Why Founders Must Understand Attribution (Even Before Growth)

"What gets measured gets managed." – Peter DruckerExcept when it comes to attribution — most founders don’t measure it at all.

Attribution Isn’t Just for Marketers

If you're a founder building a product-led company, it’s easy to think attribution is something you’ll figure out after launch. Or worse — assume it's only relevant once you have a big marketing budget.

But attribution is not just a growth tool — it's a diagnostic lens. It tells you:

• Who is discovering you
• How they’re discovering you
• What made them convert
• Where you’re bleeding users

And most importantly: attribution helps you stop flying blind.

What Attribution Actually Means

Attribution is simply this: connecting the dots between a user’s first click and what they do next.

Did they land from your Substack post? A podcast episode? An affiliate link? A QR code on a flyer?

Attribution helps you answer:👉 “Which of these efforts actually worked?”

Without this feedback loop, you’re making decisions based on vibes.

The Founder's Problem

Here's the trap most founders fall into:

“Let’s just launch and worry about metrics later.”

But the cost of not having attribution baked in from day one is high:

• You lose track of high-quality acquisition channels.
• You can't run meaningful A/B tests.
• You waste time doubling down on channels that don’t convert.

Even worse: when traction does start to happen, you have no idea where it came from. It’s like striking gold but forgetting where you dug.

Attribution for Product-Led Growth

If your product is mobile-first or link-driven, attribution is even more critical. Deep links, QR codes, shared invites — they all become invisible black boxes without attribution.

Examples:

• Which partner drove the most installs via referral links?
• Which blog post converted the most app downloads?
• Did that TikTok video actually result in signups?

A solid attribution layer answers these instantly.

Why We're Building EZLinks

Most attribution tools today are:

• Heavyweight (too complex for small teams)
• Expensive (enterprise pricing from day one)
• Mobile-centric only (web and hybrid apps are often an afterthought)
• Or simply too rigid to keep up with how modern startups experiment.

EZLinks is built for founders and product teams who want:

✅ Smart deep linking that just works

✅ Self-serve dashboards to create campaigns and QR codes

✅ Attribution you can trust — from invite to install to activation

✅ A clear UX for both users and developers

✅ No SDK bloat

We believe attribution should feel native to your product, not bolted on.

When Should You Start?

Now.You don’t need a million users to benefit from attribution. You need clarity.

Here’s what early attribution unlocks:

• Smarter GTM experiments
• Clearer investor conversations
• Faster growth loops
• Less guesswork in your roadmap

Even five users from five different sources can tell you something — if you’re tracking them.

Closing Thought

Attribution isn’t optional — it’s a mirror.The earlier you install it, the faster you learn.

Founders who delay it end up working twice as hard for half the insight.Those who prioritize it turn feedback into firepower.

—

If you’re building a modern app and want attribution without the friction, we’d love to show you what we’re working on at EZLinks.

Join Early Access →

‍