To find out what digital marketers really want, Millward Brown went straight to the source. The global research agency surveyed 300 U.S. digital marketers of different company sizes, types, and industries about Internet marketing strategies. The survey, commissioned by Kentico Software, distinguishes what today’s most successful marketers are doing differently than their underperforming peers.
Not only do top marketers plan to invest more in mobile and social this year, but they also intend to put more money back into email marketing. In addition, customer experience was deemed marketers’ “highest priority” when averaging different types of companies and marketers. Thirty percent of marketers also listed good experience management with a coordinated strategy as a top three focus area for the next three years, according to the survey.
“The renewed focus on email marketing isn’t at all surprising,” says Kentico CEO Petr Palas. “For a time, some digital marketers seemed resigned to moving away from email in favor of social media. Today, however, many are discovering that social media works better when used with email versus in place of it. Despite what some may have said, the inbox is very much alive. When used responsibly, email marketing can be a very powerful tool that engages customers and keeps them engaged.”
But Big Data’s importance, marketers say, hasn’t dissipated. In fact, its use in marketing is a top three priority for 27% of marketing departments. The Internet of Things is also high on the agenda for half of the digital marketers surveyed.
However, only about half of the marketers surveyed possess the necessary technology to make their work more automated—i.e., CRM, analytics, CMS, email, and testing and optimization solutions. The top 15% of marketers, contrastingly, use five software solutions significantly more: e-commerce software, email, marketing automation solutions, social media, and personalization solutions.
