Benefits, challenges and future developments in digital analytics in German-speaking countries. An empirical analysis

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a survey, conducted in 2020, to gauge the current standing of digital analytics in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The findings highlight the increasing maturity level, benefits, challenges and future developments in the field. The research confirms that digital analytics supports the analysis and optimisation of digital marketing campaigns, user experience, search engine marketing and data-driven decisions. For many of the companies analysed, the most important challenges were reported to be data quality, lack of skills and data culture; however, maturity level, capabilities, agility and professionalism in digital analytics are steadily increasing, and artificial intelligence is enjoying many new and different applications within the fields of sales and marketing. These findings suggest that companies in German-speaking countries should focus on improving data quality and data culture.