Your Career Guide on MarTech: How to Choose, Use, and Integrate

Marketing technology, or MarTech, describes the software marketers use to optimize their marketing efforts to achieve their goals or objectives. The global MarTech industry is growing rapidly, with an estimated worth of $509.8 billion in 2022. An estimated 8,000 MarTech market vendors in 2020 represented over 5,000 percent growth compared to 2011 [1]. 

Consequently, new jobs and MarTech projects are emerging throughout Canada. However, because it's such a relatively new industry, it can take time to determine where to start. In this guide, you'll learn more about choosing and using marketing technology, how to integrate it into your business, and the various MarTech jobs and careers.

What exactly is MarTech?

Marketing technology, or MarTech, is the use of technology to improve marketing campaigns and strategies. MarTech can include using software or machine learning, automating marketing tasks, and using data analytics to track and improve marketing performance. 

Many different tools and platforms can help marketers better understand and reach their customers. Some popular examples of MarTech tools include:

• Email marketing platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact

• Social media management platforms like Hootsuite or Sprout Social

• Marketing automation platforms like HubSpot or Marketo

• Customer relationship management (CRM) software like Salesforce or Zoho CRM

The rise and importance of marketing technology

Here are three trends that have helped increase the importance of MarTech.

1.  The rise of artificial intelligence (AI): AI’s use in automating marketing tasks continues increasing, allowing marketers to focus on other things.

2. The ease of cloud computing: Cloud computing makes storing and analyzing large amounts of data more accessible and cheaper, which is essential for marketing to track performance and improve strategies. 

3. The prevalence of big data: Big data is becoming more widespread as businesses collect more data on their customers. You can utilize this data to segment audiences, personalize messages, and track results.

What’s in a MarTech stack?

A MarTech stack is a collection of software marketing professionals use to manage their work. The tools can cover content management, customer relationship management (CRM), email marketing, and more. Regarding your MarTech stack, you'll want key components that benefit your business. Here’s a rundown of what you can include:

Marketing attribution software: This software helps you track and attribute conversions to specific marketing campaigns or channels. You can use this information to optimize future marketing efforts.

Email marketing: Email marketing software allows you to automate your email marketing campaigns, making staying in touch with customers and prospects easier. Consider features like automation, A/B testing, and integrations when choosing an email marketing platform.

Content management system (CMS): A CMS helps you manage your website content by making it easy to add, edit, and delete content and track who made what changes. When choosing a CMS, consider factors like ease of use, scalability, and security.

Customer experience software: This software helps you to understand how customers interact with your website or product. By understanding customer behavior, your business can improve and improve customer experiences. When choosing customer experience software, you'll want to consider features like live chat, customer surveys, and ticketing systems.

Customer relationship management software: Customer relationship management (CRM) software helps you manage customer relationships. CRM software can store customer contact information, track customer interactions, and automate tasks like sending follow-up emails or scheduling appointments. When choosing CRM software, consider valuable features like contact management, lead management, and sales automation. 

Search engine optimization (SEO) tools: SEO tools can help you improve your visibility in search engines like Google and Bing. By optimizing your website for search engines, your business can attract more site visitors. When choosing SEO tools, you'll want to consider features like keyword research, link building, and site audits.

Social media management: Social media management software makes posting content to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter easier. It can also track mentions of your brand on social media and engage with customers and prospects who mention it online. When choosing social media management tools, consider features like social listening and publishing schedules.

What is the role of a MarTech professional?

A MarTech professional manages and uses technology to market a company or product. Some MarTech professional duties may include:

• Developing and implementing technology for marketing plans

• Conducting market research 

• Choosing or creating marketing technology

• Managing social media accounts

• Manage and execute marketing technology projects 

• Evaluating new marketing technologies and recommending utilizing them to achieve marketing objectives.

What skills are needed to succeed in MarTech roles?

A firm understanding of marketing, technology, and how they work and change together can help you succeed in MarTech. Staying well-versed in all aspects of online marketing, having a keen eye for detail, and possessing strong project management skills can help you stay ahead of the curve and adapt as new trends emerge. 

Here are some skills that can help you when working in marketing technology roles:

• Ability to adapt

• Creativity

• Emotional intelligence

• Interest in big data

• Marketing skills

• Organizational skills

• Sales skills

• Strong leadership skills

• Tech skills

MarTech job roles

For MarTech positions, some roles focus predominantly on the technical side, and others focus on the creative aspects of marketing. You could be a developer, an analyst, a project manager, or even a technology salesperson. Here are some MarTech roles available:

*All annual salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of July 2024.

1. Program manager

Average annual salary (Canada): $91,167

As a program manager for MarTech, you'll oversee the development and implementation of marketing technology programs. In this role, you'll work closely with marketing, sales, and IT teams to ensure you deliver programs on time and within budget. You'll also develop training materials and support project managers during the rollout of new programs.

2. MarTech project manager

Average annual salary (Canada): $87,667

As a MarTech project manager, you'll organize your team and get them on track to deliver a successful marketing project. Here are some tips on how to do that:

1. Define the scope of the project. Determine the goals and objectives of your project. Be as specific as possible.

2. Create a project plan. This should include a timeline, milestones, and tasks for each team member.

3. Communicate with your team regularly. Keep everyone updated on the status of the project and any necessary changes.

4. Make sure everyone is working towards the same goal. Hold team members accountable for their tasks and help them stay focused on the end goal.

