The marketing sector today is more digitally-focused than ever, and it has to be in order to keep up with the changing behavior patterns of customers. Audiences are now active across a wide variety of platforms, and keeping up with these and tailoring your messaging for all of them is becoming ever-more complex.
Therefore, a wide variety of technology solutions have emerged to take the hassle out of this and give marketing pros a better chance of successfully reaching their target audience.
However, this can create some confusion. While there are a wide range of technologies available for these professionals to use, you might hear them referred to as either MarTech or AdTech, and it may not always be clear what the difference is between the two, or why any distinction matters.
Marketing technology (MarTech) and advertising technology (AdTech) are indeed closely related, and at first glance there appears to be a significant degree of crossover between the two.
However, the differences are more than a matter of terminology, as the two areas have distinct roles to play in a comprehensive marketing strategy. They’ll have their own platforms and ways of operating, so understanding the difference between them is vital in choosing the right solutions.
In general terms, MarTech refers to the technology used to develop and execute a digital marketing strategy, including elements such as lead generation, nurturing and conversion.
Some of the common technology tools used as a part of this include:
Learn more: Which Marketing Tools Does Your Business Need?
AdTech, on the other hand, usually refers to tools used for paid digital advertising. In the same way that advertising generally can be viewed as a subset of marketing, so AdTech is a subcategory of MarTech - but as it focuses on more specific solutions, the terms shouldn't be used interchangeably. Some key technologies that fall under the AdTech banner include:
To stay ahead of your competition and get more value from your digital advertising, it's important that you're up to date with the latest AdTech trends.
Learn more: MarTech vs Marketing Automation: What’s the Difference?
Understanding the differences between the two helps ensure your strategy is working as efficiently as possible. It means you'll be better able to assign resources and budget within your departments, run campaigns using the right platforms, and develop a holistic approach that covers all your bases. Here are some of the key things you need to know about:
At a high level, AdTech is focused on creating better, more relevant and more targeted advertising campaigns. It means identifying which approaches and platforms will work best, gathering analytics from campaigns and ensuring your paid marketing efforts are in getting front of the right people.
MarTech, on the other hand, is more about cultivating and improving leads, driving conversions and developing relationships with both new and existing customers. It covers elements like
AdTech means paid media, which could include: