Overview
One common reporting mistake in B2B Attribution is comparing what prospects did (Engagement Type) with how they found you (Medium/Source). This is comparing apples to oranges.
For example, saying "We get more leads from whitepapers than from paid search" conflates two kinds of information. Paid search visitors can download whitepapers. The inbound channel (Medium/Source) and the action (Engagement Type) are different dimensions of attribution.
Every Engagement captures both dimensions:
Medium/Source: The channel or tactic that brought the prospect to you
Engagement Type: The specific action they took once they arrived
Breaking it Down
Engagement Type = What did they raise their hand for?
It's the CTA they clicked on
It's what they asked for and expected to receive
It's their specific intent (demo, whitepaper, pricing info, trial)
Medium/Source = How did they find you?
It's the channel that brought them to your site
It's the path they took to get to you
This distinction enables powerful analysis like:
Which channels drive the most demo requests?
What types of content do organic visitors prefer?
Which engagement types from paid search convert to opportunities?
Real-World Examples
Here's how Medium and Engagement Type work together:
Engagement Type | Medium | What Really Happened |
|---|---|---|
Demo Request | Paid Search | Prospect clicked a Google ad, then requested a demo |
Demo Request | Organic Search | Prospect found you via a non-paid result in Google, then requested a demo |
Whitepaper - Cloud Security | Paid Search | Prospect clicked a Google ad, then downloaded a whitepaper |
Notice how the same Engagement Type (like "Demo Request") can come from multiple Mediums, and the same Medium (like "Paid Search") can generate multiple Engagement Types.
Special Cases
Sometimes Medium and Engagement Type (or Engagement Type Category) are identical:
Engagement Type | Medium | Why They Match |
|---|---|---|
Channel Deal Registration | Channel Deal Registration | The registration itself is both source and action |
Tradeshow - RSA 2025 | Tradeshow | The act of visiting your booth IS the channel |
Even in these cases, we maintain separate fields to preserve reporting flexibility and consistency.
Why This Matters for Your Reporting
Understanding this distinction unlocks better insights:
Channel Performance: "Which Mediums drive the most valuable Engagement Types?"
Content Strategy: "What Engagement Types resonate with visitors from each Medium?"
Conversion Analysis: "Do Demo Requests from Paid Search convert better than those from Organic?"
Budget Allocation: "Should we invest more in channels that drive demos or whitepaper downloads?"
Best Practices
Report on Medium and Engagement Type as separate dimensions
Analyze which Mediums drive which Types of engagement
Use both fields together for deeper insights