The What Do Digital Marketers Really Want in 2015 report also includes top areas of investment for marketing activities, staffing, technology and more.
According to the survey, high performing marketers not only plan to invest more into social and mobile than their underperforming peers in 2015, they also plan to put more money back into email marketing. These same marketers report that customer experience management, Big Data, and the Internet of Things are among this year’s highest priorities.
Other areas of focus for 2015 include personalization of online content and marketing, mobile-specific apps and ads, and social marketing and analytics. Meanwhile, high performing marketers are moving away from user-generated product, service innovations and marketing content.
Key Technology Investments
The most common tools marketing departments are investing in are essential for automating certain tasks; these include CRM, analytics, CMS, email, and testing and optimization solutions. Digital marketers also plan to invest more in already commonly used tools such as customer management software, analytics, testing, and content management. Meanwhile, personalization software, marketing automation solutions, and ecommerce platforms stand to gain the most in terms of new investment.
Overall, successful marketers are using more software and cloud solutions. The top 15% of marketers use several software solutions significantly more than their peers; these include ecommerce software, e-mail, marketing automation solutions, social media and personalization solutions.
Other topics covered by the report include:
- Customer journey management
- Measuring ROI
- Marketing automation: people vs. machines
- Next big disruptive forces in marketing, including 3D printing and smart TVs
- Integration of marketing software