Marketing Technologist: The Rise of a New Career

In the last decade, we have seen the overwhelming boom of technology just about everywhere, especially in the marketing field. This rise of technology within marketing has not only led to a new way of doing things, but also the need for new types of marketers. This is why we can see the growing need for Marketing Technologists, someone who can combine technology skills with marketing skills to help guide their companies forward. A Marketing Technologist has now become a profession in its own right. Today, we want to cover the rise of this new profession and answer any questions you may have about it. 

We will answer the following questions:

• What is a Marketing Technologist?
• What are their responsibilities?
• How might the profession grow and change?

Let’s dive in.

What is a Marketing Technologist?

As you can see from its name, Marketing Technologist is a profession that focuses on the connection between marketing and technology. Due to the staggering rise of technology in the marketing space, it is natural that the need for professionals with backgrounds in both marketing and technology has arisen. Before we get further into the details, it is important to understand marketing technology, or martech, to get a better sense of what they do.

Similar to Marketing Technologist, martech is simply the convergence of marketing and technology. Most times when we are talking about martech, we are referring to the software platforms company’s use that are dedicated to helping marketers carry out their job functions. Salesforce, Mailchimp, Hubspot, and Sprinklr are some examples of martech. Martech has grown exponentially: there was a +5,233% growth rate of the number of martech vendors from 2011 – 2020!

This growth has led the marketing field to become increasingly reliant on technology. Marketing departments now need professionals that understand both marketing and technological aspects of their operations and overall strategy. This is where Marketing Technologists come in. They have the ability to see both sides of the coin, allowing them to:

• Put into perspective the strategic needs of their company
• Have the capacity to understand how to integrate martech tools
• Take into account the martech vendor’s ability to support them
• Ensure any new tools integrate with the existing digital ecosystem.

In addition, they help marketing departments to find their way through what can seem like a jungle of tools by matching the right tools and uses with needs that are clearly identified. They use their detailed knowledge of the dynamic market context of marketing technology to select the right service providers.

What are Their Responsibilities?

To ensure the tools chosen for the department will be used properly, a Marketing Technologist must be able to meet with the right vendors at the right time, create clear objectives and needs for the department, ensure that the software and its data are properly used internally and, of course, make sure the company is paying the right price for a tool. 

They do this by understanding the business model of the tool’s market and its main players. For example, in the CRM market, they will know that Salesforce and Hubspot are some of the industry’s leaders. They will need to identify any possible overlaps to avoid paying several times for the same data, and other similar issues.

A Marketing Technologist should be able to make the most of all of your software and data by doing the following:

• Ensure that the service provider will be able to support the company and continue to develop in line with the companies future needs
• Ensure that data flows smoothly between tools
• Provide major data and build actionable reports

By responding to these challenges, a Marketing Technologist can advise companies on the best technologies for their specific needs. They will fully participate in defining and implementing marketing and digital strategies within the department. 

How Might the Profession Grow and Change?

The Marketing Technologist profession is unique in the sense that it didn’t even exist, nor become relevant until fairly recently.  However, it has grown and evolved into a position that countless marketing departments are now filing. We can attribute this growth and need for Marketing Technologists to the simple nature of technology, that being of rapid growth and change. We can see that the amount of martech tools went from just 150 in 2011 to now over 8,000.(Source: Chiefmartech)

Every new platform and update of a martech platform aims to develop, improve, and progress at an accelerated pace. This means that Marketing Technologists must keep up, as they are tasked with managing and implementing this technology. It is safe to say that the profession will continue to grow and change in response to the evolution of technology. 

It is difficult to argue the importance of Marketing Technologists in the modern marketing department. Scott Brinker of Chiefmartech had this to say about the clear need for these professionals:

It is believed that within the next several years, Marketing Technologists and CTO (Chief Technology Officers) will become some of the most sought after jobs in the industry. There is a huge opportunity for Marketing Technologists to use their special skill set to drive strategies into the future and harness the huge potential that marketing technology has to offer.

At Saas Advisor, we are proud to have seasoned Marketing Technologists on our team that help our clients select, implement, and train on the best marketing technologies for their business needs. We are certified in numerous technologies and have a unique perspective on the martech landscape. If you want to learn more about what we do and how we can help your company when it comes to marketing technology, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Want to learn more? Check out our guide to martech!