Attribution is the process of assigning credit for user behaviour to a traffic source or campaign.
Attribution preservation ensures:
• the original source remains intact
• the user journey is correctly tracked
• source data is not overwritten
🔴 First Touch Capture Requirement
On initial page entry, systems must capture:
• full landing page URL
• gclid (or equivalent click ID)
• utm_source
• utm_medium
• utm_campaign
• utm_content
• utm_term
• timestamp of entry
Core Rule
First-touch data must be captured immediately upon arrival.
🔴 Source Preservation Rule
The original source must remain unchanged throughout the session.
Examples:
• paid traffic must remain paid
• referral must not become direct
• campaign data must persist
Core Rule
Original attribution data must never be overwritten by later interactions.
🔴 Session Continuity Requirement
User sessions must maintain consistent attribution.
Session continuity must account for:
• navigation between pages
• multi-step funnels
• redirects
• dynamic page behaviour
Core Rule
Session breaks must not reset attribution.
🔴 Storage Requirement
Attribution data must be stored using persistence mechanisms.
Examples:
• cookies
• local storage
• session storage
Stored Data Must Include
• original source
• campaign parameters
• landing page
• entry timestamp
Core Rule
Attribution data must persist beyond a single page.
🔴 Campaign Parameter Integrity Rule
Campaign parameters must:
• be captured on entry
• be preserved across pages
• be protected from overwrite
Core Rule
Campaign parameters must not be lost or modified during navigation.
🔴 Click Identifier Preservation Rule
Click identifiers (e.g. gclid) must be:
• captured
• stored
• reused across events
Core Rule
Click identifiers must remain associated with the user session.
🔴 SPA and Dynamic Navigation Rule
Single Page Applications (SPA) and dynamic navigation must preserve attribution.
Risks include:
• URL changes without reload
• tracking reset
• source reclassification
Core Rule
Virtual navigation must not reset attribution data.
🔴 Redirect Handling Rule
Redirects must preserve attribution data.
Systems must ensure:
• parameters are passed through redirects
• source data is not lost
Core Rule
Redirect chains must not break attribution.
🔴 Multi-Step Funnel Rule
In multi-step funnels:
• attribution must persist across all steps
Examples:
• landing page → bridge → checkout
• opt-in → email → purchase
Core Rule
All steps must reference original attribution data.
🔴 Cross-System Consistency Rule
Attribution must remain consistent across:
• analytics platforms
• ad platforms
• backend systems
Core Rule
Significant discrepancies must be investigated.
🔴 Direct Traffic Protection Rule
Direct traffic may indicate attribution failure.
Examples:
• missing referrer
• lost parameters
• broken tracking
Core Rule
Unexpected direct traffic must be treated as a potential tracking issue.
🔴 Attribution Override Prevention Rule
Attribution must not be overridden by:
• internal navigation
• user interactions
• tracking errors
Core Rule
Only the original source determines attribution.
🔴 Internal Traffic Handling Rule
Internal traffic must be:
• filtered
• isolated
Core Rule
Internal traffic must not affect attribution data.
🔴 Validation Requirement
Attribution must be validated through:
• test scenarios
• multi-step funnel testing
• cross-platform comparison
Core Rule
Attribution must be proven before trusted.
🔴 Monitoring Requirement
Attribution integrity must be monitored for:
• spikes in direct traffic
• unexpected source shifts
• discrepancies across systems
Core Rule
Attribution degradation must be detected early.
Relationship to Other Standards
Supports:
• MWMS Tracking Architecture Standard
• MWMS Custom Event Payload Standard
• MWMS Pre Conversion Signal Tracking Standard
• Data Brain Attribution Integrity Framework
• Data Brain Data Trust Framework
Failure Modes Prevented
incorrect source attribution
loss of campaign data
misleading performance reporting
incorrect optimisation decisions
budget misallocation
Drift Protection
The system must prevent:
• gradual loss of attribution data
• silent parameter loss
• unnoticed tracking resets
• inconsistent attribution logic across systems
Architectural Intent
The MWMS Attribution Preservation Standard ensures MWMS operates with:
→ accurate, stable, and decision-safe attribution data
It transforms attribution from:
approximate tracking → controlled signal
Final Rule
If attribution is not preserved:
→ performance data must not be trusted
Change Log
Version: v1.0
Date: 2026-04-23
Author: HeadOffice
Change:
Initial creation of Attribution Preservation Standard defining how MWMS maintains accurate source tracking.
Change Impact Declaration
Pages Created:
MWMS Attribution Preservation Standard
Pages Updated:
None
Pages Deprecated:
None
Registries Requiring Update:
MWMS Architecture Registry
Canon Version Update Required:
Yes
Change Log Entry Required:
Yes