The document summarizes the results of a survey of 340 Canadian companies about their digital marketing behaviors and strategies. It finds that while most companies have begun engaging in digital marketing, few have clear strategies or dedicate sufficient resources to it. Most lack an understanding of their target audiences and goals. The top barriers to further digital adoption are budget and staffing constraints. The document provides recommendations for developing a digital strategy, focusing on audience knowledge, building expert teams, implementing initiatives, and measuring success.

1. Research Results – 2013
DIGITAL
MARKETING
in Canada
brought to you by…
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#DigitalCanada2013

2. Digital Marketing
has become increasingly critical
as we continue to progress toward
a truly social, communicative,
and technology-driven world.
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#DigitalCanada2013

3. Conversations about
Digital Marketing
are prevalent,
however the Canadian perspective
has remained evasive
until now…
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#DigitalCanada2013

4. 340
PEOPLE
from across Canada
shared their organizations’
digital marketing
behaviour with us.
23%
B.C.
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#DigitalCanada2013
7%
Prairies
45%
Ontario
12%
Quebec
5%
Atlantic

5. 50%
ARE
50%
ARE
B2B
(Business
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#DigitalCanada2013
Business)
B2C
(Business
Consumer)

6. Financial Services
Retail
Non-Profit/NGO
Education
We gathered
people from a diverse
set of industries
Advertising/Marketing
Media and Technology
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#DigitalCanada2013
Health
Manufacturing

7. And from a range of business sizes:
60%
1-100 employees
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#DigitalCanada2013
40%
100+ employees

8. Here’s what we
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found…

9. of Canadian companies’ total
marketing budget is dedicated to
DIGITAL
EFFORTS
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#DigitalCanada2013

10. 36%
reported an increased
digital marketing budget,
compared to 2012
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59%
said the percentage
allocated to digital marketing
will remain the same

11. The belief is that digital is for
driving leads and maintaining relevancy
58%
Bringing in new business/leads
54%
Staying relevant
It is another form of
advertising
The digital space allows for a
strong brand development
Creating engaging content
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43%
34%
33%

12. OVER
80%
experienced at least one
barrier while attempting to
embrace digital marketing
TOP BARRIERS
46%
Finding the budget
39%
Dedicating internal human resources
20%
Customers aren’t typically online
Getting senior management on board
Don’t know how to get started
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#DigitalCanada2013
19%
15%

13. 4 out of 10
feel they are all over social media,
email marketing, & search marketing
(selected 4/5 on 5 point scale)
3 out of 10
feel they are all over content marketing
(selected 4/5 on 5 point scale)
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#DigitalCanada2013

14. social channels used:
25%
social communication
33%
48%
54%
believe they have
wholeheartedly embraced
60%
top platforms
employed:
42%
only 1 channel
21%
none
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#DigitalCanada2013
more likely B2B
37%
more likely B2B
multiple channels

15. 48%
use a mix of in-house
and outsourcing
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43%
create all of their content
in-house

16. Compared to 2012, resources dedicated to
social media efforts have remained the same for over
of Canadian companies
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#DigitalCanada2013

17. Whenever
present,
increases
in resources
were largely
internal
ventures
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#DigitalCanada2013

18. Canadian businesses want to know the results
of their social media endeavours – finding and
demonstrating the ROI is a common query.
Why be
social
at all?
What is the best
balance
of resources?
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#DigitalCanada2013
Can we
SELL
through
social media?
How can we maximize
what we are doing
efficiently and with the
best reach?
Is it reaching the
desired
audience?

19. Only 34% agree
(selected 4/5 on 5 point scale)
they have a good sense of
the people they are targeting
via social media
And only 19% agree
(selected 4/5 on 5 point scale)
they have completed research
to understand their
social media audiences
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#DigitalCanada2013

20. Only 20%
of companies
have a robust
digital strategy
& Only 30%
have the skills in-house
to build a digital strategy
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#DigitalCanada2013

21. However, Canadian businesses
don’t feel they need an overhaul… only
FOURTEEN PERCENT
agree with the statement:
“We’re there, but we’re in need
of a refreshed approach”
(selected 4/5 on 5 point scale)
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#DigitalCanada2013

