GetResponse, the global innovator in digital and email marketing, in partnership with global research firm Demand Metric, announced the results of the “2019 Funnel Friction Benchmark Study.” The study, conducted from June–July 2019, analyzes the current state of the marketing funnel. The survey results reveal how much friction is in today’s marketing funnel, where it most commonly appears, and the degree to which marketing automation reduces or eliminates this friction.

The study is based on an analysis of 284 survey respondents, the majority of whom are professional marketers at B2B and B2C companies and agencies. The survey identified and measured the marketing tactics that are most and least effective for moving prospects through the funnel. These tactics include content marketing, email marketing, events, paid, earned and owned media, search, social media, and video marketing.

Below are key findings from the study.

  • Fewer than 30% of marketers have a precise understanding of the ROI on their marketing funnel.
  • The top of the marketing funnel was rated as the best performing and the middle section was found to be the least performing.
  • When marketing tactics are automated, performance almost doubles with the biggest performance gains coming in the middle of the funnel. However, less than 20% of marketers reported full automation for any part of their marketing funnel.
  • Integrating marketing tactics within the funnel has a powerful impact on campaign performance. The top and middle sections of the funnel saw a 3X improvement and the bottom of the funnel saw a 2X improvement.
  • With the exception of two channels, email, and referral marketing, the use of marketing tactics decreases as the customer moves from the top to the bottom of the funnel. 
  • Email marketing saw the most consistent and heaviest use throughout the funnel followed by referral marketing, which includes customer testimonials and case studies, peer review sites and word-of-mouth.