3. Marketing technology product owner

Average annual salary (Canada): $96,553 

As the marketing technology product owner, you're responsible for your product's strategy, roadmap, and execution. Being well-versed in everything related to marketing technology and able to make intelligent decisions can help your product succeed.

You'll work closely with other teams to ensure they integrate your product into their workflow and use it effectively. As the product owner, you'll also want to keep track of the competition and be able to quickly adapt your product accordingly. With so much responsibility, it’s essential to have a clear vision for your product and know exactly what your team needs to do to succeed.

4. Marketing technologist

Average annual salary (Canada): $75,436 

Marketing technologists use technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing campaigns and initiatives. You'll work with marketers and IT professionals to ensure they use data correctly to achieve the desired results.

5. Digital marketing operations

Average annual salary (Canada): $56,833 

Digital marketing operations encompass the strategic planning, execution, and measurement of digital marketing campaigns. As a digital marketing operations professional, you'll manage all aspects of a campaign from start to finish, including budgeting, target audience research, content creation, asset development, lead generation, and reporting.

Strong technological skills in digital marketing and the ability to think creatively and solve problems can help you succeed in this role. 

6. Marketing automation specialist

Average annual salary (Canada): $72,458 

Marketing automation involves automating segmenting customers, generating leads, and managing campaigns. With marketing automation, you can target your audience more precisely, making your marketing efforts more effective. You can also save time by automating repetitive tasks, like email marketing. With the right tools, you can even measure the ROI of your marketing campaigns in real time.

7. Marketing database architect

Average annual salary (Canada): $102,317 

As a marketing database architect, you'll design and manage databases that store customer data. Solid technical skills and experience in database design and development can help you in this job.

8. Marketing automation developer

Average annual salary (Canada): $80,382 

As a marketing developer, you'll connect different marketing software applications. Strong software and business analysis skills and experience in software development and integration can aid you in this position.

9. Marketing analytics, insights, and science professional

Annual salary (Canada): $71,814

A marketing analytics professional collects and analyzes data to help inform marketing decisions. You’ll use data to understand how customers interact with a brand, what campaigns are most effective, and where opportunities exist for improvement. 

Possessing strong analytical skills and experience working with data can help you succeed in this role. You’ll also need to communicate your findings to non-technical audiences effectively.

10. Marketing tech business analyst

Average annual salary (Canada): $109,391

As a marketing tech business analyst, you'll analyze data, help design marketing strategies, and make campaign decisions. You may work on understanding the best technology to use in process flows. Strong analytical skills and understanding of complex data sets can be assets in this position. Communicating clearly with both technical and non-technical staff can also be a plus.

11. Scrum master

Average annual salary (Canada): $96,523 

As a MarTech Scrum master, you lead and coordinate Scrum teams to deliver quality software and other products. You'll work with other Scrum masters, product owners, and developers, ensuring they complete each objective on time and within budget. In addition, you'll make sure the team adheres to the Scrum process and best practices.

12. Growth hacker

Average annual salary (Canada): $54,464 

A MarTech growth hacker uses marketing and technology to grow a company. In this role, you’re responsible for finding new and innovative ways to market and grow a company using technology.

13. Marketing operations

Average annual salary (Canada): $64,990 

Marketing operations roles manage and execute marketing campaigns. Tasks may include planning, budgeting, execution, measurement, and more.

When done correctly, marketing operations can help you do the following:

• Save time by automating repetitive tasks

• Get better results from your campaigns by optimizing performance

• Make better decisions by tracking campaign performance data 

14. Account executive SaaS MarTech platform

Average annual salary (Canada): $94,812 

As an account executive for a SaaS MarTech platform, your job is to help your clients maximize the platform's features. This may involve tutorials and demonstrations, telephone and email support, and developing bespoke setups to meet customer needs.

Industries that use MarTech

Many different industries use MarTech. Here are just a few examples:

• Retail: Retailers use MarTech to help understand their customers better and target them with more relevant ads and offers.

• Health care: Health care providers use MarTech to improve patient engagement and track outcomes.

• Financial services: Banks and other financial institutions use MarTech to fight fraud, cross-sell, and improve customer service.

• Travel: Airlines and hotels use MarTech to personalize their customers' travel experiences and improve loyalty programs.

How to get started with MarTech

Do you want to get started in MarTech but need help figuring out where to start? Some degree, experience, jobs, training, and certification requirements are here.

• Degree: A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for many MarTech positions. However, depending on the specific job, you may be able to get into entry-level roles with a college diploma or even just a high school diploma.

• Experience: Many entry-level MarTech jobs require previous experience in a related field, such as marketing or IT. However, with the proper knowledge and skills, you may find a job without any prior experience.

• Target jobs: Many MarTech jobs exist, from entry-level to senior management. Some job titles include marketing analyst, business information manager, digital marketing manager, head of marketing technology, and marketing automation specialist. Find job specifications and the required application criteria to build your resume toward your target roles.

• Training: Most MarTech jobs require previous training, either on the job or through formal online or in-person training courses. However, getting hired without formal training is possible if you have the correct skill set.

• Certification: While not required for all MarTech positions, relevant certifications or courses, such as Marketing Technology Practitioner, can enhance your skills in the job market and show potential employers that you're serious about your career. 

Learn more about MarTech.

You'll find plenty of online resources if you're interested in learning more about MarTech. The great thing about MarTech is that it’s constantly changing. New tools and technologies continually emerge, creating opportunities for those willing to learn.

One great way to get started is by taking a course on Coursera. You might consider Google's Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate or the Marketing Analytics: Know Your Customers course offered by Macquarie University.