Marketing Technology (martech)
Marketers have gone full-tilt into marketing technology (martech) to improve engagement. Yet the strategy behind these investments hasn’t always kept pace. Read our insights on using marketing technology to achieve more meaningful and profitable experiences.
Discover how Forrester supports B2B and B2C marketing leaders.
Insights
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is marketing technology (martech)?
Martech refers to the software and tools marketers use to plan, create, deliver, manage, and measure marketing activities. It helps organizations understand audiences, coordinate campaigns, personalize engagement, manage content, and connect marketing efforts to customer and business outcomes.
Why is a marketing technology strategy important?
A martech strategy ensures that technology investments support clear marketing priorities rather than adding unnecessary cost and complexity. By aligning platforms, data, processes, and talent with desired outcomes, marketers can improve customer engagement, increase operational efficiency, and create more meaningful and profitable experiences.
What technologies are commonly included in a martech ecosystem?
A martech ecosystem may include customer data platforms, marketing automation, digital asset management, analytics, social media management, event technology, advertising technology, and content and experience platforms. The right combination depends on the organization’s customers, business model, marketing objectives, and existing technology environment.
How can marketers optimize their martech investments?
Marketers should regularly assess how well each technology supports priority use cases, integrates with other platforms, and contributes to measurable outcomes. Simplifying overlapping tools, improving data quality, strengthening governance, and increasing adoption can help organizations gain more value from their existing investments before adding new technology.
How is AI changing marketing technology?
AI is expanding martech capabilities across content creation, audience insights, personalization, search, campaign optimization, and workflow automation. To use it effectively, marketing leaders need reliable data, appropriate oversight, clear use cases, and safeguards that protect customer trust while connecting AI investments to business value.
How does Forrester help marketing leaders make martech decisions?
Forrester helps B2B and B2C marketing leaders evaluate martech markets, vendors, capabilities, and investment priorities. Its research, frameworks, market evaluations, and advisory services help organizations develop stronger strategies, optimize their technology ecosystems, and connect martech decisions to customer and business outcomes.