55% of marketers struggling with digital transformation

Adobe’s latest Digital Roadblock study highlights a concerning increase in marketers who state they are struggling to cope with the pace of digital transformation in their profession.  

Surveying 450 marketing professionals across the UK, the research discovered that 55% say they are unable to keep up with the rate at which technology is changing – an increase of 7% compared with 2015.

74% say they need to implement new technologies in order to keep up with their customers, yet in contrast, 54% feel they have the capacity and skillset to do so. Interestingly, 55% say they are no longer in control of digital transformation, and are simply ‘passive participants’.

Increasing pressure  

Marketers are under greater pressure than ever before – the research adds – both from external and internal forces.

Firstly, consumers are more demanding of them. 77% of those surveyed state that consumers expect an immediate response to a query, and 72% believe they expect “more compelling content”.

From a business point of view, 65% of those surveyed state they are now more responsible for revenue contribution than they were in 2015. Despite this, many marketers do not believe they are being invested in enough by their business, with 38% stating they lack resources and budget to perform effectively in their role.   

“It’s clear from what marketers are telling us is that they are really feeling squeezed,” John Watton, Adobe’s marketing director for EMEA states.

“On the one hand they are expected to contribute more to the business and on the other, they have customers expecting instant responses and incredible experiences each and every time they interact with a brand. Furthermore, they are having to grapple with many new techniques for reaching customers and having to step out of their marketing heartland into sales and customer services.

“Given all of this, it is essential to stay focused on what’s ultimately the most important thing – providing your customers with the best possible experience you can.  At the same time, business leaders need to invest more in training their marketing teams to become adept in using the technologies seen as critical to marketing now and in the future.”

Chief Digital Officer      

With so much pressure being placed on marketers, the role of the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) is expected to become more prominent in large businesses, with the aim of leading digital transformation projects.

A recent study revealed that just 6% of the world’s top 1,500 companies had created the role of CDO or equivalent, however that number is expected to increase dramatically over the next 18 months.

Mike Hughes, managing director of PeopleTECH, recently stated he expected that the next few years will see that role “become one of the most influential in any company”.