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Stuart O'Brien

ANALYTICS MONTH: What are the website metrics that matter in 2025?
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For years, bounce rate was a go-to metric for understanding user engagement. But in 2025, bounce rate alone is no longer sufficient, or even particularly useful, for marketers aiming to make data-led decisions in a complex, multichannel environment…

The rise of content-rich landing pages, single-page applications (SPAs), and mobile-first browsing habits has rendered bounce rate increasingly misleading. A user who reads an entire long-form article or interacts with a product configurator, without navigating away, might still count as a ‘bounce’. That’s why forward-thinking marketers are shifting focus to more nuanced engagement signals.

Scroll depth is one such metric. It provides visibility into how far down a user scrolls on a page, offering insight into whether content is actually being consumed. Combined with dwell time (the length of time a user remains on a page before returning to the search results) this paints a more complete picture of content effectiveness and user interest.

Interaction tracking is also taking centre stage. Using modern analytics tools, marketers can now monitor clicks on key page elements (like videos, downloads, accordions, or chat widgets) to understand what drives action. These micro-conversions are becoming more valuable in shaping content strategy and CRO experiments than traditional clickthrough rates alone.

Another rising star in the engagement toolkit is content velocity, which measures how quickly and frequently users consume multiple pieces of content in a single session. This is especially relevant for B2B marketers who rely on resource hubs or thought leadership libraries to build trust and guide buyers through long decision cycles.

Perhaps most importantly in 2025 is the use of intent scoring, an AI-driven composite measure that combines time-on-site, repeat visits, page flow, and behavioural triggers to rank visitors by purchase or lead potential. Intent scoring is rapidly gaining traction in both ecommerce and lead-gen environments, allowing marketers to prioritise remarketing efforts and personalise onsite experiences in real-time.

Adopting these more advanced engagement metrics requires modern analytics platforms, often integrated with CDPs, CRMs, and marketing automation tools, to connect the dots between traffic and outcomes. But the payoff is clear: a more accurate understanding of what users find valuable, what content resonates, and where to invest digital budget next.

Are you searching for Analytics solutions for your organisation? The Digital Marketing Solutions Summit can help!

Photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash

Why M&S’s viral dessert sandwich highlights the value of crisis comms in restoring consumer trust
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UK retail has been under fire this year, with numerous major cyberattacks disrupting operations and exposing customer data across many high-profile brands. Marks & Spencer was no exception, struck by a significant ransomware attack over the Easter weekend that caused two months of fallout, disruption to online and payment lines and a £300m loss in market value – described as the most financially damaging cyberattack ever suffered by a UK retailer.

However, where M&S has grappled with the fallout in losing customer trust, the viral success of a limited-edition Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme Sandwich may just have turned the tide of customer opinion around. Pushing through a breach that has cost millions and shaken consumer confidence, the Wimbledon-inspired treat has captured public imagination, sparked a surprising VAT tax debate, and offered M&S a fresh burst of positive publicity amid ongoing challenges.

“When it comes to customer expectations, trust is hard won and easily lost, especially in the retail sector,” says Richard Merrin, CEO at Spreckley Partners and crisis communications expert. “For a brand in crisis management mode for a long time, a breakthrough in changing the narrative has done wonders in shifting focus and restoring trust.”

“No business is immune to a cyberattack, and recent activity has highlighted that everyone is a target,” adds Merrin. “For retailers, the operational disruption outweighs the damage from data loss. The attacks caused weeks of downtime, placing significant strain on customer loyalty. Understanding that reputation is a strategic asset to be managed and providing a proactive front with customer support and executive visibility has been key to mitigating the damages long-term.

“Lessons can be learnt from the level of communication and acknowledgement. M&S’s strong, visible leadership response was initially reassuring to affected customers, but an initial delay in acknowledgement meant shoppers were already suffering over the initial weekend of the attack. Communicating quickly in the event of a cyberattack is important when it comes to customer data.”

“Quirky food combinations have historically had PR success,” says Merrin. “For consumer retail, an unusual product can quickly pique interest, either being an exotic treat, a play on the expected or just a unique tasting experience – and this ticks all three. Any sense of controversy works in line with the premise of the product itself, and we can see extensive national coverage pushing down more negative stories in search results as the conversation moves on through the summer.

