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Marketing has gone through a full tech revolution, transforming departments from creative islands into data-driven, digitally powered machines. This reliance on tech, when executed well, is a powerful force—fueling decisions, streamlining workflows, enabling precise measurement of campaign impact, and all while delivering a seamless customer experience. But in reality, even top-performing companies face challenges: duplicated efforts, inefficiencies from knowledge gaps, and ongoing frustration over how to optimize and truly streamline their tech stack so it works in concert with human teams.

The martech landscape has exploded, with over 14,000 solutions now available—representing a 27.9% growth year-over-year. According to a study by LXAHub, CMOs report an average of 56 tools in their tech stack, yet more isn’t always better. Another survey, run by Protean Studios, found that many CMOs are prioritizing simplification as they move forward, aiming to trim down and refine their stacks.

Here’s how marketing leaders can optimize their tech, empower their teams, and continue to maximize the transformative potential of AI and automation in the years ahead.

Smaller Stack, Larger Results

As martech options multiply, the paradox is clear: simplification has never been more critical. This means integrating specialized, long-tail apps into larger, core solutions like customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation platform (MAP) systems. Often, marketing teams inherit a mishmash of niche programs, some outdated or overlapping, making it hard to streamline. Conducting a thorough audit can help CMOs and marketing leaders alike identify the essential tools and ensure best-in-class solutions are deployed effectively across the marketing funnel.

Inherited programs can also make migrations a logistical nightmare, with data transfer, integration compatibility, and team training all posing significant hurdles. A phased migration approach, backed by a clear roadmap, can ease the transition. Leveraging third-party experts can also provide valuable support, ensuring a smoother handover and minimizing disruptions to the core team’s workflow and productivity.

Making Smart Decisions to Maximize AI Potential: Building the Right Team to Handle Platform Integration

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Model (LLM) technology has changed the martech landscape, rapidly evolving how sentiment analysis, predictive analytics, and demographic segmentation, for example, operate at peak efficacy. Relying on old programs is likely ineffective, or potentially damaging to your brand. However, it can be challenging to select the right tools for your goals and leverage the power of AI to stand out from the pack.

Statistics from Salesforce show that 43% of marketers “don’t know” how to get the most value from AI, and, according to the same dataset, less than a quarter of firms have AI education and training for the marketing team. Still, nearly 50% of CMOs are piloting, or looking to pilot, initiatives surrounding AI and machine learning within the next 24 months, according to LXA Hub data.

How can marketing departments quickly and effectively deploy the best AI solutions?

One approach for successful platform integration is to look for external consultants who can fill in the knowledge gaps within your team to quickly and effectively move AI and LLM solutions from pilot to scale.

By partnering with external specialists, marketing departments can better deploy AI strategies, without waiting for headcount to open up. This flexibility allows teams to focus their budget on the most pressing concerns, ensuring resources are most effectively allocated.

Additionally, tapping into subject matter experts in this area can provide the flexibility to pivot and adapt as opportunities and needs arise, keeping your team nimble, with the capability to comfortably execute campaigns with new technology.

Building the Right Team to Maximize the Stack from Head to Tail

With AI and machine learning taking center stage in marketing strategy, tech budgets are soaring: according to LXA Hub, technology now consumes 30% of marketing spend, a jump from 24% in 2022. Yet, as marketing leaders focus on talent and acquisition, many face a skills gap in their teams.

One common issue: Often, marketing operates in isolation from IT, even though today’s tools demand a solid tech foundation and a sophisticated mastery of tech implementation. Finding talent that aligns with both the stack’s demands and the team’s overarching goals isn’t easy. A G2 survey highlights this friction, with over half of marketers citing integration issues as a roadblock to adopting new technologies.

The path forward is complex: Marketers need tech-savvy talent to fully leverage their stack’s potential, while also ensuring that their team has a balanced mix of creatives and strategists to drive innovation and effectively execute the campaigns derived from the data extrapolated by today’s next-gen tech.

Bringing in the right people can bridge this gap: from auditing current tools and training team members to crafting workflows and roadmaps, expert talent in these areas can help ensure every solution is fully utilized and aligned with long-term strategy.

A Stack Built for Evolution, Created by Top-Tier Talent

Investing in your martech stack is one of the most impactful choices marketing leaders today can make. But even the best technology can fall short without the right team to fully harness its potential.

How can you keep both your tech and team performing at peak capacity?

Finding the right balance between internal teams and outside expertise when needed is imperative to ensure that your tech investments are being effectively utilized not just for the campaigns of today, but for the campaigns of tomorrow. Additionally, having access to a broader talent pool gives your team the flexibility to efficiently allocate resources, rather than waiting for internal capacity to catch up. Moreover, outside expertise can foster an overall environment of learning and development, empowering your core team to confidently adapt and leverage solutions within your stack.

