![](/sites/default/files/media/image/2025-05/Blog%20Graphic-Drupal_Why%20Integration%20and%20Innovation%20Are%20The%20Keys%20To%20Growth_2.svg) Image ![Jennifer Griffin Smith Headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/post_content_attribution_headshot/public/media/image/2024-09/Employee%20Headshot_Jennifer%20Griffin%20Smith_Gray_WEB.png?h=ba226ffe&itok=pr-jwqaO) [Jennifer Griffin Smith](/about-us/team/jennifer-griffin-smith) Chief Market Officer Acquia ## Collection [Thought Leadership](/blog/series/thought-leadership) Optimize your Martech stack to increase effectiveness and ROI [Get the Guide](/resources/guide/taming-chaos-optimize-martech-stacks-increase-effectiveness-and-roi) Marketing Automation # The Future of MarTech: Why Integration and Innovation Are The Keys To Growth September 11, 2025 4 minute read [Share this blog post on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.acquia.com/blog/future-martech-why-integration-and-innovation-are-keys-growth) [Share this blog post on Twitter ]() [Share this blog post via Email ]() New research shows how marketing leaders are driving efficiency and growth by consolidating tools, embracing AI, and prioritizing integrated solutions ![](/sites/default/files/media/image/2025-05/Blog%20Graphic-Drupal_Why%20Integration%20and%20Innovation%20Are%20The%20Keys%20To%20Growth_2.svg) ## Collection : [Thought Leadership](/blog/series/thought-leadership) The marketing technology landscape is in flux. With [new tools](/blog/how-to-map-your-marketing-technology "How to Map Your Marketing Technology"), platforms, and AI-driven solutions entering the scene on an almost daily basis, marketers face the growing challenge of a fragmented tech stack that’s expensive, inefficient, and hard to manage. But there’s a clear path forward. In partnership with BWG Global, Acquia surveyed 60 U.S.-based professionals across marketing, brand, and web development to better understand how organizations are navigating today’s complex MarTech environment. The findings are clear: the [future of MarTech](/blog/what-is-martech "What Is Martech? A Guide to Marketing Technologies") hinges on **integration and innovation**. ## **Marketers Are Refocusing On Fundamentals** At the beginning of 2025, companies listed their top strategic priorities as: - **Customer Acquisition (57%)** - **Customer Retention (52%)** - **Digital Transformation (47%)** --- What are your top strategic priorities for 2025? Image ![Bar graph representing: Customer Acquisition at 57%, customer retention at 52%, digital transformation at 47%, brand awareness at 35%, other at 2%](/sites/default/files/media/image/2025-05/What%20are%20your%20top%20strategic%20priorities%20for%202025.svg) --- These goals are directly shaping how marketing teams evaluate their tech investments. Tools that enable [measurable ROI](/blog/digital-experience-optimization "Maximize ROI On Digital Marketing Spend With Digital Experience Optimization"), better customer engagement, and seamless digital experiences are rising to the top. Because of these priorities, marketers are doubling down on technologies that enable fast, flexible, content-rich digital experiences. ## **Integration Is a Business Imperative** Our research with BWG underscores a widespread pain point: **93% of marketing professionals say fragmented MarTech stacks limit efficiency and scale**. The result is disconnected workflows, rising costs, and inconsistent customer experiences. It’s no surprise that **70% of organizations are now prioritizing vendor consolidation**. Here's why integration matters more than ever: --- What are primary drivers for consolidating platforms? Image ![Bar graph representing: Integration capabilities at 77%, lower total cost of ownership (TCO) at 72%, ease of use at 60%, security at 43%, faster time to market at 23%, other at 3%](/sites/default/files/media/image/2025-05/What%20are%20primary%20drivers%20for%20consolidating%20platforms.svg) --- ### Simplified Operations Consolidating tools gives marketers a unified view of data and performance. **77%** of respondents cited integration capabilities as a top priority. ### Lower Total Cost of Ownership Disparate tools mean duplicate functionality and ballooning tech budgets. **72%** of respondents report that [integrated solutions](/blog/how-open-platform-increases-marketing-roi-connecting-acquia-cdp-and-salesforce-marketing-cloud "How an Open Platform Increases Marketing ROI: Connecting Acquia CDP and Salesforce Marketing Cloud") help reduce licensing, maintenance, and upgrade costs. ### Better User Experience Whether internal or customer-facing, integrated