Marketing automation platforms (MAP) are no longer keeping up with marketers’ needs, particularly when it comes to reporting, according to research by Heinz Marketing.
The report, which gathered opinions from more than 400 marketing professionals currently using top platforms such as Marketo, HubSpot, and Oracle Eloqua, says that MAP analytics solutions are failing to provide marketers with the insights required to demonstrate the full value they provide to the business.
The findings show with increasing pressure from executives to demonstrate how their work is contributing to the bottom line, marketers feel vendors are falling short with campaign-based reporting instead of insights that help them tie their work to revenue growth.
The key findings also found MAP vendors are failing to innovate on their reporting capabilities and address user expectations. Actionable analytics and reporting capabilities are the most important features considered when deciding on a MAP, according to the survey, yet it ranks last in user satisfaction and trails perceived important.
The report also shows that modern marketers are increasingly accountable for driving revenue, but MAPs are focused on email performance, lead acquisition, and campaign impact – not post-handoff metrics, such as pipeline created and bookings influenced.
On a more positive note, MAPs appear to be meeting users’ expectations in regards to database and list management, however, reporting is the greatest source of pain for users of marketing automation systems. Additionally, the more experienced a marketer is, the more likely they are to be dissatisfied with their marketing automation system’s reporting and attribution capabilities