At Creative Circle, we bring the talent and expertise to not only optimize your martech stack today but also prepare it for future market shifts. Our custom, talent-driven solutions enhance your team’s potential, helping them leverage current resources for ongoing success. From consulting support to audit and enhance your stack, to building tech-savvy teams that seamlessly integrate with your current roster, we ensure your martech is precisely where it needs to be—so you can stay focused on results.

Why should they hire me?
Because they need my help, and I need their money.
But I can’t say that. Not if I want the job.
So, what the heck am I supposed to say?

If your internal dialogue sounds like this from time to time, you’re in good company. 👋

I get tripped up on interview questions, too. Some questions seem like a trap, while others are just bizarrely quizzing me on my knowledge of the animal kingdom. Seriously, why?

6 dreaded interview questions

According to the nearly 3,000 votes on our recent LinkedIn poll, and the buzzing comments section, there are six common questions that trip up interviewees the most:

Tell us about yourself!
Why should we hire you?
What is your greatest weakness?
What are your salary requirements?
Tell us about a time you failed.
If you were an animal, what would you be?

Why hiring managers are asking

Did you know there are over 9,000 job applications per minute on the LinkedIn platform alone? And only about 8% of applicants make it to the interview scheduling stage?

That’s a lot of applicants for one job, and likely a lot of people that can do the basic day-to-day functions of that job. Skills- and competency-based questions aside, these behavioral questions can help hiring managers (in their mind at least) assess things like a candidate’s communication style, how they respond to challenges, and how they’ll fit in with the team.

Tackling the dreaded question

To better understand how to answer these behavioral questions, I leaned on two experts from our Chicago office. Creative Circle recruiters Mary Blackburn and Rose Boyer break down each interview question below — what do hiring managers really mean when they ask these questions? And how should you respond?

“Tell us about yourself.”

This is usually an icebreaker question, right at the start of your interview. It is not the time to share details of your personal life, and your response should be relatively brief. Think of it like an elevator pitch and keep it professional — the hiring manager wants to know a bit about who you are, what you do, and why you’re interested in the position you’re interviewing for.

Rose says, “Some candidates make the mistake of starting off by sharing where they live — that’s not what we’re asking.” She adds, “I’ve had candidates begin by sharing their age. We don’t need to know that either.”

Mary adds to Rose’s sentiment, “Try to avoid the year-by-year play. It’s fine to include where you started but let that be a brief bullet in your overall response. We can see previous employers and duration of employment on your resume, so it’s not necessary to spell that all out for this question.”

“Why should we hire you?”

Interviewers are looking for a specific and personalized response that showcases how you can solve their business needs; be sure to emphasize your most relevant experiences. This is an opportunity to show that you’ve researched this company, that you understand what they need, and that you can deliver.

Rose suggests explaining why you’re a great fit for the role you’re interviewing for specifically, and to refer back to some of the discussions you’ve had throughout the interview. You might say, “You mentioned earlier that time management is essential to this role — time management is one of my biggest strengths. I use a project management tool to stay on top of deadlines, prioritize, and plan my tasks and it works tremendously. It helps keep my manager in the loop on project status, too.”

Mary says, “Make yourself stand out from the crowd. What skills and experience do you have that might separate you from the other applicants?”

“What is your greatest weakness?”

If a hiring manager asks you this question, they’re probably checking to see how self-aware you are. They want you to expand on your weaknesses with a couple details on how you’re managing them. Saying that you’re a “perfectionist” isn’t going to cut it — be sincere, not cliché.

Rose and Mary both agree that they personally hate this question and prefer not to ask it in interviews. However, to save yourself from any unnecessary surprises, they do suggest having an answer prepped just in case.

Mary says, “Be mindful of which weakness you decide to share. If the job description says you need to learn a new CRM, don’t share that you struggle learning new CRMs.”

As an example, Rose shares what a response to this question might look like for her: “Sometimes, I have a hard time processing information that I hear. I combat this by asking for an email communication instead, or I’ll follow up via email so I can have things in writing.”

“What are your salary requirements? “

Thanks to the pay transparency laws developing in several states now, the salary requirements conversation has become more transparent. If you know the range an employer is willing to pay for a job, then you know how much you can expect to earn.

If you’re interviewing for a job with the pay range listed, Mary advises against requiring the top of the range from the jump. “It could jeopardize your opportunity for a role, especially if there are other candidates interviewing with similar experience to yours and a salary expectation closer to the middle or middle-upper end of the range,” Mary says.

