Over the past eight years, MMA Global's Marketing Attribution Think Tank (MATT) has conducted an annual State of Attribution study, sourcing insights from senior marketers in North America. Marketers have shown increased economic optimism, though this has not translated into higher media budgets. Instead, there is a stronger emphasis on achieving measurable outcomes, with fewer companies prioritizing reach.
In this changing environment, frustration with measurement and attribution (M&A) capabilities remains a significant issue, so elevating the perceived value of M&A within organizations is critical. Media fragmentation has complicated the integration of various measurement tools, forcing marketers to "patch" together solutions for a comprehensive view. As a result, 80% of marketers are dissatisfied with their ability to reconcile results from different tools, while two-thirds of marketers worry about building long-lasting solutions in this ever-changing environment.
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) is also becoming increasingly important, with half expecting AI to significantly impact M&A efforts in the next year. However, the expected benefits focus on increased speed and better integration with bidding systems.
Despite steady growth in MTA adoption, now at 52%, the industry still faces challenges. Although companies adopting MTA report higher satisfaction with their overall M&A efforts, barriers to value extraction remain, as the Net Promoter Score (NPS) of MTA providers is still negative.
Additionally, there is a recycling trend where new marketers adopt MTA while some experienced ones divest, temporarily reducing overall industry maturity and perceived ROI. While MTA remains a key tool, over-reliance on Click-Through Rate (CTR) and rules-based attribution persists, underscoring the need for more robust and integrated M&A strategies.
In the end, proactive investments in advanced measurement and attribution tools, along with fostering organizational trust, are essential for achieving effective marketing outcomes. By addressing these challenges, we can navigate the current landscape and shape the future of marketing together.
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