Nearly half of UK marketers worried about keeping up

We've said it before: today's marketing industry is evolving at a rapid pace - but are marketers managing to keep up with the constant changes? A recent study, reported on the B2B Marketing website, suggests that they aren't...

According to the latest Digital Roadblock Report 2015 by Adobe, the majority (85%) of UK marketers see these rapid developments – which 60% believe is down to technology – as a great opportunity. Despite this, however, nearly half (48%) are finding it difficult to keep up.

The study found that technology was driving the force for change in two key areas of marketing: by using data and insights to advise marketing activities, cited by 58%; and the ways marketers reach their audiences, with mobile skills being particularly important (63%).

It's not only larger agencies who are feeling the strain when it comes to keeping pace; marketers are also realising the need to keep up on an individual level. The findings show that 73% of respondents feel individually responsible for evolving with the marketing industry, with a similar proportion noting that they would need to utilise new technology in order to stay ahead.

That doesn't necessarily mean they're confident in their ability to do this, however. Nearly half (48%) are concerned about how they are going to adapt with the changes, while 40% feel ill-equipped with the skills needed to conduct their tasks effectively.

Marketers were also worried about how their companies were going to keep up, with more than half (51%) concerned about their organisation's ability to do so. The main barriers to successful marketing in the digital age were a 'lack of resources,' cited by 41%, and 'training in new marketing skills' (30%).

Experts have argued that modern marketing is more to do with analytics and technology than relying on a gut instinct. However, the report found that while most marketers (59%) agree that a 'fundamental change' to marketing approaches is now required, when it comes to making a decision there remains a balance among marketers between trusting their gut (55%) and leveraging new technologies (58%).

Commenting on the findings, Adobe's marketing director EMEA John Watton noted that it has become "increasingly difficult" for today's marketers to remain relevant in the face of a rapidly-changing industry.

And while there are clear concerns about getting to grips with the changes, overall UK marketers want to adapt and are positive about the opportunities that new and emerging technologies bring.

"When the tools and technologies are changing so quickly, skills will always be hard to develop in a short space of time," Watton added. "To succeed marketers need to be brave, experiment, collaborate with departments across their organisations and continue to trust in their marketing instincts."

What do you make of these findings? Are you finding it hard to keep up with the constant changes and technological developments?