If you’ve been following our discussions on the great measurement shake-up, you know the score. The digital marketing world is in the middle of a massive pivot. Privacy is king, third-party cookies are disappearing, and the old ways of tracking every single click are getting harder by the day.
We’ve talked about the comeback of Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM) and the critical need for true incrementality measurement.
It’s clear we need new tools for this new era. Well, Google heard the call. And their answer is a big one. It’s called Meridian.
If you’ve seen the name floating around but aren’t quite sure what it is, you’re in the right place. Is it a new ad platform? A reporting dashboard? Let’s clear it up. Because honestly, it might be one of the most important developments in marketing measurement in years.
Okay, So What Is Google’s Meridian?
At its heart, Meridian is Google’s open-source Marketing Mix Model.
Think of it this way: If building a modern measurement strategy is like cooking a gourmet meal, a Marketing Mix Model is the recipe. It tells you how much of each ingredient (your marketing channels, seasonality, promotions, etc.) you need to get the best result (sales, conversions).
For years, these “recipes” were either secret formulas held by expensive consultants or pre-packaged microwave dinners from SaaS platforms that you couldn’t really change.
Meridian changes the game. It’s like Google, a Michelin-star chef, has published its master recipe and given you a full set of professional-grade kitchen tools—for free. Because it’s “open-source,” the entire recipe is public. There are no secret ingredients, no black boxes. You can look right under the hood to see exactly how it works.
Why Now? The Timing is Everything
Google didn’t just decide to release Meridian on a whim. This is a direct response to the massive shifts happening in our industry. As Google themselves put it, Meridian is designed to “help marketers measure campaign performance with aggregated data, respecting user privacy.” That’s the key.
The old MMMs were powerful, but they had a reputation for being slow, clunky, and way too expensive for most businesses. They gave you a look in the rearview mirror, but not a real-time guide. Meridian is built for today’s needs:
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It’s Privacy-First: It works with aggregated, anonymised data, making it a durable solution for a cookie-less world.
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It’s Built for Speed: It leverages Google’s cloud infrastructure to be faster and more responsive than its predecessors.
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It’s Designed for Modern Media: It’s engineered to understand the nuances of today’s digital channels, not just traditional media.
What Makes Meridian Different from the Pack?
So, it’s a modern MMM. But what really sets it apart?
Why are we at XPON so excited about it? Because it’s built with a few key advantages that directly address the old pain points.
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Superior Data Integration: Let’s be real, a huge chunk of most marketing budgets goes to Google. Meridian is designed to seamlessly and securely integrate with Google’s vast ecosystem, like Ads Data Hub. This means you can create a much richer, more comprehensive view of your marketing performance without all the usual data-wrangling headaches.
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Actionable Recommendations: Meridian isn’t just about producing a report that gathers digital dust. It’s built to deliver granular insights and actionable recommendations that allow for smarter budget allocation and optimisation. It bridges the gap between high-level analysis and real-world marketing strategy.
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Total Transparency and Control: This is the beauty of open-source. Unlike a rigid SaaS platform, you’re not stuck with a one-size-fits-all model. Meridian offers incredible flexibility, allowing it to be customised to your specific business needs, whether that’s incorporating unique sales cycles, seasonality, or baseline trends. There’s no vendor lock-in; you own the model.
The Million-Dollar Question: Can I Just Download It and Go?
This is where theory meets reality. Google has given the world a Formula 1 engine. It’s incredibly powerful, and it’s free. But can you just drop it into your Toyota Camry and expect to win a Grand Prix?
Probably not.
While Meridian is a phenomenal tool, it is not a “plug-and-play” solution. It requires a serious amount of data science, data engineering, and statistical expertise to set up, calibrate, and run effectively. You need a team that knows how to source and clean the data, configure the models, interpret the outputs, and turn those outputs into a coherent business strategy.
This is a challenge we see all the time. Companies are excited by the potential of tools like Meridian but lack the specialised internal resources to actually make it happen.
The Partner Approach: Turning a Tool into Your Solution
And that, right there, is why the right partner is so critical. You don’t just need the engine; you need the experienced pit crew, the engineer, and the driver.
As one of Google’s leading partners in ANZ, this is exactly where XPON comes in. We don’t sell you Meridian. We build you a bespoke, managed measurement solution that is powered by Meridian.
Think of it like this: We take that F1 engine from Google and build a custom car around it that’s perfectly moulded to you. Our approach combines the power and transparency of Meridian’s open-source foundation with our deep, hands-on expertise.
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We’re not selling a rigid product; we’re offering a managed solution that fits your exact business needs and global requirements.
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We dramatically reduce the time from data integration to actionable insight, because we’ve done this before.
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Our approach is not beholden to a third-party roadmap. The solution is yours, customised for you.
The launch of Meridian is a landmark moment. It democratises access to a level of measurement sophistication that was once out of reach for many. But a powerful tool is only as good as the strategy and expertise behind it.
Meridian provides the “what.” The right partner helps you understand the “so what?” and the “now what?” And in today’s world, that makes all the difference.