“The success of this PR campaign has helped shift the narrative surrounding the retailer. Most importantly, organic hype behind a quirky product has helped catapult it across social media lines for a quirky taste test. This lightning-in-a-bottle food craze cannot be expected for everything, but the rollout displays the value of a smart, targeted rollout to quickly get your customer base talking.

“For more luxury retail brands facing a customer fallout, the buyer base in itself is likely to be more forgiving if you’re able to quickly provide an exclusive product to appease them. Love or hate it, people are going to talk about it, and if they’re talking about this they’ve already moved on from your past mistakes.”

“Cybersecurity and brand resilience are now inseparable,” Merrin concludes. “If your cyber isn’t in place, your brand is sure to suffer in the event of an attack. However, creative approaches to consumer trends such as that demonstrated by M&S can mean the difference between bouncing back from a bad situation or letting it crumple your business completely. Keeping a thumb on the pulse of what your end buyer is going to remember is important to reestablishing and retaining trust. After all, the customer is always right.”

Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash

Why the traditional agency model has to change
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By Deema Tamimi, VP of Marketing, Creatopy

Advertising has always evolved with technology. But right now, the pace of change is exposing cracks in a system that’s long overdue for an overhaul. The traditional agency model, once the go-to for brand-building and campaign execution, is increasingly unfit for how marketing actually happens today.

Rigid processes, fragmented workflows and challenges adapting quickly to digital demands mean many agencies are struggling. Meanwhile, the needs of brands and marketing teams have shifted. Speed, integration and performance are non-negotiable. Too often, legacy structures simply can’t deliver consistently.

Modern marketing is overloaded and agencies are increasingly unable to reduce the burden. There are now tools for every stage of the campaign lifecycle: strategy, research, creative, launch, optimization and reporting. None of them talk to each other particularly well. Agencies, instead of simplifying the picture, often end up adding another layer of complexity.

That’s because many still operate in silos. A creative agency handles messaging. A media agency sets up campaigns. A data agency pulls performance reports. The result is a chain of handovers, each generates its own approval processes and communication gaps. For in-house teams trying to move quickly, it’s like dragging a parachute.

A broken flywheel

The advertising process today can be described as a flywheel with too many broken spokes. You start with inspiration – moodboards, trend research, competitive analysis – then comes the creative i.e. assets, messaging and concepts. Following that is the campaign build and launch. Then performance tracking, analysis and reporting.

At each stage, there’s a separate platform, a different team and a new login. Often, creative teams have little visibility of what’s actually performing. Analysts don’t routinely speak to copywriters and media buyers can’t feed back into concept development. The cycle should be continuous and self-improving but, in practice, it’s clunky and disjointed.

This is where traditional agencies are hitting a wall. Most only touch one part of that flywheel. And when everything’s fragmented, marketers end up playing project manager – connecting the dots, translating insights, chasing updates and re-briefing creatives.

What’s working instead

Some newer players are approaching things differently. Rather than specializing in just one area, they’re focused on solving for the whole process. That means building or integrating tools across all stages of the campaign lifecycle – ideation, creation, launch and measurement – and designing systems that let those stages inform each other.

AI is playing a big role in making that possible and helping to simplify workflows and speed up delivery. Used well, it can streamline campaign set-up, help tailor creative for specific audiences and turn performance data into immediate actions. The most effective platforms aren’t trying to replace marketers – they’re helping them do better work, faster.

There’s also a move towards AI tools trained specifically on advertising problems, rather than trying to make generic AI fit marketing needs. That shift, from toolkits to purpose-built systems, is what’s making these new models genuinely useful. Marketers don’t want, or need, more features. They want less noise, more clarity and outcomes that match their goals.

Where it’s going

The pressure on agencies isn’t just coming from clients. It’s structural. When internal marketing teams have access to platforms that can concept, launch and optimize campaigns in real time, the question becomes: what value is the agency adding?

That doesn’t mean agencies are obsolete. But it does mean the ones that survive will look very different. They’ll be embedded, flexible and tech-native. They’ll work across the full flywheel, not just one slice of it. And they’ll be judged on performance, not just output.

The old model, set piece campaigns, quarterly presentations and disconnected insights, is being replaced by something faster, leaner and more iterative. Agencies that can match the pace will be those that understand what marketing actually looks like today and are built to support it.

