Adobe Digital Trends Report finds many leading brands are investing in content creation and workflow. This year’s report indicates leading brands have prioritised investments in the speed, scale and efficiency of their content creation capabilities.
They have also invested in their workflows to build stronger customer relationships and succeed in 2023. Enhancing existing marketing processes and technologies to optimise investments and ensure they seize every opportunity throughout the year. The research surveyed more than 9,000 executives, practitioners, and agency employees. It explores the technology investments and strategies that set industry leaders apart from the competition.
Content creation at scale
According to the research, 89% of senior executives say demand for content has significantly increased. Yet despite this seemingly insatiable appetite from customers – who now crave dynamic digital experiences across a growing range of channels. Only a minority of brands rate themselves as “good” at creating and delivering content.
Industry leaders are therefore rethinking and streamlining content supply chains, which cover content campaign planning, creation, delivery, and data analysis. Efficiency and cost reduction are the focus: 62% of senior executives say they have already made their content processes more efficient.
Alvaro Del Pozo, Vice President of International Marketing at Adobe, says, “Delivering content-rich, personalised experiences has never been more important. Great content drives deeper connections with customers, which is critical to both short-term sales and long-term loyalty in today’s climate.”
“At a time when brands need to reach more people across more channels, the wealth of content required is huge. Content supply chains have become the lifeblood of marketing organisations. As a result leaders are rightfully investing in ways to breathe new life into their approaches.”
Customers judge their experiences against their last best experience. Most organisations understandably struggle to meet the standards set by the world’s digital leaders. Only 7% of practitioners consider their organisation’s digital CX to be exceptional and able to surprise and delight customers. 42% of organisations believe their customer experience sometimes falls short of customer needs.
Workflow emerges as a top priority
Historically, efforts to accelerate content creation have come at the cost of employee time and freedom.
- 44% of marketing practitioners cite a lack of time to be creative as a barrier to delivering excellent customer experiences
- 33% of practitioners rate their organisations as ‘good’ or ‘very good’ at planning, scoping, prioritising, and assigning content to achieve measurable outcomes
- Crucially, 43% cite workflow issues as a critical barrier holding back their marketing organisations.
To address this issue and strengthen their content machines in 2023, leading brands have prioritised workflow management and digital collaboration across their content teams.
- Two in five (41%) senior executives have made work and work management a top technology priority in 2023
- Nearly as many (39%) have prioritised streamlining or automating collaboration processes so their teams can work faster and better
- And 38% have prioritised using workflow automation to improve marketing and customer experience process efficiency.
Enhancing current technologies
Investments in content and creative workflows reflect how leaders are prioritising improving processes and technologies to enable success in the current economic climate. Leaders are also focusing on technologies they own. 48% plan to maximise the value of existing marketing and data technologies this year.
Some brands’ future planning may be suffering due to economic concerns. 76% of agency executives said their clients are focused on short-term metrics and revenue goals. 73% of senior brand executives report that emphasising immediate needs has come at the cost of longer-term planning and strategy.
Encouragingly, this focus on immediate needs is not universal. Some respondents said they are looking ahead at new digital platforms and forms of engagement. 22% indicated their organisations are learning about marketing in the metaverse.
Enterprise Times: What this means for business
Adobe’s industry reports are always worth a read. This year’s digital trends report is no exception. Now in its 13th year, the report draws comparisons between industry leaders and laggards to unearth the strategies, technologies, and issues brands must focus on to succeed and stand out.
The main headlines from this year’s report include 89% of senior executives say customer demand for content has significantly increased. Furthermore, content workflow management has become a top 2023 priority for 41% of senior executives. Nearly three-quarters (73%) are focusing on immediate needs and challenges, including near-term enhancement of processes and technologies.
As enterprises look to the future, one thing is apparent – customers expect great experiences. It will be critical for business to respond with creativity. They will need to be creative thinkers and problem solvers. They’ll need to find ways to quickly solve both the problems of their businesses and their customers. And above all, they’ll need to imagine creative ways to inspire their teams, boost efficiency, and improve the workstream. All by aligning their people, processes, and technology.