22. So…
where does this
leave us?
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#DigitalCanada2013

23. Most Canadian companies
are lacking
in
HIGH-LEVEL
GOALS.
Many have started the
digital marketing journey,
but are lacking a clear strategy
to guide them.
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#DigitalCanada2013

24. Relevancy and brand building requires
a keen understanding of your audience.
Knowing where to be and
how to use new technologies
has been the focus;
but few businesses know exactly
WHO
their audience is and
HOW
to engage them.
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#DigitalCanada2013

25. Despite the pace and need for
a honed digital approach,
there has yet to be a priority set on
budget or human resources.
Core resources needed to embrace digital
are the biggest barriers to increased
digital marketing activation.
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26. What can
YOU
do about it?
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27. 1
2
3
4
5
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#DigitalCanada2013
Digital requires a strategy, but you’re not
starting from scratch.
Know the people that matter most to you.
Build a team, leveraging internal
and external expertise.
Implement and remain committed
by empowering your team.
Measuring for success allows you
to listen, act, and experiment.

28. Digital requires a strategy,
but you’re not starting from scratch.
• hen designing a digital strategy, align it with your overarching
W
marketing strategy, all of which should be directly aligned with
core business objectives.
• onsider how each channel is responsible for achieving goals and
C
objectives, and the overall ROI.
• esign KPIs that suit the channel and the tactics, consider the tangible
D
and the intangible outcomes.
• se your digital strategy as a tool to onboard new partners and
U
employees working in the space, and on all levels, from senior
leadership to interns.
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#DigitalCanada2013

29. people
Know the
that matter most to you.
• Do your homework, get to know your audience.
• nderstand what it means to be authentic and relevant
U
to your audience.
• etermine why they want to engage with you. What part
D
of your story is most compelling?
• etermine the expectations your audience has placed on you
D
with regards to the dynamic they have with you.
• uild a program that allows for ideation, community growth,
B
innovation and advocacy. This means giving customers a
platform to contribute to new ideas built within the company.
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#DigitalCanada2013

30. Build a team,
leveraging internal
and external expertise.
• onsider looking at resources across departments and with varying
C
levels of experience to develop a team.
• onsider how external partners can ignite and inspire the team with
C
information and strategic direction.
• onsider how external partners could work as a support system to aid
C
the internal team in their goals and objectives — what can be done in-house?
What can be out-sourced? How do they work together to get the job done?
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31. Implement and
remain committed
by empowering your team.
• nvest in your website as your best performing sales tool.
I
• Build a web presence plan, focused on search, content and social.
• e a thought leader by educating your prospects and sharing your story.
B
• rive leads through well written content, share, and then repeat!
D
• Empower your employees by encouraging them to connect and share.
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#DigitalCanada2013

32. Measuring for
success allows you to listen,
act, and experiment.
• onsider how a social media, web presence and content monitoring
C
platform can aid in assessing success.
• hen you know what you want to measure, use a KPI (key performance
W
indicators) dashboard for ease of reporting and quick glances at progress.
• each out to your community, either through a structured out-reach
R
program or via your social platforms, and give them an opportunity to
provide feedback on what’s working, and what’s not.
• e open minded and ready to adapt. That’s the beauty of digital … adjust as
B
needed. Everything is measurable with solid analytics.
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33. You need
digital marketing experts
to guide you through unknown territory.
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#DigitalCanada2013

34. You need social
communication
research
that informs your digital strategy.
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#DigitalCanada2013

35. Because if
you’re going to DO IT,
you might as well
DO IT WELL…
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#DigitalCanada2013

36. Marc Hill
Founder and CEO
www.bedigitalgiants.com
marc@bedigitalgiants.com
@bedigitalgiants
Caroline Wilson
Managing Director
www.vireoresearch.com
caroline@vireoresearch.com
@carolinevireo
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#DigitalCanada2013

37. Today is a good day to
GET STARTED!
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#DigitalCanada2013

38. DIGITAL
MARKETING
in Canada
brought to you by…
www.vireoresearch.com
www.bedigitalgiants.com
design by…
www.designcabin.ca
#DigitalCanada2013