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

ANALYTICS MONTH: Privacy-first analytics and adapting to a cookie-less world
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With the gradual phase-out of third-party cookies and the tightening grip of data privacy regulations, marketers must pivot towards privacy-first analytics strategies…

At the heart of this transformation is the need for brands to maintain audience insights and campaign performance tracking while upholding user consent and data protection obligations. Traditional analytics methods, which heavily relied on third-party cookies for behavioural tracking, are no longer viable. Instead, marketers are embracing a new ecosystem built on trust, transparency, and first-party data.

One of the most prominent changes is the rise of server-side tracking. Unlike client-side cookies, server-side solutions allow brands to control and store data securely on their own servers. This approach not only ensures greater compliance with privacy laws but also improves data accuracy by mitigating the effects of ad blockers and browser restrictions.

In tandem, the use of customer data platforms (CDPs) and consent management platforms (CMPs) has grown exponentially. These tools enable marketers to collect, unify, and activate first-party data across digital touchpoints, while respecting user preferences and opt-ins. CDPs provide the backbone for personalisation and segmentation in a privacy-compliant manner, while CMPs ensure that user consent is clearly recorded and auditable.

Marketers are also rethinking their KPIs and attribution models. Instead of over-relying on clickstream data, many are incorporating aggregate-level insights, probabilistic modelling, and zero-party data, information that users intentionally share, such as preferences and survey responses. This shift requires a cultural change: moving from volume-based metrics to more nuanced, relationship-focused indicators.

Additionally, privacy-first web analytics tools, such as Plausible, Matomo, and Fathom, are gaining traction. These platforms offer GDPR-compliant tracking without storing personally identifiable information or using invasive cookie technologies, making them ideal for brands seeking full transparency with their users.

The transition isn’t without challenges. Data gaps, limited user identifiers, and increased complexity in campaign reporting are common pain points. However, early adopters are finding that privacy-first approaches foster stronger brand trust and improve long-term customer loyalty, an increasingly valuable asset in a crowded digital marketplace.

As we move further into 2025/26, digital marketing leaders will need to balance analytics sophistication with ethical data practices.

Are you searching for Analytics solutions for your organisation? The Digital Marketing Solutions Summit can help!

Photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash

CRO, Personalisation and SEO are the most in-demand e-commerce solutions in 2025
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Our exclusive research has revealed the solutions the UK’s leading e-commerce professionals are sourcing for their 2025 projects.

The findings have been revealed ahead of the upcoming eCommerce Forum, which takes place on July 10 in London and are based on delegate requirements at the event.

Delegates registering to attend were asked which areas they needed to invest in during 2025 and beyond.

Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO), Personalisation and SEO are all being sought by 52% of delegates, with Affiliate Marketing and CRM just behind on 48%.

The Top 3 marks an evolution from the last event, when Personalisation, Email Marketing and PPC led the list.

Most in-demand e-commerce products & solutions 2025(Top 10):

CRO

Personalisation

SEO

Affiliate Marketing

CRM

Customer Retention  & Loyalty

Content Management

AI Analytics

AI Applications

Email Marketing

Sarah Beall, Managing Director at Forum Events, said: “Our latest delegate research offers a powerful snapshot of where the UK’s e-commerce leaders are focusing their budgets and strategies for 2025. It’s clear that performance-driven priorities like CRO, personalisation and SEO remain firmly at the top of the agenda, but we’re also seeing growing interest in AI-powered analytics and customer loyalty solutions. The eCommerce Forum is designed to connect these senior decision-makers with the suppliers and innovations that can help deliver on their ambitions.”

To find out more about the eCommerce Forum, visit http://ecommerce-forum.co.uk.

Marketers feel supported by tools, but in highest percentile when it comes to switching jobs
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More than a third (36%) of people in the UK are currently in their dream role, and 68% feel fulfilled about their job. However, there are many still seeking the perfect career, with 14% claiming they aren’t fulfilled by their work and 29% in the marketing sector saying they would leave their position within the next 12 months if a new opportunity arose.

That’s according to Adobe Express, which conducted a study to find out the pros and cons of each industry, and how Brits are pursuing their dream roles and a happy work life.

