In this guide, you’ll learn how Mention Me defines and attributes new referred customers, helping you better understand how referral-driven acquisitions are tracked and credited within the platform.
You’ll learn:
- What qualifies as a referred new customer.
- How attribution works.
- Role of voucher codes.
- Why email-based attribution matters.
By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how new customer referrals are tracked and how Mention Me ensures accurate attribution to support your acquisition goals.
The definition of a new (referred) customer
A referee who purchases on your website for the first time is considered a new referred customer.
Mention Me uses the email address as the unique identifier for most cases.
By default, we also track voucher code usage, but only if the code is for your website and is a single-use voucher. We do not attribute a referral to a voucher code if the code is for a 3rd party (e.g. Amazon Gift Cards) or if the voucher code can be used by multiple people.
This behaviour can be disabled on a merchant-by-merchant basis if you'd prefer to only use email-based attribution.
New customer acquisition
Clients often track referral performance using referral code redemptions, but this overlooks customers who haven’t used a code. Instead, we use email addresses to identify if new customers have been referred and by whom.
An example of why we might do this is that a code given to a referee might only be available on certain items in your store. If a customer purchases another item, we still consider them an introduced customer.
New customer attribution
Our attribution is based on the first click.
For example, if Sally clicks a link shared by a friend and registers for a referral offer, but places her first order using a better offer (i.e. a new customer discount), we’ll still attribute her to referral as this is how she originally discovered your brand.
Why doesn’t the performance reported in Mention Me match what I see in Google Analytics or other attribution tools?
It’s common to notice differences between the data in the Mention Me platform and what’s shown in your own attribution tools (e.g. Google Analytics). These discrepancies are often due to differences in how each platform tracks and attributes customer activity.
Here are a few key reasons for the differences:
-
Attribution Models Differ:
Mention Me uses a first-click attribution model, as detailed above, whereas tools like Google Analytics typically use last-click attribution. This means we credit the first interaction (the referral) for the conversion, while Google Analytics may credit the final source (e.g. a paid ad or direct visit). -
Referral Identification Method:
Mention Me identifies referred customers through email matching - i.e. we check if a new customer's email matches one registered through a referral, as detailed above. In contrast, you may be tracking new customers based on voucher code redemption or another method.
-
Untrackable Referral Sources in Other Tools:
Some referral methods, like Name Share, are not fully trackable in platforms like Google Analytics. For example, consider the scenario where a friend who is referred to a brand via Name Share in conversation will likely visit your site organically or through a Google search. Google Analytics will attribute this as Direct or Paid Search, while Mention Me will recognise it as a successful referral based on the email match and the Name Share taking place.
In summary, differences between platforms are expected due to varying tracking methods and attribution models. The important thing to note is that every customer attributed to Mention Me will have had a genuine interaction with a referrer - whether through a direct “use my referral link” action or a more casual Name Share conversation like “you should try this brand”.
These interactions, even when untracked by platforms like Google Analytics, play a meaningful role in driving conversions. In fact, research consistently shows that referrals and word-of-mouth advocacy are powerful influences on purchase behaviour.