Survey: Cross-Channel Campaigns Remain a Challenge; Mobile Still Not Top Priority of Marketers

Most digital marketers still have a long way to go if they want to establish a large cross-channel audience. For one, they have to break down siloes that keep them from integrating marketing tactics and data across channels and devices.

Cross-channel performance advertising cloud provider, Marin Software (@MarinSoftware) surveyed over 300 digital marketers in the U.S. and U.K. to explore the top priorities of marketers for 2015, as well as gain a better understanding of their cross-channel marketing practices.

Published on December 16, 2014, the report revealed that only 27% of digital marketers who participated in the survey said their firm’s online marketing disciplines—paid search, social media advertising, SEO, et al.—are fully integrated with one another. This is despite acknowledging that consumer behaviors have changed dramatically over time, resulting in the need to implement campaigns across diverse platforms to acquire eyeballs and engagement. [See Figure 1]

marin-software-digital-marketing-disciplines

Figure 1 (Source: Marin Software’s “2015 Digital Marketers Census”)

Apart from the organizational silo, digital marketers have to deal with the online and offline advertising divide as well. Interestingly, only 24% of respondents said that their digital marketing is integrated with offline campaigns such as TV and direct mail, while 56% said that theirs is somewhat integrated, but admit that they need to “do more.”

“Advertisers that are not integrating their campaigns across channels and devices are leaving money on the table,” Matt Ackley, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Product at Marin Software, stated. “The old model of each discipline operating within its own silo is counter to how people shop and consume media. Savvy marketers that integrate their data and campaigns stand to achieve a greater return on their ad investments.”

The report also discovered that digital marketers need to improve their experience with mobile advertising. Only about 57% of respondents said that they optimize for mobile “when they can,” though it is not a major concern for their campaigns.

The top priorities of digital marketers for 2015 include campaigns to gain a deeper understanding of their audience, cross-channel campaigns, improved integration of online and offline marketing tactics and digital marketing principles, as well as investing in more sophisticated technology to acquire consumer insights. Other priorities cited were hiring more people with data analysis skills, the programmatic buying of advertising, and gaining more transparency into where digital agencies are investing their budget.

To learn more about the study, download it here.

What are the top challenges that are impeding the creation of a large cross-channel audience in your organization?

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