Pay transparency or not, Rose says, “Candidates should never be dead set on a specific number. Always let the hiring manager know that you’re targeting between two numbers. This shows that you’re open to negotiation.”

Mary lives by the rule of 5s. If you’re sharing expectations for an hourly rate, keep the range within $5. If it’s a salaried position, try to stick to a range at or close to $5k. In her experience, increments of 5 provide a fair opportunity for both the candidate and the client to meet somewhere in the middle.

“Tell us about a time you failed.”

Everyone experiences failure at one time or another — this question isn’t really about the failure itself, it’s about how you worked through it. “We’re trying to understand your process,” says Rose. With this response, you have the opportunity to show a hiring manager how you take feedback and how you grow.

Consider sharing these details with the interviewer:

How did you identify your failure and how did you react to it?
What steps did you take to rectify the situation?
Did you communicate your mistakes appropriately?
And what are you doing to avoid it in the future?

Mary suggests keeping a response to this question in your back pocket. “Talking about failure isn’t easy. Think through your scenario in advance and rehearse it so you’re not stumbling through the details mid-interview.”

“If you were an animal, what animal would you be?”

This is just an awkward way of seeing if you’ll be a good cultural fit for the company. Rose and Mary both agree that this question is silly and advise not to get too caught up on which animal you select. “If you can connect a few of your key personality traits to an animal that you have some knowledge about, that’s all you need.” says Rose.

It’s worth noting that this question could be an opportunity to stand out as memorable and creative, if you want to. You could choose an interesting animal; instead of a dog, you could try a dolphin, eagle, or honeybee. Just make sure you can connect some of their standout traits back to your personal interests and qualities.

As with all the other questions, keep this one in your back pocket too. Interviews are stressful enough as they are, so no need to add another layer of uncertainty with an animal kingdom pop quiz.

If you’re looking for more advice from our recruiters, check out our Creative Circle Career Resources page and follow us on Instagram. If you’re feeling ready for your next interview, apply to the open roles on our website! We add new jobs to our site every day, in locations across the U.S. and Toronto, plus remote roles.

About the Author.
Kayleigh is a Creative Circle freelancer — when she’s not chasing around her two young boys or laughing at Corporate Natalie videos, she spends her time creating content for us! She specializes in sharing advice for our talent community, so if you’re a creative with an appetite for blogs on market trends, job search guidance, and freelance life, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn to ensure you never miss the latest.

The contours of the media landscape are ever-changing. What was once ubiquitous is now far less so. By the end of 2022, 39.3 million US households cut the cord on traditional cable, a number expected to hit nearly 47 million households by the end of 2024.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that so many are saying bye (or never saying hello) to traditional cable with a plethora of streaming services like Netflix, Prime TV, Hulu, Apple TV+, Disney+, and more, which allow viewers to watch what they want, when they want, for less than the cost of a traditional cable subscription.

What is CTV?

In this rapidly shifting landscape, digital marketing is experiencing major change, with Connected TV—or CTV—emerging as a pivotal player, transforming how audiences engage with content. CTV is any television set that connects to the internet and streams digital video content through built-in smart TV functionality or external devices like streaming sticks like Roku, set-top boxes, or gaming consoles.

With this technology, viewers can access a wide range of content that goes far beyond traditional broadcast channels, like streaming services, on-demand video, and internet applications. All of this is causing major shifts in how brands advertise to their audiences, with CTV advertising in ascendancy and changing the TV advertising game. Let’s dig in.

The What and the Why of CTV Advertising

CTV advertising refers to video ads delivered through a streaming service while a viewer watches a TV show, movie, or other video content on an actual TV set via a connected device like Firestick or Roku or directly from a smart TV. For most streaming services, CTV represents over 80% of all viewing, the remainder occurring on other internet-connected devices like laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

Unlike traditional television advertising, CTV advertising leverages viewer data like demographics, viewing habits, and interests, allowing for a more targeted and personalized ad experience. Advertisers gain improved measurement and tracking abilities, allowing for smarter and more efficient ad spending — and the ability to reach more niche audiences with greater precisions.

Evolution of TV Advertising

Traditional or linear TV advertising lets advertisers reach millions of viewers all at the same time. Linear TV advertising is what you see when you watch broadcast or cable TV — the traditional, old-school TV advertising that’s been around for decades. Linear TV ads reach everyone watching a particular program rather than just their intended audience. And measuring the success of a linear TV ad campaign is more nebulous — it’s hard to know if anyone went to go buy something after watching the ad.

