# What is conversion attribution? Credit assigned to a recorded source

Conversion attribution assigns credit for a defined event, such as signup or purchase, to a recorded source or interaction.

The chosen recording rule might credit the first visit, the last qualifying interaction or a tracked signup source. Different rules can assign different credit to the same journey.

## Separating recorded source from cause

A Ghost signup record credits a partner link as the source of a new member’s signup. If that member later pays, record payment as a separate event; the signup-source field does not by itself say why the person paid.

## A source field is not a causal test

One purchase can follow several interactions. Preserve the journey without counting each source credit as another purchase. A recorded source is useful for description; establishing that a channel caused the sale requires a different comparison.

## Keep observed credit separate from a causal claim

If someone joins from a partner link and later pays after receiving your newsletter, keep both events. A source report can assign credit under a chosen rule. To decide whether spending more on the partner would produce additional sales, you need a separate comparison.

## Related terms

[Conversion rate](https://digitalpublishingnews.com/dictionary/conversion-rate/)

[AI citation](https://digitalpublishingnews.com/dictionary/citation/)

## Continue reading

[Ghost member sources: track signup and paid conversion as separate events](https://digitalpublishingnews.com/articles/member-attribution-is-not-causality/): It shows what Ghost records as signup source without assigning cause to a later payment.

## Sources

https://ghost.org/help/member-sources/

https://ghost.org/help/member-sources/

Editorial method: https://digitalpublishingnews.com/how-we-use-ai/

Canonical: https://digitalpublishingnews.com/dictionary/attribution/