Digital Dose: Navigating Social Media Compliance and Exploring Google’s New Marketing Tool

Welcome to your dose of trending news from the digital universe, courtesy of the Spectrum Science team. 

In this edition of Digital Dose, we’re diving into the importance of employee regulatory compliance on social media platforms and Google’s launch of Meridian, a marketing measurement tool, to all users.

Novartis Chided After LinkedIn “Likes” Break Drug Promotion Rules 

Novartis became the latest pharmaceutical company to get in trouble over an employee’s LinkedIn engagement. The Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA), the UK self-regulatory body that handles drug promotion allegations, ruled the employee’s act broke the rules on advertising prescription medicines to the public but placed the blame on the worker, not the company. Read More. 

Why it matters: Because engaging with LinkedIn posts makes them visible to a user’s connections, the PMCPA views engagement with social media material about drugs as a promotional activity. It serves as a reminder that these incidences can occur despite a company’s strong implementation of social media policies and training. Regular check-ins and reminders of these policies, as well as codes of practice, to all levels of employees should be imperative, especially surrounding milestones and major news events.  

Google’s Meridian Marketing Tool Is Now Available to All Users 

Google has officially launched Meridian, an open-source marketing mix model designed to help advertisers better allocate budgets and measure the impact of their spending in today’s complex digital landscape. After extensive testing with hundreds of brands, Meridian is now available to all users, offering advanced customization and actionable insights. Traditional marketing mix models have struggled to measure digital and AI-driven campaigns accurately, but Meridian leverages Bayesian causal inference to blend historical data with real-world outcomes. It also integrates with Google’s MMM Data Platform, providing key metrics like impressions and clicks, with over 20 certified measurement partners available to assist companies in implementation. Read More. 

Why it matters: Traditional marketing mix models often fall short in accurately measuring digital advertising, particularly search, and tend to oversimplify impressions. Meridian improves this by offering a more precise assessment of performance channels, factoring in reach and frequency rather than just raw impressions, and incorporating real experimental data to validate results. 

As an open-source tool, Meridian allows for customization to fit specific needs, reducing the dependence on opaque vendor solutions. Additionally, its seamless integration with Google’s data platform ensures more accurate and detailed insights for Google Ads campaigns. 

Interested in more? Don’t miss these additional digital headlines: 

• LinkedIn Rolls Out updates to Video Presentation and Discovery [Social Media Today] 

• Instagram Tests Option to Rearrange Profile Grid Displays [Social Media Today] 

• Threads is Officially Getting Ads [The Verge] 

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