Almost half of marketers (49%) contact their organisation’s IT department at least once a week to carry out their marketing role effectively, according to new research.
The study, from from digital content and commerce provider Episerver, in its State of Digital Commerce report, incorporates data from 100 UK marketing professionals, highlights that many marketers are still struggling to control their digital channels and promotional technologies.
Key findings:
• 49% of marketers contact work with their IT department at least once a week on marketing-related tasks
• 28% of marketers still can’t edit their company’s website
• 15% work with their IT department on marketing-related tasks on a daily basis
According to the study, 28% of marketers still can’t edit their company’s website from within the marketing team and need to work with IT or a web design agency to introduce new content. Around a third (34%) of marketers find themselves working with their IT department on marketing-related tasks multiple times a week, with 15% contacting IT on a daily basis.
Marketers are divided on whether collaboration across the organisation is a benefit, with 56% of marketers agreeing that departments outside of marketing are holding back their ability to drive change, with the remainder see working with other functions like IT as a positive step.
Commenting on these findings, James Norwood, CMO at Episerver, said, “People have been talking about the marketing-IT disconnect for as long as I can remember, but it’s time to move the conversation on in 2017. Given the massive array of marketing tools now available, there is no reason why marketing departments shouldn’t be updating their own content and managing their own digital campaigns. Instead of focusing on these transactional touchpoints, it’s time for IT and marketing to develop a more strategic relationship.
“More often than not, the disconnect is a result of a lack of joined-up thinking. Business leaders must stop thinking about IT and marketing as separate silos and develop a more unified approach. This will not only help to accelerate the delivery of marketing campaigns, but also free up IT departments to manage more essential, technology-focused processes.”
To download Episerver’s Beyond Mobile: The Future of Digital Commerce report visit: http://www.episerver.com/learn/resources/research–reports/seven-digital-commerce-trends-for-retail-2017/