What makes software a Marketing Technology? Last week our team went to one of the biggest Marketing Technology conferences in the nation. It was hosted at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California home to most renowned tech hub on the globe. It featured over 80+ participating vendors with diverse offerings that covered so many different avenues of digital marketing solutions. From asset management platforms to lead generation tools to full-on tech stack automation services. The trade show floor really spot-lighted the diversity of the MarTech landscape. Booth by booth we went meeting and greeting marketing professionals and offerings from different beginnings. The collection of all the exhibitors and guest really gave a pulse to the event and how MarTech’s potential to expand.
What is MarTech?
From those tools I just mentioned, what do they have in common with communication technology like SMS or RCS? It may help if we define what Marketing Technology is. MarTech can be defined as the software or applications that marketers use to plan, execute and measure marketing campaigns. MarTech tools are used to automate or streamline marketing processes in a way that collects and allows marketers to analyze the data to engage a targeted audience (Source: MerlinOne).
All of the tools a company exploits for marketing processes are known as the MarTech Stack, probably a term more commonly used between marketing teams.
SMS, a blend of Marketing and Technology
Marketing Technology bridges the gap between marketing practices and enriches them with technological ingenuity. Just think we have come along way since the first text message was sent more than 25 years ago by Niel Papworth on December 3, 1992. During that time Niel typed “Merry Christmas” on his sent his first SMS message to the cellphone of Vodafone director Richard Jarvis (Source: NPR). SMS, which is colloquially known as text messaging, the most instant and direct communication today. Text messaging has expanded to become more than just an engagement channel. With functionality that compliments and support the development of application to mobile communication. The medium is more robust and comes equipped with tools that make it more than just a tool to text numbers. This is what makes it a tool that is worthy of having in your MarTech stack drawer. Also, to get into fundamental business concept, text message marketing software addresses the four main pillars of the marketing cycle which are:
- Attract
Text message marketing software comes with lead generation tools that allow users to interact with your SMS program at any point in time.
- Engage and Convert
Text message marketing software is equipped with a campaign dashboard, so marketers can reach their subscribers with the highest target ability you can find today in digital format. Once reached based on the objective, marketers can motivate their subscribers to take action, whether it be signing up or enrolling.
- Manage
Text message marketing software has a data structure that makes subscriber management easier so you can visualize whose opting in, out and which numbers are valid or not.
So is it or is it not?
There is a lot of conversation about what makes a complete MarTech stack. Text message marketing software alone probably will not have all the tools you need to complete your stack but it definitely is a MarTech solution. Does your MarTech stack have communication technology like text messaging?
