Google adds Meridian to Analytics 360 for better ads

Google is adding its open-source marketing mix model, Meridian, to Google Analytics 360 to bring measurement and planning tools into a single system.

According to Google, Meridian combines first-party data, cross-channel data and metric signals in one place. That would let marketers assess causal performance and test predictive scenarios when deciding where to spend.

The addition connects a modelling product Google has positioned as open-source with its analytics platform for large organisations. It brings media measurement, performance analysis and forecasting closer to the reporting tools many advertisers already use to track campaigns and sales.

Measurement shift

The update reflects broader changes in digital advertising, where marketers are under pressure to show which channels influence results and how top-of-funnel spending affects later revenue. Traditional attribution models have come under growing scrutiny as privacy changes, fragmented consumer journeys and the spread of AI tools make direct measurement harder.

By bringing Meridian into Google Analytics 360, Google is seeking to give advertisers a broader view of performance across channels rather than relying only on last-click or short-term conversion measures. Marketing mix modelling is commonly used to estimate the contribution of different media investments, including channels where direct user-level tracking is limited.

Google also outlined new signals in Google Ads called Qualified Future Conversions, or QFCs. These signals use Gemini and are intended to connect upper-funnel ad spend with later sales activity through indicators such as brand searches.

That matters because advertisers have often struggled to quantify the business impact of awareness campaigns, which may influence later customer actions without producing an immediate sale. If those early signals can be modelled more reliably, marketers may have a clearer basis for deciding whether to shift budgets between branding and direct-response activity.

Broader data use

Google said the predictive signals from Qualified Future Conversions will later be integrated with Meridian. That combination is intended to improve the accuracy of marketing mix models by adding more timely indicators of future buying behaviour.

The planned integration suggests Google is trying to tighten the links between advertising data, analytics and modelling at a time when marketers want faster feedback on campaign effectiveness. It also points to growing use of AI-derived signals in measurement products, especially where historical reporting alone may not capture the full commercial effect of media spending.

For Google Analytics 360 users, the change could reduce the need to move data between separate tools for reporting and econometric analysis. Bringing those functions closer together may appeal to larger advertisers and agencies managing campaigns across search, video, display and other channels that want a more unified view of performance.

Meridian's open-source positioning may also help it gain wider adoption among advertisers that want greater visibility into modelling methods. In marketing measurement, transparency has become more prominent as companies seek to understand how estimates are produced and how assumptions affect budget decisions.

Google framed the update around the need for businesses to use their own data more effectively. It said marketers need not only a strong data foundation but also tools that turn that information into a complete picture of performance and support action on spending choices.

Google said Meridian in Google Analytics 360 will let users "Bring together your first-party, cross-channel data and metrics signals in one place," "Measure causal performance to prove exactly what is driving your business and optimize your media mix," and "Use predictive scenarios to guide smarter investments."

On the advertising side, Google said Qualified Future Conversions "link upper-funnel spend to future sales via signals like brand searches, helping you uncover missed revenue."