In terms of age ranges, 50% of 18–24-year-olds feel that they are already in their dream roles, compared to 11% of 45-54-year-olds and 7% of 55-64-year-olds. The most fulfilled age range is 35-44 year-olds, with 19% claiming they are extremely fulfilled with their current work, 17% of 45-54-year-olds admit they are only slightly fulfilled.

At any workplace, a supporting company or employer can make a real difference to a positive and progressive outlook. In fact, 34% say work perks and benefits keep people motivated, whilst flexible working arrangements are the key to a good work-life balance for 28%. 21% say that their workplace supports their staff with new innovative tools and ways of working such as AI.

Adobe’s study reveals the industries that has the most people in their dream roles, as well as the best support:

  • The industry with the highest percentage of people working their dream roles is Information Technology (59%), followed by Business Consulting and Management (54%), Engineering and Manufacturing (54%) and Property and Construction (54%)
  • The industries with employees still searching for their dream roles are Media and internet (60%), Recruitment and HR (50%) and Public services and administration (38%).
  • 29% of people working in Marketing, Advertising and PR are likely to switch roles in the next 12 months for the right opportunity, the highest out of all industries.
  • A third of workers (33%) in Science and Pharmaceuticals and Law Enforcement and Security say they are extremely fulfilled by their work, the highest percentage out of all industries
  • 43% of people working in Marketing, advertising and PR feel supported by new innovative tools such as AI
  • 59% in business, consulting and management feel supported by their work perks and benefits
  • 40% of workers in Media and Internet said further support would help them achieve their career ambitions.

The happiest UK cities to work in

  • The city with the highest percentage of people working in their dream roles is Manchester (46%)
  • The city with the least amount of people in their dream roles is Edinburgh (33%)
  • 43% of people in Birmingham don’t have a dream role, whilst 13% of Londoners are undecided on what their dream role is
  • 32% of people in Sheffield would leave their roles in the next 12 months if a new opportunity arose
  • 40% of people in Belfast feel supported at work by innovative tools and ways of working such as AI
  • 43% of Glaswegians are currently extremely fulfilled in their role, the highest out of all cities, compared to 10% of Bristolians, who claim they are completely unfulfilled with their work
  • 80% of people in Belfast would leave their current role for a significant salary increase, whilst 60% are looking for more meaningful work, wanting to know their career is making a difference
  • 29% of people in Edinburgh say they don’t have the resources to find their dream role

Adobe Express conducted a national survey via TLF. The survey polled 1,000 UK adults between 24.04.2025 and 01.05.2025.

Photo by Rodeo Project Management Software on Unsplash

Time is running out to register for July’s eCommerce Forum
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On Thursday 10th July at the Hilton Canary Wharf, we’re bringing together the boldest minds, the most innovative suppliers and sought after decision makers for the next eCommerce Forum – and we’d love for you to confirm one of our last remaining delegate places.

Click Here To RSVP

Your place will be fully funded, and includes:

  • A series of 1-2-1 meetings with various suppliers based on your preferences
  • Numerous networking opportunities throughout the day
  • Hospitality throughout
  • Attendance to seminars hosted by leading industry thought leaders

The eCommerce Forum is bought to you by Forum Events using our award-winning platform for an exclusive experience with unforgettable conversations, in an atmosphere you’ll be talking about long after the event ends.

Don’t just hear about it from your peers, register today!

Survey indicates personalised marketing may not always be the best approach
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Stat of the day: Personalised marketing generates negative experiences for 53% of customers, who were 3.2x more likely to regret a purchase and 44% less likely to purchase again in the future.

A Gartner survey of 1,464 B2B buyers and consumers across North America, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand in November and December 2024 found that customers who experienced personalisation in a recent purchase journey were 1.8x more likely to pay a premium but were simultaneously 2x more likely to feel overwhelmed by the volume of information they received.

Moreover, they were 2.8x more likely to feel time pressure to move forward.

The paradox of personalization arises when customers switch tasks in their buying journey, such as transitioning from searching to selecting a product. This shift can be challenging for most consumers and B2B buyers. During these moments, personalised offers and product recommendations may fall short, as they appear irrelevant to buyers who are grappling with challenges more complex than the offer itself.