With changing viewer behavior as cable and satellite TV use continue to drop, advertisers are instead following their viewers over to CTV, lured by more measurable ad performance metrics and better-optimized campaign management overall. As linear advertising spend declines, CTV ad spend is fast on the rise.

Ad spending for CTV is expected to reach $21.45 billion in 2024, an increase of 16.2% from 2023. In 2025, it is forecast to hit $24.4 billion, growing year over year by 13.9%.

CTV Advertising vs OTT Advertising

OTT means “Over-the-Top,” referring to content that goes “over” your cable box, providing access to TV content via an internet connection instead of with a cable cord or satellite. While OTT and CTV are often used interchangeably, and can refer to the same thing, it’s important to note that OTT is how video content is delivered to viewers — it can stream content across all devices, like mobile and desktop. CTV only streams content onto smart TV screens, which is why it is often referred to as streaming TV advertising.

OTT ad inventory tends to differ from CTV, which typically has premium network content similar to what you would find on traditional TV. In contrast, OTT offers a much wider range of inventory.

So, Why Use CTV ads?

If you want your ads to help you find users who actually want your products or services, CTV ads are the way to go. As streaming services like Hulu and Netflix adjust their pricing models to an ad-supported tiered system that displays more ads to folks on less expensive plans and fewer or no ads to those on higher plans, marketers can now zero in on their demographic with far more precision.

Here are a few other perks that come with CTV ads:

Multiple precision targeting methods

With linear TV, targeting is limited to finding shows that best index against ratings — the system network television uses to make programming decisions and to price advertisements. But Nielsens’ typically can only offer broad age and gender demographic metrics, like women 25 – 54 and men 18 – 49. But CTV advertisers can leverage similar digital targeting to Google and Facebook, which means audience segments can be based on everything from income or education level to personal interests and more.

Some of the top CTV targeting options to get familiar with include:

Geolocation targeting
Contextual targeting
Retargeting
Time-of-day targeting
Lookalike targeting

Hyper-local targeting

With CTV ads, it’s far easier to pinpoint consumers based on their IP address, which means ads can be hyper-localized and served to viewers in far smaller geographic areas than with linear ads. Messaging can be highly customized based on where the viewer is located. For example, a spa with four locations can send the right commercial to the right viewers closest to each location.

High Video completion rates

Superior targeting means that CTV ads are far more likely to be truly relevant to those viewing them—which means they are more likely to be interested in the ad and engage with it until completion. Using automatic content recognition technology, or ACR, CTV providers can provide real-time, second-by-second completion rate data, which helps advertisers hone the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns.

Detailed attribution measurement and accuracy

CTV ads allow advertisers to measure the effectiveness of their brand campaigns more accurately via conversions — they can see who came to the brand’s website and completed a purchase after viewing an ad. With time and increased data, advertisers can learn what creative worked best and which publishers, dates, times, and other factors had the greatest impact on conversions.

BOTTOM LINE
Marketers, if you want to lead your company’s CTV marketing innovation charge but need help figuring out where to start, Creative Circle can provide the talent and build the teams to help you perfectly craft and precisely target your brand to shine on the TV screen. The media landscape is fast evolving — to succeed, it’s important to prime your business to be in step with the times.

Running a business’ social media account is easy, right? Take some pictures, reshare relatable memes, post links to your products — simple!

Not quite.

I’m a freelance content creator for Creative Circle; I write blogs, manage our candidate newsletter, and own our Instagram and LinkedIn accounts. To me, creating content is equal parts exciting and complicated, especially when it comes to social media.

I get to share job search advice and tips, feature interviews with experts in the marketing and creative space, highlight exciting new job openings, spotlight our talented candidates, and I even get to sprinkle in the occasional Taylor Swift meme. It’s exciting and rewarding — especially when someone finds my content useful.

But sometimes my content doesn’t reach the audience I want to. That’s the complicated part. Maybe I jumped on a trend too late, or posted at the wrong time, or didn’t align my post caption strategically enough with the latest hashtags and keywords. And when a post receives little engagement, that can be deflating.

Social media content creation and management requires careful planning, strategic execution, and skill. Don’t just take it from me; take it from the 800+ voters and dozens of comments from social media creators on my recent LinkedIn Poll. As Kiara F. says, managing socials is like “playing chess, but with memes and hashtags.”

If you’re like me, you’re constantly looking for ways to level-up your social media chess game — to get new followers, to increase engagement, to deliver the content your audience truly cares about. And you know what my favorite source of inspiration is? Other creators.

I’ve partnered with two Creative Circle freelancers to compile a list of five tips to produce quality, engaging social media content.

Jordin Smith has four years of experience managing and creating social media content. She finds it thrilling to curate content that excites her audience and piques their curiosity. She’s currently working with clients in the fashion and beauty space.

