Adapting to Market & Industry Headwinds: Marketers Under Pressure

News From the Q to You! 

From Marketing technology innovations, thought leadership analysis, to several hot new job listings we have a lot Q’d up in our 6th edition!

Martech News & Analysis

Google Analytics 4 Migration 

The transition to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has brought significant changes to marketing strategies, emphasizing event-based tracking, cross-platform insights, and improved user privacy compliance. Marketers should plan their migration by auditing their current setup, implementing custom events, leveraging machine learning insights, and integrating with Google Ads for better ad targeting. Regularly reviewing reports, training teams, and monitoring data are essential for optimizing GA4 usage. For detailed guidance on transitioning and utilizing GA4, refer to Google’s Migration Guide.

TikTok's Influence on Consumer Behavior

TikTok continues to shape consumer behavior with its short-form video content. The platform's algorithm-driven feed and viral trends have made it a powerful marketing tool for brands. Companies are leveraging TikTok's unique format to engage younger audiences and drive brand awareness. Recent studies show that TikTok users are more likely to purchase products they discover on the platform compared to other social media sites. According to the TikTok Marketing Science Global Retail Path to Purchase study conducted by Material, TikTok users are 1.5x more likely to go out and buy something they discovered on the platform compared to other platforms' users. TikTok is 1.7x more likely than other platforms to be the source for product discovery

Data Privacy and Its Impact on Marketing Strategies

As data privacy regulations tighten worldwide, marketers are adapting their strategies to comply with laws like GDPR and CCPA. These regulations impact how companies collect, store, and use consumer data, emphasizing the need for transparency and user consent. Marketers are now focusing on first-party data and building trust with their audiences to ensure compliance and maintain effective marketing campaigns.

A report from Deloitte states, "Organizations that adopt a proactive approach to privacy will differentiate themselves from competitors, build customer trust, and drive competitive advantage". Additionally, a survey by Cisco found that "84% of consumers want more control over how their data is being used".

Social Commerce is the Future for B2C and B2B Marketing 

Social commerce is becoming a dominant force in e-commerce. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest are integrating shopping features that allow users to purchase products directly within the app. This seamless experience is driving higher conversion rates and providing brands with new opportunities.

According to eMarketer, "Social commerce sales in the US are expected to reach $79.64 billion by 2025". Accenture found that the global social commerce industry, currently valued at $492 billion, is expected to grow to $1.2 trillion by 2025, three times faster than traditional e-commerce. Gen Z and Millennials are predicted to drive this growth, accounting for 62% of global social commerce spending by 2025.

B2B companies are also leveraging social commerce to enhance sales, build client relationships, and streamline purchasing. As social commerce grows, B2B strategies must adapt to stay competitive. A recent Forbes article states 73% of B2B buyers today are Millennials, who prefer buying online—this is a large part of why B2B eCommerce growth has occurred at such lightning speed.

Thought-Leader Analysis

 Sam Jacobs shared some noteworthy stats about the state of the B2B SaaS industry during his keynote on the shift from growth at all costs to profitable, efficient growth at Pavilion’s recent 2024 GTM EMEA event in London:

Annual growth rates for SaaS companies have dropped from 36% in 2021 to 18% in 2023, and are expected to dip further in 2024. His claims jibe with data found in this recent SaaS Market study.

•  NRR has dropped from 125% in 2021 to 113% in 2023

•  Only 31% made quota in 2024

•  44% of deals slipped in 2024

• Win rates are down -18% in 2024

• Average deal value is down -21% in 2024

Additionally, many revenue leaders contend with inflated pipelines, which are overstated in value. This has significant repercussions on their ability to meet targets and advance in their careers

Alina Vandenberghe, Co-founder and co-CEO of Chili Piper, shares her journey from intern to senior vice president and growing a company from zero to nearly $1 billion. She points out that many CMOs resent their CEOs due to unrealistic expectations about marketing, emphasizing that marketing cannot fix a flawed product. CEOs often lack a deep understanding of marketing’s complexities, reducing it to superficial tasks and overlooking the long-term effort required to build a brand.

Vandenberghe also highlights the critical role of company culture and employee experience in marketing. Unhappy employees negatively impact customer interactions, and cultural issues cannot be easily fixed by marketing strategies alone. Effective marketing requires collaboration across stakeholders, but misaligned metrics and poor culture can hinder this.

Despite these challenges, Vandenberghe is optimistic, noting a growing recognition among founders of the importance of long-term marketing strategies and the value of talented marketers. Investing in understanding and supporting effective marketing leads to sustained success.

Dave Gerhardt, Founder of Exit Five, believes that over-measuring marketing efforts can be detrimental. He argues that every LinkedIn post, podcast episode, YouTube video, newsletter, and community post collectively build brand affinity over time, fostering trust and familiarity with potential customers. This gradual accumulation of positive interactions eventually leads to sales, although the timeline varies for each individual.

Gerhardt emphasizes that trying to measure every marketing interaction meticulously is counterproductive. Using UTM links in every post, expecting immediate purchases from podcast listeners, or determining an optimal number of LinkedIn posts per week are impractical strategies. Instead, he advocates for letting marketing investments compound over time and stresses the importance of a clear strategy for how different marketing channels work together to drive revenue.

Gerhardt's perspective highlights the importance of patience and long-term strategy in marketing. Overemphasis on immediate metrics can stifle creativity and hinder the organic growth of brand affinity, ultimately undermining long-term success.

Marketing Career Opportunities

Who says hiring slows in the summer? 🌞 We're seeing a surge in exciting new marketing opportunities, across all functional areas and experience levels! 🌊

VP, Product Marketing | Proofpoint | (Sunnyvale, CA, US)

VP, Product Marketing, |Mobile Threat Defense Zimperium | (Remote)

VP of Marketing/CMO | Dapi | $180K - $250K

Vice President, Marketing (Events) | Datadog | $261K - $366K

Chief Marketing Officer | YeagerAI | (Remote)

Digital Marketing Manager | Dola AI | (Remote)

Senior Director, Product Marketing | Western Digital l (Remote) $203K-$287K

Content Marketing Manager | Monday.com | $95,000-$115,000 base

Marketing Manager | Amazon Business | base pay ranges from $70,900  in lowest geographic market to $151,700 in highest geographic market

Until Next Time

That's it for this week’s Through the Funnel. Until next time, keep an eye on the latest and greatest marketing career opportunities at Marketinghq.

And for 1:1 assistance with finding your next role, or help with excelling in your existing one, check out our career coaching services here!

Happy hunting!

- The MarketingHQ Team