2017 DIGITAL

MARKETING
PLANS
Survey Summary Report

Monthly Research Series Conducted in Partnership with Leading Marketing Solution Providers
TABLE OF CONTENTS Survey Summary Report
Get the Latest Free Report in our
2017 Digital Marketing Plans 3 Monthly Research Series plus get
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Planning for Strategic Success 4 Reports in our Research Library at
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Most Important Goals to Achieve 5
Most Significant Success Barriers 6
Strategic Planning Resources Used 7
Analyzing Goals Versus Barriers 8
Most Effective Tactical Channels 9
Channel Effectiveness is Changing 10
Most Difficult Tactical Channels 11
Type of Sales Cycle Encountered 12
Effectiveness Versus Difficulty 13
Research-Based Demand Generation 14
About Ascend2 15

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2017 DIGITAL MARKETING PLANS Methodology
Ascend2 benchmarks the
Creating an effective digital marketing plan relies on adapting to performance of the most
constant change through continuous improvement. popular digital marketing
strategies using a standardized
But what strategies and tactics will drive digital marketing success questionnaire and proprietary
in the year ahead? 3-Minute Survey format.
To find out, Ascend2 and our Research Partners fielded the 2017 This survey was fielded to a
Digital Marketing Plans Survey. We thank the participants of the panel of research subscribers
survey for sharing their valuable insights on this important and marketing influencers
marketing topic with us, and you. during the week of December
4, 2016. The 265 respondents
The data in this edition of the study titled the 2017 Digital are representative of the
Marketing Plans Survey Summary Report represent the average following:
of all market segments responding to the survey. Specific Number of Employees
segments from the survey are reported on separately and More than 500 38%
exclusively by our participating Research Partners. 50 to 500 41%
Fewer than 50 21%
This research has been produced for your use. Put it to work in
Role in the Company
your own marketing strategy. Clip the charts and write about Owner / Partner / CXO 35%
them in your blog or post them on social media. Please share VP / Director / Manager 54%
this research credited as published. Non-Management 11%

Enjoy! Primary Marketing Channel

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PLANNING FOR STRATEGIC SUCCESS
While nearly one-third (31%) describe the success of their digital
marketing as best-in-class compared to competitors, a total of
23% still consider their organizations efforts unsuccessful.

2017 Digital Marketing Plans Survey, Ascend2 and Research Partners, December 2016 4
MOST IMPORTANT GOALS TO ACHIEVE
The purpose of marketing is to drive sales. Thats why 58% of
marketing influencers point to increasing sales revenue as a most
important goal for their digital marketing strategy in 2017.

2017 Digital Marketing Plans Survey, Ascend2 and Research Partners, December 2016 5
MOST SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS BARRIERS
There are many barriers to digital marketing success. For 40% of
marketing influencers, obtaining adequate budget and improving
lead quality are most significant success barriers to overcome.

2017 Digital Marketing Plans Survey, Ascend2 and Research Partners, December 2016 6
STRATEGIC PLANNING RESOURCES USED
82% of marketing influencers outsource all or part of their digital
marketing strategy. Outsourcing enables companies to gain
performance-improving experience not available in-house.

2017 Digital Marketing Plans Survey, Ascend2 and Research Partners, December 2016 7
ANALYZING GOALS VERSUS BARRIERS
Prioritizing important goals by comparing their significance as a
barrier to success will be extremely helpful in the development
of a well balanced and effective digital marketing plan for 2017.

2017 Digital Marketing Plans Survey, Ascend2 and Research Partners, December 2016 8
MOST EFFECTIVE TACTICAL CHANNELS
When it comes to effectiveness, website, email and social media
are the top channels for a digital marketing plan to include for
63%, 52% and 49% of marketing influencers respectively.

2017 Digital Marketing Plans Survey, Ascend2 and Research Partners, December 2016 9
CHANNEL EFFECTIVENESS IS CHANGING
The effectiveness of digital marketing channels is increasing to
some extent for a total of 88% of companies surveyed. Only 12%
of marketing influencers have noted a decrease in effectiveness.

2017 Digital Marketing Plans Survey, Ascend2 and Research Partners, December 2016 10
MOST DIFFICULT TACTICAL CHANNELS
A companys website and social media were named as the most
difficult digital marketing channels to execute. Both channels
benefit from skilled resources not always available in-house.

2017 Digital Marketing Plans Survey, Ascend2 and Research Partners, December 2016 11
TYPE OF SALES CYCLE ENCOUNTERED
As sales cycles become more complex, many digital marketing
plans are focused on achieving strategic goals using tactical
channels that efficiently keep customers engaged longer term.

2017 Digital Marketing Plans Survey, Ascend2 and Research Partners, December 2016 12
EFFECTIVENESS VERSUS DIFFICULTY
Digital marketing channels that are more difficult to execute than
effective such as organic search benefit from outsourcing,
which is often subject to success barrier #1, an adequate budget.

2017 Digital Marketing Plans Survey, Ascend2 and Research Partners, December 2016 13
RESEARCH-BASED DEMAND GENERATION As a marketing technology or
data company, or digital
Research Partner Programs rapidly deliver research-based marketing agency, your
content and a guaranteed number of leads to marketing prospective customers are
technology and data companies, and digital marketing agencies marketing influencers with an
in two simple steps: interest in the facts about
improving marketing
1. Choose marketing topics of interest to your target audience. performance; and facts are
what our research provides.
New marketing topic surveyed every month
According to a CMO Council
2. Choose an exclusive data segment for each marketing topic. study, research is the most
Successful Strategy Benchmarks influential type of content
marketers use. Research-
Leadership Benchmarks Based Demand Generation is
B2B Benchmarks a process we developed to
generate leads using research
B2C Benchmarks content of interest to your
Enterprise Benchmarks target customers, and nurture
those leads to marketing-
SMB Benchmarks qualified status in the name of
Agency Benchmarks your brand.
Complex Sale Benchmarks Our unique process enables
And more! us to provide the quick-win
turnkey programs and longer
term demand generation
needed to achieve your goals.

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ABOUT ASCEND2 Survey Summary Report
A monthly research series
Research-Based Demand Generation for Marketing Solution Providers conducted in partnership with
marketing solution providers.
Marketing software and data companies, and digital marketing
agencies, partner with Ascend2 to reliably generate demand and
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