Brian Benton has five years of experience as a social media art director. He enjoys how the spontaneity and limitations of tight deadlines and less-than-desirable shooting locations push him to think creatively. His clients are in the technology, entertainment, and ecommerce space.

Here are 5 tips to consider:

Don’t constantly scramble to hop on the latest audio trend. It might not be as impactful as you think.

Trending audio has taken social media by storm. It’s fun, catchy, and very in-the-moment, but it truthfully only impacts engagement for a small percent of the population. It has its time and place, but it doesn’t well-suit the content you want to remain evergreen.

“Sometimes content production timelines can run longer than expected, and the trendy music can really date that edit,” says Brian. “You don’t want your video to feel outdated when someone comes across it on their TikTok Discover or Instagram Explore page for the first time.”

Listen. Listen. Listen.

Yes, we do get paid to scroll. And for good reason. Scrolling, listening, and exploring is where ideas are born as you identify emerging trends, understand your audience’s behavior and preferences, monitor your competitors’ activity, and more.

Jordin says, “Listening is my number one tip. I scroll social media searching for anything that excites me. I listen to what people are saying, what they’re listening to, and what they want more of.” She suggests listening to what your audience sounds like and tailoring your content to that.

Brian warns creators about replicating what their competitors are doing. “Consider finding inspiration one or two degrees away from your direct competitors. For example, if you are creating content for a high-end pet brand, see what high-end fashion is doing.”

Since scrolling for research can quickly turn to “doom scrolling”, consider setting a timer for 30–40 minutes each day and limit yourself to that time. As you scroll, save the content that inspires you or note it down somewhere.

Stand out with a strong brand voice.

In a crowded market, your unique voice can set you apart from your competitors. What personality traits do you want your brand to embody? Is it friendly, authoritative, humorous, or professional? You can shift your voice slightly from channel to channel, too. Remember — your voice doesn’t just shine through in your content and post captions, but also in the way you engage with your followers in the comments.

Jordin says “The demographics from platform to platform are different, so I tweak my voice accordingly. LinkedIn gets the professional voice, TikTok gets the younger, cooler voice, while Instagram gets the voice of the big sister.”

Brian suggests some ways to get creative with your tone. “To stand out, try giving a more casual piece of content a professional feel or vice versa. Consider shooting something that is funnier or more trend-driven with great lighting and a high-end camera. Or use viral TikTok style editing for a more serious piece of content. This can help keep personality in posts while remaining on brand,” Brian says.

Have fun.

Splashing some fun into your content can help humanize your brand and make your page a place where your followers want to hang out. Try being real about your industry and adding tasteful humor; for example, leaning into jokes about the future of AI, or the frustrations graphic designers can experience working with clients.

LinkedIn polls usually reach 3–5x more people than posts without a poll! Try asking your audience a lighthearted question or get their opinion on a topic that means something to your brand. Drop an open-ended question in the post body and encourage your followers to engage. This can be a fun way to create conversation with your audience in a more personal way.

Post when your followers are online.

This is unique to each business and channel — check your channel insights to know when the majority of your followers are online. Identify peak times of engagement and post then. Experiment with posting at different times and days of the week, then track the performance of those posts.

At Creative Circle, our followers (mostly jobseekers) spend some time online in the evenings, so we’ve tested posting during those hours and have seen some success. When in doubt, you can always fall back on these broad guidelines as a starting point, to give your content the best possible chance of success. 

If you’re craving more tips, consider following these three accounts on Instagram. They’re constantly serving digital content tips to my feed:

If you’re currently working in social media content creation and enjoying your work, stick to it — you have one of the most desirable jobs in the world right now! And, according to market.us, the digital content creation market is projected to climb to 90.4 billion by 2033 (from 27.1 billion in 2023).

If you’re looking for work in this industry, sign up for our job alerts and search our open roles. If you’re in need of a social media content creation or consultation for your business, connect with us — we have an impressive pool of talent ready to work for you!

Martech is the buzz among organizations right now, and that’s great news for job-seekers!

Enterprises are looking for marketers with existing platform-specific expertise, and/or candidates with proven ability to quickly upskill and take advantage of emerging technologies. They’re seeking talent that can use martech for functions including content management, analytics, digital advertising, customer relationship management, search engine optimization, automation, and artificial intelligence.

Here are a few of the top digital marketing roles we place at Creative Circle that leverage these skills. If you work in any of these specialties — or want to start —consider leveling up on these skillsets and tools based on job title.

All tips are provided by Greg Kihlström and Voloria Pettiford, marketing consultants and panelists on our August 2024 martech webinar.

