For many organizations, such as the one in a recent case study, social media seems to have taken on the role of the golden hammer. Companies use it for anything, anywhere and tend to ignore other marketing methods that remain at play -- and then attribute every lead generation and marketing success to “#social”.

Web analytics maturity models are used as auditing mechanisms, defining strategic pillars of one’s Web or digital analytics practice. They are integral for building, benchmarking, and improving measurement and optimization strategies, and can also assist in talent acquisition.

Most of today’s marketing is still based on a snapshot frame of mind. And while photos give an impression, they just capture a moment in time. Smart marketers are trying to understand the customer's story, not just where they are at one touchpoint.

A couple of months ago, Google started blocking some of the most valuable data that could have been provided to you in Analytics. If a user is signed into Google and uses Google to search, the terms they used to reach your site will not be reported in Google Analytics.

The devel­op­ment of an advanced mar­ket­ing attri­bu­tion model can be incred­i­bly insight­ful for some retail com­pa­nies, but less so for oth­ers if they aren’t in a posi­tion to take advan­tage of it. Before going down the path of invest­ing resources in devel­op­ing it, I’d encour­age you to answer the following two questions.

The big CMO dilemma today includes such questions such as: What about measurement of all these new platforms? What does it mean that Coke has 36 million Facebook followers? Mobile phones seem to be creating a rebirth of discounting; how can I avoid that? With all the data we have these days, I think we should be finding answers to some of these questions. But we're not.

The problem with digital marketing isn't a lack of data, it's a lack of imagination. These seven changes are already dramatically affecting what marketing is and should be. Adapting to the implications will allow the creation of a more future-proof you.

How many marketers or agencies can look themselves in the mirror and say that they truthfully understand the right media mix for their business? Unfortunately, most media allocations are based on intuition and debate under the guise of collaborative channel planning, rather than a systematic approach to media mix modeling.

For the past few decades, marketers have been leveraging the power of data to remove more and more of the guess work that comes from our marketing initiatives. Now, comes the real-time Web, and suddenly we are able to see a lot more information, live. How are we dealing with it? Not very well.

The chain of events that lead to a sale are fractured and confusing, as this video from Google Analytics cleverly demonstrates. Only as EVERYTHING moves online is it becoming possible to measure the relative impact of each marketing initiative.

Good marketers cater to potential customers by learning. What works? What do they want to hear? What do they do with your product? Where do they go on your site? When do they buy? How do they buy? Where do they buy?

Like Big Foot, Nessie or bi-partisanship, it’s time for us to see digital measurement for what it is: a myth.

A workshop at this year's AMEC measurment summit built on the “Barcelona Declaration of Measurement Principles,” which were identified at last year’s summit. These recommendations represent good practice for a measurement approach to accompany your social media strategy.

Success is now measured through the eyes of the customer. I'm calling for a new Customer Experience Model that will articulate how to engage the customer and turn that into measurable revenue support for the brands they like.

Two major IT firms are way out ahead in terms of identifying the new buyer, and gearing up to serve them--that is Adobe and IBM.

Marketers shouldn't think of attribution as an end goal. What marketers need to embrace is the concept of Connected Marketing, within which attribution is just a part.

Twitter user @satan (a satirical account) recently had a Klout Score of 57 -- which Klout said meant "Satan is a Thought Leader." Even better, Klout's algorithm determined that @satan is "influenced by" @darthvader.

It's a shame how much marketing is simply replicating our offline advertising online, and how we bring the low expectations of offline measurement to our online efforts. So let's change this. Here are the three phases of accountability and awesomeness.

At the annual Adobe Summit in Salt Lake City in March, moderators led small groups in discussions about various Web governance topics, including leadership, strategy, and technologies. Following are some of the key takeaways from those conversations.

I’m often asked, what’s the ROI of social media? To which I answer, you can’t measure what it is you do not value or know to value. Sounds simple enough. But, the truth is, determining value is not an easy process.

Having a Web measurement strategy in place ensures your company is able to monitor the success or failure of its online initiatives. Yet so many large, well-known companies cannot clearly articulate their current online strategy or business goals. Why is that?

They might seem synonymous, but depending on the social media platform and specific activity being tracked, monitoring and measurement represent two distinct approaches.

Let's face it. Social media is no longer an optional component of your marketing strategy. If anything, it should be making its way right to the core. With so many channels and outlets for people to talk, the amount of noise out there is both incredible and overwhelming. Are you expected to listen to and measure everything? Not unless you're a robot.

Without the influence of a well-defined online strategy, data, reporting, analysis, and actions are not going to drive the anticipated levels of value. As Peter Drucker poignantly stated, “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.”