Google opens Meridian, its marketing measurement tool, to all users

Google officially launched Meridian, its open-source marketing mix model designed to help marketers allocate budgets more effectively in a dynamic digital landscape.

After rigorous testing with hundreds of brands worldwide, Meridian is now available to everyone, offering advanced customization and actionable insights, Google said.

The move gives marketers and data scientists an open-source tool that could help them better understand how their marketing spending affects business outcomes, especially in today’s complex digital landscape.

The big picture. Marketing mix models (MMMs) help companies measure marketing performance across channels, but traditional versions have struggled to accurately measure digital and AI-powered campaigns.

Details:

• Meridian uses Bayesian causal inference to blend historical data with real-world results
• The tool will integrate with Google’s MMM Data Platform, providing access to core metrics like impressions and clicks
• Over 20 measurement partners have been certified to help companies implement the tool

What they’re saying. “With Meridian, we now have much more confidence in our ability to measure the impact of our investments,” says Jennifer Snell, GM Marketing & Loyalty at Finder, which tested the tool before launch.

Why we care. Traditional marketing mix models have struggled to accurately measure digital advertising (especially search) and often treat impressions too simplistically. Meridian addresses this by providing better measurement of performance channels, considering reach and frequency (not just raw impressions), and incorporating real experiment results to validate its findings.

Being open-source, you can customize it to your needs rather than relying on black-box vendor solutions. Plus, the direct integration with Google’s data platform means more accurate and granular data for Google Ads campaigns.

Key features:

• MMM Data Platform. Gain access to core MMM data for Google media, including new dimensions like Google Query volume, for deeper insights into paid search performance.
• Customizable framework. Meridian’s open-source structure offers complete transparency, allowing marketers to adapt the code and model parameters to their specific needs.
• Smarter budget allocation. Analyze campaign performance based on meaningful KPIs such as sales, website visits, and profit to run optimization scenarios.
• Enhanced reach and frequency metrics. Move beyond traditional impressions and account for reach and frequency, offering a clearer view of video investments’ impact.
• Experiment-driven insights. Integrate incrementality experiment results as priors for more accurate outcomes aligned with real-world business goals.

How to get started:

• Download the code. Meridian is available on GitHub, providing immediate access to its robust modeling framework.
• Partner program. Certified partners such as Analytics Edge are ready to assist marketers in implementing Meridian and optimizing their investments.

What’s next. Google plans to add new features and improve Meridian’s methodology in the coming months.

Between the lines. This release comes as marketers face increasing pressure to justify their spending and measure results in a privacy-conscious way, especially as traditional tracking methods become less reliable.

Dig deeper. Exploring Meridian, Google’s new open-source marketing mix model