Marketing Automation Manager

Overseeing and optimizing automated marketing campaigns

Tip: Organizations are working hard to tailor content and experiences to their audiences; automation, personalization, and orchestration skills in this role are critical for success. Define which program (HubSpot, Marketo, Mailchimp, etc.) you are strongest in, then buckle down and get certified in it. Your platform-specific experience will attract hiring managers.

Search Engine Optimization Specialist

Improve a website’s visibility in search results on Google, Bing, and other search engines using research, writing, and analytical skills

Tip: Contrary to some speculation about AI’s role in the future of the web, SEO is not dead. It is very much alive and well, and these roles are more important than ever. Good content is key, and finding better ways to reach core audiences is still a major focus. Hiring managers are looking for specialists with skills in SEM Rush, Google Analytics, and Google Search Console.

Paid Media/Search Specialist

Plan, execute, and manage digital marketing campaigns that use paid advertising

Tip: An understanding of SEO is essential in this role. Lean into your content writing skills — you may need to write and deploy search engine ads. Hiring managers are looking for specialists with experience in SEM Rush, Google Ads Editor, and SpyFu.

Content Manager

Oversee the development, distribution, and strategic efforts of creating messaging to inform and delight audiences

Tip: Strong writers and creatives can excel in this role. If you have video editing experience, lean into that — content managers often cross over to the social media space. To support digital content management, consider upskilling in the tool Optimizely.

Takeaway
If you’re a marketer looking for work, or trying to advance in your career, now is the time to home in on your abilities to support marketing technology initiatives. Our connections at top companies need your assistance.

If you’re craving more on the latest trends in martech, and how to upskill and thrive in this landscape, join our conversation with Greg Kihlström and Voloria Pettiford during our upcoming webinar on Tuesday, August 6!

Whether you’re an individual marketer or leading a team, “martech” is all the buzz right now. What does this term mean? And why are we talking about it? Let’s dive in.

What is Martech?

Martech, short for marketing technology, refers to the variety of tools that companies use to automate, streamline, and market their products and services. Google Ads, Sprout Social, HubSpot, Marketo, Salesforce, Asana, WordPress, Drupal, Power BI — it’s all martech.

An individual team’s collection of platforms is known as a “stack.” Martech stacks can range from simple to highly complex — with some enterprises having 20+ tools in their stack, according to our recent LinkedIn poll.

For additional perspective, we asked two martech experts to share how they define the term.

Greg Kihlström, an experienced marketing consultant and creator of The Agile Brand, a marketing technology podcast, says:

“Martech encompasses the platforms and processes that enable marketers to reach audiences using digital means. It serves a broad array of purposes — from collecting data, to displaying and distributing content and experiences, to reporting and acting on the results of the efforts.”

Voloria Pettiford, a Creative Circle freelancer and marketing consultant, says:

“To put it simply, ‘martech’ is the product of marketing tools and technology working happily together. There was a time when ‘digital marketing’ was trending. Martech is very similar — except now, automation, AI, and analytics have been added to the mix.”

Why are we talking about it?

Martech isn’t new; enterprises have been leveraging these tools for years. But in today’s world, leaders are turning a sharp focus to how the tools are used, how they work (or don’t work) together, and the impact it all has on the customer journey — an experience that matters now more than ever.

According to online software marketplace G2, the martech solutions marketplace has grown 27.8 percent year-over-year, increasing from just over 11,000 solutions in 2023 to more than 14,000 in 2024.

Greg says he’s seen a significant demand for martech consultation over the last six months. “Organizations — not just marketing teams — need assistance in understanding which martech tools are right for their company and how to make the best investments.”

For example, Greg explains how many organizations are struggling to meaningfully understand and utilize AI in their stack. He says, “I help them understand where AI-based tools and methods can make the biggest impact and achieve maximum ROI.”

Voloria’s sentiment is similar. She experienced a martech consulting boom in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, and it’s been steady since. “Leaders are reevaluating their platforms and the people on their teams,” says Voloria. “Most companies have martech tools, but they’re not using them properly, or they’re not investing in the right ones. They need help streamlining.”

Why is this significant?

No matter what technology a marketing team has at its disposal, it’s essential to have an experienced team of talent in place to get the most out of it. “If just one marketing operations employee is deploying multiple tools, it’s likely that each tool is not being used effectively, and that employee is probably on target to burn out fast,” says Voloria.

What good is the technology if teams don’t have the bandwidth to leverage it?

When marketing leaders source new talent these days, they’re increasingly looking for specialists with experience in the specific tools they’re using. And the smart hiring managers are looking not just for platform-specific expertise, but for candidates with a proven ability to quickly upskill and learn a variety of technical applications. That’s the best way to prepare for sustained success in our rapidly evolving digital environment.

