Marketing operations is a function that implements data-driven reporting, defines processes, and oversees technology implementations and automated workflows. 

Marketing operations plays a critical role within marketing and sales teams, especially those implementing an account-based marketing strategy.

Reporting & measuring the impact on marketing activities

Marketing operations assists marketing teams with setting up analytics and reporting on marketing activity. For example, marketing operations assists with identifying key performance indicators (KPIs). 

Along with KPIs, marketing operations helps provide reporting tools and benchmarks to help marketing teams accurately measure their KPI goals. Marketing operations identifies data points that can be shared throughout the organization, including with other teams such as sales.

By setting up effective reporting and KPIs, marketing operations helps quantify the value of marketing activity. Marketing operations can give guidance on whether marketing campaigns are effective and which data points to optimize for future campaigns.

Defining processes & goals throughout marketing activities

Marketing operations creates alignment and order within marketing activities. Marketing teams are assisted in setting goals for marketing campaigns. Also, when collaborating with external agencies, marketing operations helps communicate the goals and plans for marketing campaigns. 

For example, marketing operations helps determine which capabilities will be managed in-house versus by external agencies. When both in-house and external teams are leveraged for a particular task or campaign, marketing operations helps define boundaries for tasks between in-house and external agencies.

Overseeing technology implementations & automated workflows

Marketing operations helps to plan any operational steps needed for technology investment, including onboarding, integration, and adoption within the organization. Marketing operations helps implement marketing technology that automates processes, personalizes interactions, coordinates actions, etc. 

Marketing operations helps build a marketing technology system that fits an organization and its goals. For example, oftentimes, marketing technology needs to integrate with the broader organization, such as sales platforms or relationship management (CRM) platforms. 

To build a proper marketing technology system, marketing operations assesses current technology and pinpoints any gaps in current marketing technology. Then, marketing operations assists in piloting and onboarding new technology for marketing teams by ensuring the new technology fits an organization’s needs and integrates with current systems and processes.