Data Management Issues Hampering Marketing Automation Adoption in 2016

Despite the benefits of utilizing marketing automation software, new data shows that marketers are still lagging in terms of adoption. The “2016 MarTech Data Report” from Openprise has found that two-thirds of marketers do not use a marketing automation platform (MAP). Further, those who have implemented a MAP at their company only report “basic” to “moderate” usage.

Out of the organizations who said they have a MAP in place, nearly half (45 percent) claim that a lack of time is holding them back from advanced marketing. Out of the marketers who don’t have an existing MAP, 34 percent state that it’s because they have a tight budget.

However, adopting marketing automation software can come with issues of its own, according to the data. The availability of data from MAP is creating the need for more insight from marketers. Out of those who use marketing automation, 30 percent said that they are having difficulty with data quality. About 23 percent said they are finding it challenging to manage all of their data.

That being said, marketing professionals are becoming more comfortable with their MAP with time. “Many marketers are picking up ‘good enough’ MAP skills by simply working with it on a daily basis,” says Ed King, Openprise. “While these folks are not certified experts, they know enough to get by.”

The Move Toward Marketing Automation

Although the move toward marketing automation software has been slow across industries, research has indicated that many B2B marketers are opting for the technology. The “2015 Marketing Automation Benchmarking Report” from B2BMarketing.net found that 88 percent of B2B companies intend to implement marketing automation by the start of the 2017-18 fiscal year.

At the time of the survey, 43 percent were already using a marketing automation tool. Many also showed a desire to integrate marketing automation software, but 34 percent said their budget has been a challenge.