If you’re a job-seeker, read this: Many digital marketing and creative functions have evolved to either focus on or heavily involve martech. The jobs our clients are looking to fill may not specifically call out “martech” in the job title or description, but you can bet you’ll be asked about your martech skills in the interview process. If you’re interested in learning more about how to position yourself for these trending roles, read this: Martech and Your Job Search: Trending Roles, Areas to Upskill, Tools to Master

Takeaway

Enterprises have their marketing technology under a microscope. They’re focusing on which tools make the most sense for their organization, how the tools work together, and where to make the best investments — including their talent.

If you’re an organization looking to streamline your martech, let us know. Whether you have a specific martech challenge to tackle, need a full team of support, or are just looking to fill one critical role, we’re here to help.

If you’re craving more on the latest trends in martech, join our conversation with Greg Kihlström and Voloria Pettiford during our upcoming webinar on Tuesday, August 6!

Grocery shopping is a giant business, accounting for nearly $800 billion in annual spending in the United States alone. But it’s also a notoriously tricky business, with price-sensitive customers and the dance of inflation further complicating the landscape.

Retail leaders across categories are intent on leveraging the powerful capabilities of emerging technologies to revolutionize their organizations and improve margins. They aim to keep current customers happy while successfully expanding to include new ones.

As game-changing technology like generative AI, robotics, drones, and more sweep our culture, food retailers are looking to optimize how they sell groceries online and in person. Baked into this technology is the ability to automate processes, collect, manage, and analyze data, glean deeper insights, connect more authentically with customers, and offer more tailored customer experiences.

It’s the dawn of a new age in how we shop for food, and it’s shaping up to be a fascinating ride for the everyday consumer. Here are some trends and ways technology will revolutionize the in-store and online grocery shopping experience — and how companies may choose to evolve in response.

Online Grocery Shopping Trends and Technology Adoption

Let’s start with what’s happening online. Consumers today still shop for most of their groceries in brick-and-mortar stores, which account for 83% of US grocery sales, but online grocery shopping is fast gaining steam. According to NielsenIQ, online grocery shopping outperformed in-store sales by nearly 300% in 2024 compared to 2023.

Value-First Shopping

Inflation remains high, and customers continue to feel the impact. Some 70% of shoppers cited food prices as a top concern, according to a February 2024 report by FMI, The Food Industry Association. Cost has emerged as a top decision-making criterion for customers deciding whether to try new products when shopping for groceries.

Younger shoppers with tighter budgets are also more cost-conscious. Gen Z shoppers are the likeliest to compare unit prices at the same store (79%) as compared to Gen X shoppers (69%) or baby boomers (72%). Grocery stores have responded by augmenting private-label offerings. Sales of private label goods represented 19% of total grocery revenue in 2019, a 5% jump year over year. Digital native shoppers increasingly use online shopping sites to compare prices, helping consumers maximize value. This “flight-to-value” behavior in grocery shopping has benefited mass merchants like Walmart, expanding its market share by 6.2% since 2021, ending 2023 with a whopping 45% of grocery online sales.

Increase in E-commerce Grocery Shopping

Grocery e-commerce is expected to lift overall grocery sales more than in-store purchasing — and it’s predicted to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.5% over the next five years. That’s more than 3x faster than the 1.3% rate forecast for in-store grocery sales. Total grocery e-commerce sales are forecast to hit nearly $120 billion by the end of 2028, which is about 12.7% of total grocery sales in the US, with pick-up expected to lead the charge as the most popular e-commerce method.

Increase in Online Grocery Shopping Platforms

Grocery delivery sales in the US are expected to surpass $257 billion in 2024 and $422 billion in 2028, according to Statista. While Walmart leads the pack with more than 25% of the grocery delivery market, other grocery e-tailers like Amazon Fresh, Costco, Target, Kroger, Albertsons, and more are in hot pursuit of market dominance. Smaller online brands like Vitacost and Thrive Market, which specialize in natural foods, are also gaining traction — a trend sure to continue as more people lean into digital grocery shopping experiences.

Grocery Shopping Apps on the Rise

25% of consumers today use grocery shopping apps, which store shopping lists, offer digital coupons, display store maps, and integrate with rewards and loyalty programs. These apps provide online and in-store benefits enhanced by technology. For example, at some stores, deli and bakery items can be preordered online to save shoppers from standing in line holding a paper order number. In addition, digital kiosks advertising the latest deals are becoming more popular.

