Salesforce recently conducted a global survey of marketers, revealing the most popular tools for attracting and increasing customer engagement. According to the latest annual Salesforce report, “State of Marketing,” social networks emerged as the leading tool in marketers’ toolkits, with a remarkable 93% of respondents using them to attract consumers. Following closely behind are websites and applications, utilized by 91% of marketers. Rounding out the top three, digital advertising covers 90% of the tools used to boost engagement.
Top 10 Marketing Tools
Email marketing and digital content are also highly popular, with adoption rates of 90% and 87%, respectively. Video content follows, with 85% of marketers leveraging it to engage with their audiences. SMS marketing, although slightly less prevalent, still holds a significant share, being used by 81% of respondents. While digital channels dominate, traditional methods haven’t lost their place; direct mail and press advertising are employed by 80% of marketers. Additionally, events and sponsorships, as well as audio marketing, round out the top ten, with 76% and 66% usage rates, respectively. Interestingly, despite organic search being a primary method for consumers to discover brands, only 56% of marketers reported using it.
Shifting Data Strategies
To enhance customer understanding and engagement, more than 80% of marketers are now utilizing customer awareness, transactional, and first-party data. This represents a strategic shift, as reliance on third-party data has decreased significantly—from 75% in late 2022 to just 61% currently, notes NIX Solutions. Analysts recommend that marketers gradually phase out third-party data as its relevance continues to decline. We’ll keep you updated on further developments in this evolving landscape.