Attribution Adoption’s Organizational Challenge with Kevin Seaman

Transforming from a TV-centric advertiser to a digital marketing powerhouse may seem like a daunting task, but Kevin Seaman, the Founder of Results Analytics and the VP of Performance Marketing at UAGC has done just that. In a podcast interview, Seaman shares his story of how he took a TV-centric organization and moved it into the digital space using cross-channel multi-touch attribution.

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Seaman’s journey began in 2013 when he was working at Southern New-Hampshire University (SNHU). SNHU was looking to build its brand and drive growth in the online space on a national scale, but was exclusively spending on TV advertising. In order to convince decision-makers to fund a more diversified marketing mix, Seaman had to prove that digital was working. He ran numerous pilots in the digital space, testing different strategies and measuring their impact.

One of the challenges Seaman faced was the reliance on view-through measurement, which he refers to as the “blimp measurement.” He explains that this data point has shortcomings and unreliability, leading him to do large-scale placebo testing to identify a more reliable solution. He eventually convinced his marketing team to fund digital multi-channel, multi-touch attribution, a major milestone in his attribution journey.

Throughout his time at SNHU, Seaman constantly gathered proof of the success of his attribution strategy. He shares that getting people to adopt a new technology and move budget line items was the hardest part of the process. He faced organizational challenges and provides tips on how to overcome them, emphasizing the importance of organizational buy-in and communication.

Seaman also discusses the role of creative in attribution, highlighting the need for a balance between math and soft skills. He shares that in an organization, math alone will not sell attribution, and a different set of skills is required. He uses the example of Google to illustrate this point.

Looking towards the future of attribution, Seaman discusses the non-measurable aspects of attribution, the possible fragmentation of attribution, and the impact of growing privacy concerns and vendor relationships. He also shares his insight that the people part of attribution is more difficult than the math, emphasizing the importance of human factors in implementing and optimizing attribution strategies.

Seaman’s story is one of transformation and success in the digital marketing space. Through his experience at SNHU, he navigated the challenges of adopting cross-channel multi-touch attribution and achieved significant results. His journey serves as a valuable lesson for marketers looking to transition from traditional advertising methods to a more data-driven, digital approach. As attribution continues to evolve and become more complex, Seaman’s insights on organizational buy-in, the role of creative, and the human factors involved in attribution are invaluable for marketers seeking to maximize outcomes and make analytics part of their DNA.

Overall, Kevin Seaman’s story is a testament to the power of data-driven marketing and the importance of constantly evolving strategies to adapt to the digital landscape. His achievements at SNHU demonstrate that with the right approach, it is possible to successfully transition from TV-centric advertising to a digital marketing powerhouse. As attribution continues to play a crucial role in marketing strategies, Seaman’s insights and experiences provide valuable lessons for marketers looking to drive growth and maximize outcomes in the ever-changing world of digital marketing.