How Tech Innovation Will Shape the In-Store Grocery Experience

Consumers today still buy most of their groceries in physical stores — in fact, 83%. For this reason, some of the most fascinating tech innovations in the grocery retail space are being dreamed up to meteorically uplevel the customer experience and keep people who enjoy more hands-on grocery shopping happy.

Enhancing the In-Store Shopping Experience

As grocery shopping increasingly migrates online, brick-and-mortar stores must innovate the in-store experience by transforming it into a pleasurable lifestyle activity. We’re talking superior fresh food offerings, gastronomic areas, food courts, cooking classes, and possibly even movie nights or lectures. To fund these capital-intensive endeavors, stores will need to double-down on automation technology that can free up staff from more mundane, routine operations so that energies can be focused on upleveling the customer experience. Adopting advanced tech like AI-powered smart carts can handle scanning and payment, further optimizing the experience.

AI-enabled Hyper-relevant Recommendations

While retailers have been gathering data about their shoppers to serve them better, they have often needed help to focus disparate data streams into clear, concise, and coherent insights. The advent of generative AI is helping retailers unlock the ability to make hyper-relevant grocery recommendations in the moment — adding immense value to the in-store grocery shopping experience. Brand-customized AI apps can guide shoppers in-store, proactively recommending products and services based on each person’s unique profile, shopping history, and particular in-the-moment needs. Planning a garden baby shower? Great. Bachelorette party at the beach? AI has got you covered.

Upleveled Customer Engagement

Generative AI excels at answering questions and summarizing complex information in a natural, conversation-like manner, which certainly comes in handy in this case. Improved grocery shopping experiences will feature anything from product recommendations and explanations to details about ingredients to in-depth answers to nutritional questions, offering shoppers specific recommendations tailored to their particular needs or preferences.

Enhanced Day-to-day Retail Operations

Traditional methods of designing optimal shelf layouts for grocery products leave much to be desired. They are time-consuming, errors abound, and creating and following these plans can be labor-intensive to say the least. Leveraging the power of generative AI for optimized planogram creation and demand forecasting means staff can be alerted to shortages and empty shelves instantly, and staff can then monitor planogram compliance for quick remedies as needed. Machine-learning algorithms can suggest highly optimized store layouts and product placements based on individual store data. Forecasting and ordering decisions will eventually be fully automated by machine learning algorithms that can monitor real-time out-of-stock alerts.

Leveraging “Dwell” and “Gaze” Time

AI can measure a shopper’s “dwell” time — how long someone spends standing in front of a product — and “gaze” time — how long a person looks at a particular item. Grocery retailers can better understand what their customers want by tracking “dwell” and “gaze” times, meaning more meaningful CX engagements and better sales conversion rates. Individual stores can even tailor their offerings to their location, offering more personalized products and services more effectively tailored to people’s wants and needs.

The Merging of Online and In-Store Experiences Will Increase

Grocery stores will continue to blend their online and in-store experiences in what is often referred to as “seamless omnichannel experiences.” Stores can personalize offers to shoppers, which can be redeemed at their next in-store visit. On the other end, shoppers can order specialty products online or in-app for pickup in-store, saving time and inviting additional purchases. Brand-customized AI apps can even guide shoppers around the store, actively recommending products and services based on each person’s unique profile and shopping history.

Where the Market’s Heading

The grocery retail space is abuzz with anticipation for how technology will grow and expand the in-person and online food shopping landscape. For retail organizations, it’s a time to try and test what marketing technology can be of most benefit, from efficiency gains to cost savings.

What does this mean for brands? When considering leaning into a digital-first strategy or focusing energy into reinvigorating the in-store customer experience, marketers should remember finding ways to meld the online and in person experience will have the greatest impact. Technology is a fast-evolving force that is reshaping how retailers operate and engage with customers, and keeping up with it means adapting creative strategy to meet consumers soaring expectations. The future of grocery shopping is almost in season — let’s hope it’s a tasty one.

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Bottomline

We are at the beginning of the tech revolution 3.0, primarily driven by the power of generative AI, which will change how grocery retailers, both online and in-store, do business. As tech evolves and improves, the retail landscape will be increasingly infused with optimizations based on geo-specific demographic data sets, transforming what is sold, how things are displayed (in person and online), and where the actual value lies for each store, app, and online platform. Industry leaders are in a discovery phase, testing and learning which technological advances will benefit and impact their businesses most.

Do you know what tech innovations will have the most impact on your bottom line? If you’re looking to tailor marketing technology solutions for your retail brand, Creative Circle can consult on your needs to craft a bespoke plan that meets you where you’re at. We can help you get the right marketing talent in place to implement and optimize the right technology, ensuring your team stays at the forefront of change in the industry.