Faced with corporate demands for quick payback and improved advertising performance but no additional headcount or media opportunities, marketers have no choice but to optimize their existing programs. This means using data more effectively, MacDonald said, which is easier said than done because most large organizations view web analytics as a tool to optimize the web experience, nothing else.

MacDonald shared examples of organizations that have achieved 20 percent to 25 percent improvements in branding or conversions through optimization of paid and organic search, display and search and offline and online. He recommended following a maturity model that includes:

• Consolidating programs into a Digital Center of Excellence

• Conducting extensive testing

• Substantially increasing investments in web analytics environments by substantial amounts.

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