Digital Marketing For Advanced 8211 The Digital Marketing Maturity Framework
Management Summary
Digital maturity in marketing describes how well companies are prepared to meet marketing requirements. In this article, we introduce the e-dialog Digital Marketing Maturity Framework, which companies can use to check the status quo of their internal digital marketing setup.
How can you make your digital marketing fit for the future?
According to onestudyAccording to Boston Consulting Group, only 9% of companies use data and technology to create useful and relevant experiences for customers at different stages of the buying process. About 83% of brands are unable to ensure customer relationships across all touchpoints, 68% do not use automation technologies, and 78% do not use the customer journey to make their marketing decisions.
These numbers clearly show that companies are not fully exploiting the potential of their digital marketing. Not only does this impact budgets, it also negatively impacts the customer experience. Especially with regard to thecurrent changesIn digital marketing, with the elimination of 3rd party cookies, the DMA (Digital Markets Act) and changing user behavior, regular evaluation and optimization of all relevant areas should be the top priority.
This not only prepares your own organization for the future, it also creates the necessary basis for clean data, which is combined with machine learning andLarge Language Models (LLM)allow far more use cases than was previously the case. Each data point therefore has a direct influence on marketing activities and company decisions, with the user experience at the center. Only those who connect the dots internally receive the big picture and a clear roadmap towards cross-channel data-driven marketing.
If you have not yet dealt with the digital marketing maturity of your company, we will introduce you to the framework below and offer you the opportunity to determine your digital marketing maturity free of charge.
Digital marketing put to the test
The changes in digital marketing leave hardly any time to breathe. The elimination of 3rd party cookies and associated product innovations such asGoogle’s Privacy Sandbox, server-side tracking, focus on the collection of 0 and 1st party data and machine learning approaches for user segmentation are just a few examples that underline this. It can quickly happen that your own status quo is no longer up to date.
There are many reasons to question the status quo. Here are just a few examples:
- Determine gaps: Determining your own digital marketing maturity shows in just a few steps which areas within an organization are well positioned and where action is needed.
- Create a basis for decision-making: The results help prioritize relevant initiatives and make budget decisions.
- Measure progress: Digital marketing maturity is a scale, meaning your own development can be measured. The survey should therefore be carried out regularly in order to make successes visible.
- Drive innovation: Many areas require cross-departmental initiatives. This promotes collaboration and breaks down silos.
Benefits of a digital marketing framework
Of course, the status quo in all areas of the company should be regularly questioned. This leads i. d. Not only does it lead to cost savings, but it also increases efficiency, optimizes processes and promotes collaboration within the company. With regard to digital marketing and the application of the Digital Marketing Maturity Framework, the following potential can be noted:
- Optimization of KPIs: By collecting and connecting all relevant data points and including other company data such as CRM, sales or logistics data, campaign playout and the associated KPIs such as CTR, CVR and ad spend can be optimized.
- Increasing the user experience: Customers want a personalized user experience, but at the same time are aware of the use of their personal data (PPI) and the value of it. By using PPI in a compliant and transparent manner and incorporating it into the user approach, the user experience can be demonstrably improved. Users expect convenience, trust and transparency from companies. This can be put into practice with the right strategy.
- Performance validation: The highest level of the Digital Marketing Maturity Framework is customer-centric, holistic communication. LoudBCGCompanies that have reached multi-moment or holistic maturity report cost savings of up to 30% and revenue increases of up to 20%. The interaction of all channels makes a decisive contribution to digital marketing performance and can be proven.
- Holistic view: Marketing channels such as programmatic, SEA, social and email marketing are often viewed in isolation. Target group segments are not activated and evaluated across channels and the influence of the different channels is attributed incompletely. Bringing all this information together not only enables a holistic view but also paves the way forward.
5 relevant disciplines of the digital marketing organization
As already described, digital marketing should not be an effort by individual departments, but rather by different departments within a company. In relation to the Digital Marketing Maturity Framework, the following disciplines are important. This in no way excludes areas that are not additionally listed here, such as CRM, sales and logistics. However, these do not have a direct impact on the evaluation of digital marketing maturity, but rather enable it additionally.
Consent
While consent is often associated with data protection and the legal department, compliant consent collection forms the basis of all digital marketing and communication activities. It should be noted that consent is ideally collected at all relevant touchpoints and for all relevant touchpoints. This is determined as part of the Digital Marketing Maturity Framework and recommendations for action are presented accordingly. By using a suitable oneConsent Management Platforms (CMP)the legally compliant collection can be ensured. In addition, tools such asUsercentricsorOneTrustthe possibility of user interests in the form of aPreference Centersand thus personalize the user approach in the first step.
Collect
How are customer interactions and data collected in your company and at which touchpoints? Who is responsible for designing the tracking concept and are contemporary methods such as server-side tracking already used? These are just a few questions that are considered in the area of analytics within the e-dialog framework. There is no question that clean data collection forms the foundation for the third pillar in the framework → Data.
Data
It is now widely known that data is the new gold, not just in digital marketing, but in many areas of our society. They have become an integral part of our current value chain. In marketing, a solid 0 and 1st party data strategy should be at the top of every company’s roadmap. This not only ensures targeted communication, but also forms the basis for a variety of machine learning and LLMUse cases, further increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of companies. This does not mean that all data must be collected, rather it should be the relevant data and the quality should be ensured here. The Data area also deals with MarTech solutions such asCDPsor MDWHs that enable the collection and further processing of the data.
Campaigns
The fourth area of the Digital Marketing Maturity Framework evaluates campaign planning. While 3rd party cookies have long contributed significantly to campaign success, the zeitgeist presents marketers with new challenges. Approaches such as Google’s sandbox LINK or ID solutions promise relief, but have yet to be tested. Good old contextual targeting is also back. To do this, however, companies need to know their users and understand their interests and preferences, which in turn requires the data strategy mentioned above. In connection with the Digital Marketing Maturity Framework, the focus in the area of campaigning is on segment formation using available company data. In addition, it is evaluated how promptly audience lists are updated and how personally addressing users is a reality.
Change
The term silos has already been mentioned several times in the previous lines. The Change category refers to the organization itself and questions cross-departmental initiatives, responsibilities in relation to the data strategy and thus the interaction of the three P’s – people, processes and the platform or system landscape. The balanced interaction of these areas and the necessary responsibility to ensure this balance round off the e-dialog Digital Marketing Maturity Framework.
Conclusion
Establishing successful digital marketing across all channels, including all relevant data and touchpoints in a customer-centric manner in the company, is not a short-term undertaking. A suitable framework supports you in identifying the need for action and prioritizing initial initiatives.
The free e-dialog Marketing Maturity Assessment determines the current state of your organization at a level from basic to customer-centric to a holistic marketing organization across all 5 categories. The result provides an initial overview of weak points and shows concrete recommendations for action.
We certainly won’t leave you alone with the result. If necessary, our business development experts will support you step by step in selecting and prioritizing suitable initiatives on your way to digital marketing maturity. And we do this together with over 100 e-dialog experts from all areas of digital marketing.
