What This Chart Shows
This chart shows how marketing impact builds from a "do-nothing" baseline to total incremental lift, with each bar as a contribution from a channel, lever, or group. It shows where your incremental impact comes from and how much each part adds.
When costs are available, values are cumulative lift in $M (revenue impact); when costs are not, values are cumulative lift in units (e.g. conversions). A Model Residual Correction bar represents non-allocatable lift from the model; the Total Incremental bar is the net impact and may include synergy/interaction (difference between true joint lift and the sum of isolated contributions).
Key Questions This Chart Helps Answer
- What is total incremental impact and how do we get there from baseline?
- Which channels or levers contribute most to incremental lift (or revenue)?
- How does impact build up step by step?
- Is there a meaningful synergy or interaction (total vs sum of parts)?
Axes, Metrics, and Units
Element | Description |
|---|---|
| X-axis | Category labels. |
| Y-axis | Costs mode: Cumulative lift in $M (revenue impact). No-costs mode: Cumulative lift in units (same as KPI, e.g. conversions). All values are modeled. |
| First bar (Counterfactual) | Baseline at zero. "Do-nothing" scenario; all following bars are relative to this. |
| Middle bars | Relative contributions. Green = positive. Red = negative. |
| "Other" bar | Sum of contributions from levers or groups not in the top 10. Shown only if that sum is non-zero. |
| Model Residual bar | Non-allocatable lift from the model. Shown only if non-zero. |
| Total Incremental bar | Net impact (from joint lift when available). Total bar color is distinct (totals style). Hover may show synergy/interaction vs sum of components. |
Values are modeled, they are not raw reported revenue or counts.
Control Options Reference
Control | Meaning |
|---|---|
| KPI classification / label / hierarchy | Filter or drill into specific KPIs. |
| Grouping mode | Lever: one bar per top lever. Series, Channel, Campaign, Funnel, Source Type, Topic: aggregate lift by that dimension; one bar per group (top 10 + Other). Title reflects "by [Grouping]." |
| Event categories | Filter by specific event categories (include/exclude). |
| Funnel stages | Filter by specific funnel stages (include/exclude). |
| Search terms | Filter searches by text search. |
How to Interpret the Results
- Counterfactual: What would happen with no marketing baseline.
- Positive bars: Add incremental impact; taller = larger contribution. Compare bar heights to see who drives the most.
- Negative bars: Subtract from the cascade (e.g. cannibalization or negative effects); note direction and size.
- Other: Sum of all levers/groups not in the top 10. Large "Other" means impact is spread across many smaller contributors.
- Model Residual: Lift the model does not allocate to levers. Use for "unexplained" or non-allocatable share; don't double-count with lever bars.
- Total Incremental: Net impact. If the total uses a joint lift and the hover shows Synergy/Interaction, that's the difference between the joint total and the sum of the bars (e.g. interaction effects).
- Grouping: Lever view = most granular. Channel/Campaign/Funnel etc. = rolled up for executive or segment storytelling.
Practical Applications for Marketers
Application | How to use this chart |
|---|---|
| Executive summary | One view from baseline to total; use for CMO/CFO "how marketing drives impact." |
| Budget and prioritization | Focus on the tallest positive bars; consider reducing or reallocating where bars are negative or small. |
| Channel mix | Use channel (or campaign/funnel) grouping to see which parts of the mix drive impact. |
| Storytelling | Walk the waterfall: "We start at zero; these channels add X, Y, Z; total incremental is $N." |
| Sensitivity to filters | Change event category, funnel, or KPI and see how the cascade and total change. |
Common Mistakes & Misinterpretations
Mistake | Why it is a problem | How to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Treating "Counterfactual" as a real spend or outcome | It's the baseline (0); the chart shows incremental lift from that baseline. | Read it as "starting point," not as a dollar amount or observed outcome. |
| Ignoring "Other" | "Other" can be a large share of impact when many small levers exist. | Check its size and label (e.g. "N additional levers") so you don't over-credit the top 10 only. |
| Confusing total with sum of visible bars | When joint total is used, total can include synergy/interaction; hover explains the gap. | Read the total bar hover for "Synergy/Interaction" and "(Sum of individual + interaction effects)." |
| Comparing across different grouping or filters | Bars and totals depend on grouping and filters. | Compare only with the same grouping and filters, or state how they differ. |
Caveats & Considerations
- Filter-empty: If event category, funnel stage, or search leave no levers, the chart shows the standard filter-empty state.
- Aggregation errors: If grouping fails (e.g. invalid mode or data), the chart shows an "Aggregation error" message.
- Taxonomy grouping: If channel/funnel/source_type/topic grouping returns no groups, the chart shows a short message that the grouping is not available and suggests trying another mode.
- Top 10: Only the top 10 levers or groups (by absolute lift) have their own bars; the rest are in "Other."
- Costs vs no-costs: In no-costs mode the chart is "Lift Impact" in units; in costs mode it's "Revenue Impact" in $M. Check the title and Y-axis label.
- Joint total: Total Incremental can differ from the sum of the bars; the hover explains synergy/interaction.
- Click/drawer: Bars can be clickable for details (e.g. channel breakdown when grouping is channel); behavior depends on the app.