platforms remove friction. **68%** of respondents say user experience is a top priority, and **60%** value ease of use, favoring platforms that empower teams without heavy IT support. ### Stronger Collaboration Integrated systems promote alignment across marketing, IT, and operations, accelerating execution and improving campaign accuracy. ## **Innovation Is Reshaping The MarTech Stack** Integration is only one part of the equation. Leading organizations are also leaning into innovation by using advanced tools to elevate performance, personalization, and productivity. ### **The Rise of AI in Marketing** The adoption of [generative AI](/events/webinars/leveraging-generative-ai-dam-2024-practical-guide-success "Leveraging Generative AI & DAM in 2024: A Practical Guide to Success") is surging, with **two-thirds of the surveyed companies already leveraging AI tools.** These tools are enhancing marketing efficiency and customer insights, driving results like reduced costs, improved personalization, and more dynamic content creation. According to the BWG research: - **60% of respondents** use AI to reduce marketing costs and improve efficiency - **55% of respondents** use AI to gain deeper customer insights - AI is actively being used to [optimize SEO](/products/acquia-content-optimization "Acquia Content Optimization | Conductor Partnership"), personalize campaigns, and automate tasks like social media and content generation ### Barriers to AI Adoption Despite the enthusiasm, some challenges to adaption remain, including: - Data Privacy Concerns (53%) - Uncertainty about the Accuracy of AI-Generated Content (45%) - Fear of Losing Human Touch in Creative Messaging (45%) Marketers must strike the right balance by using AI to enhance, not replace, the human touch. Transparency, governance, and responsible AI use will be key differentiators moving forward. ### Empowering Marketers With Self-Service Tools The push for autonomy is also accelerating. 70% of marketing teams now prefer tools they can manage independently, without waiting on IT support. Top benefits of self-service tools include: - Faster Campaign Execution (67%) - Reduced Dependency on IT (63%) - Improved Targeting and Segmentation That said, self-service doesn’t mean self-contained. Teams still need platforms that are secure, scalable, and built to integrate within a broader ecosystem. ### **Realigning MarTech to Unlock Growth** Today's high-performing marketing organizations are realigning their stacks around four core principles:: 1. Seamless integration 2. User-friendly design 3. Data-driven intelligence 4. Cost-effective scalability To achieve these outcomes, many are turning to SaaS. **75% of respondents favor SaaS platforms** over no-code tools. SaaS platforms provide enterprise-grade scalability, security, and advanced features without the technical complexity of building and maintaining in-house tools. ## **The Bottom Line: Simplify, Innovate, Win** As we look at 2025 and beyond, the most successful marketing teams will be those that embrace both **integration** and **innovation**. By investing in integrated, AI-powered, and intuitive platforms, organizations can increase efficiency, boost engagement, and respond more quickly to changing market dynamics. **Ready to future-proof your marketing stack?** Look for solutions that reduce complexity while unlocking smarter, faster, and more connected experiences. The future of MarTech is clear. Image ![Jennifer Griffin Smith Headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/post_content_attribution_headshot/public/media/image/2024-09/Employee%20Headshot_Jennifer%20Griffin%20Smith_Gray_WEB.png?h=ba226ffe&itok=pr-jwqaO) [Jennifer Griffin Smith](/about-us/team/jennifer-griffin-smith) Chief Market Officer Acquia Jennifer Griffin Smith is an international marketing executive with 20+ years of experience in go-to-market strategies and corporate communications for technology companies. She has held CMO positions at Brightcove, Alfresco, and Workhuman. [Share this blog post on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.acquia.com/blog/future-martech-why-integration-and-innovation-are-keys-growth) [Share this blog post on Twitter ]() [Share this blog post via Email ]() ## Keep Reading [View More Resources](/resources) [Image ![](/sites/default/files/media/image/2025-05/Blog%20Graphic-Drupal_The%20Homepage%20is%20dead_1.svg) Blog Article 5 min ###### The Homepage as We Know it Will Soon be Dead! The website of the future will adapt to each individual visitor, whether they are human or AI agent. 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