Insights from Salesforce and HubSpot’s State of Marketing Reports 2024.

Two reports, the Salesforce State of Marketing 2024 and the HubSpot State of Marketing 2024, offer insights into the current trends, challenges, and opportunities facing marketers. At Unfold Digital, we've been diving deep into these reports, for key takeaways and to understand how they align [or not] with our philosophy of high-impact marketing.

Efficiency is King.

Both reports underscore the critical importance of efficiency in today's marketing landscape. HubSpot reveals that marketers are under increasing pressure to justify their budgets and demonstrate tangible ROI. Salesforce echoes this sentiment, highlighting that improving marketing ROI and attribution is a top priority for marketers.

Data-Driven Decision Making.

Data-driven decision-making emerges as another key theme in both reports. HubSpot observes a rise in the use of data to inform marketing strategies, while Salesforce emphasises the need for a strong data foundation to power AI and personalisation efforts. Both reports recognise that data is the backbone of effective marketing, enabling marketers to identify high-impact opportunities and optimise campaigns.

AI and Automation.

The adoption of AI and automation is another area of strong alignment. Both reports highlight the growing use of these technologies in marketing. HubSpot focuses on the efficiency gains and improved content creation achieved through AI, while Salesforce emphasises its use for personalisation and automation of customer interactions. Both reports acknowledge the transformative potential of AI in streamlining tasks and enhancing the customer experience.

The Personalisation Paradox.

Both reports recognise the challenges in achieving full personalisation. HubSpot points to the difficulties in understanding customer needs and collecting quality data, while Salesforce notes the gap between marketers' desire for personalisation and their ability to deliver it across channels. This shared recognition underscores the complexity of personalisation in the current marketing landscape.

Divergence: Budgets, Channels, and Content.

While the reports align on several key themes, there are also notable differences in their focus and findings.

Budget Allocation: HubSpot's report doesn't explicitly discuss budget allocation, whereas Salesforce highlights that advertising remains the largest line item in marketing budgets, despite the overall trend of tightening budgets. This suggests that while efficiency is crucial, businesses are still prioritising brand awareness and customer acquisition through advertising.
Channel Focus: HubSpot emphasises the growing importance of social media and video for engagement, particularly with younger audiences. Salesforce, on the other hand, acknowledges the multi-channel approach of marketers but doesn't specifically highlight social media or video as key growth areas.
Content Marketing: HubSpot dedicates significant attention to the challenges marketers face in content creation [this has been their sweet-spot for years so no surprise] and the role of AI in enhancing content quality and efficiency. Salesforce, while mentioning the use of AI for content generation, doesn't delve into the specific challenges of content marketing as deeply.

The Unfold Digital Perspective.

At Unfold Digital, we believe that the key to successful marketing lies in a strategic focus on the 5%of marketing that works, blending efficiency, data-driven decision-making, and a customer-centric approach. We echo the reports' emphasis on focusing on the high-impact strategies that deliver the greatest ROI. We also recognise the importance of building a connected and scalable marketing ecosystem that aligns with your business goals and delivers sustainable growth.

We believe that understanding your customers' "jobs to be done" and crafting personalised experiences that resonate with their needs is crucial for success. By leveraging data-driven insights and embracing AI and automation, we help businesses achieve marketing success.

And to quickly sum it up… the HubSpot and Salesforce reports align on key themes like efficiency, data, and AI, they also offer nuanced perspectives on budget allocation, channel focus, and content marketing. At Unfold Digital, we synthesise these insights with our own expertise and client experience to help businesses focus on the 5% that drives impact, and navigate the complexities of modern marketing to achieve sustainable growth.

Efficiency, AI, and the Quest for Personalisation