“While personalisation has proven to be commercially valuable for some customers, it’s crucial to recognise that it doesn’t resonate with most,” said Audrey Brosnan, Senior Director Analyst in the Gartner Marketing Practice. “More than half of customers feel overwhelmed or rushed by traditional personalization tactics at least once in a purchase journey, when cognitive, emotional and social challenges are difficult to resolve. Personalized offers at these moments can harm customers, highlighting the need for marketers to adopt more nuanced and adaptive strategies that cater to diverse customer needs, like escaping the pitfalls of task switching.”

“CMOs face an urgent strategic imperative to redesign personalization for the coming era of two-way, AI-enabled, conversational experiences,” said Brosnan. “Passive personalization tactics alone no longer suffice; they can inadvertently intensify the negative emotions that customers experience when trapped in decision-making pitfalls. CMOs must pivot toward active, course-changing personalisation that reveals customers’ hidden needs, validates their decisions and pulls them from pitfall to purchase.”

According to the research, course-changing personalisation significantly outperforms traditional “next best action” recommendations for customers in pitfalls. Active personalization empowers individuals to reflect, build confidence, and take decisive actions aligned with their authentic goals. Customers engaged via active personalization are 2.3x more likely to confidently complete critical purchase decisions, generating substantial improvement in customer satisfaction and marketing ROI.

By allowing customers to take control of their journey, organizations can create more meaningful interactions that challenge perspectives and build confidence. This approach is particularly effective in addressing the complex emotions customers experience in journey pitfalls, such as feelings of being rushed into, overwhelmed by, or dubious of passive personalization.

“Active personalization is a powerful new strategy for transforming customer engagement into strategic value,” said Brosnan. “By engaging customers directly, marketing leaders can use personalized experiences to not only improve satisfaction but also drive substantial improvements in ROI and future purchase potential. Even better, active personalization reduces customers’ apprehension over the creepiness of passive personalization. They understand why brands need the requested data, and they value the utility that active personalisation supplies in exchange.”

Photo by Lukas Müller on Unsplash

BRAND MONITORING MONTH: How to match the best solutions with your organisational needs
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In a digital landscape where brand perception can shift in real-time, brand monitoring has become an essential function for marketing leaders. With conversations happening across social media, forums, news sites, and review platforms, staying ahead of sentiment, identifying risks, and seizing engagement opportunities requires more than manual oversight, it demands intelligent, scalable tools. Selecting the right brand monitoring partner is a strategic decision…

1. Natural Language Processing (NLP) Accuracy

The ability to understand nuance, sarcasm, and context is key to accurate sentiment analysis. Leading platforms now use advanced NLP models, often trained on diverse datasets, to distinguish between genuine praise, subtle criticism, or neutral commentary. Marketing teams should test platforms across varied use cases, from crisis response to campaign tracking, to assess how well they interpret complex human language.

2. Multilingual and Regional Support

For UK-based brands with a global or multicultural audience, multilingual monitoring is vital. Solutions should cover not just major languages, but also regional dialects and colloquialisms. This ensures accurate sentiment tracking across different territories and improves relevance in domestic markets, especially in sectors like retail, entertainment, or travel.

3. Alerting and Sensitivity Settings

Real-time alerts are crucial during high-risk or high-interest periods, such as product launches, crises, or viral trends. A good platform should allow configurable alert sensitivity to avoid false positives while ensuring no critical mention goes unnoticed. Look for tools that support escalation rules, so alerts can be routed to the right team members based on topic, sentiment, or source.

4. Integration and Workflow Compatibility

Integration with CRM, social media management tools, and analytics platforms is increasingly important. Marketing leaders should favour vendors that offer open APIs, native integrations with tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, or Sprinklr, and compatibility with team collaboration platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams. This ensures insights flow into existing workflows rather than sit in silos.

5. Insight Visualisation and Reporting

Raw data is only valuable when it can be interpreted and acted on. Look for platforms with customisable dashboards that visualise sentiment trends, share of voice, influencer activity, and topic clustering in intuitive formats. Automated reporting and benchmarking features also help inform executive decision-making and track campaign effectiveness over time.

Brand monitoring is more than listening: it’s about proactive reputation management, customer engagement, and strategic insight. By prioritising platforms that combine linguistic intelligence with real-time responsiveness and seamless integration, marketing leaders can ensure their brands stay visible, valued, and vigilant in a fast-moving digital world.

Are you looking for Brand Monitoring solutions for your organisation? The Digital Marketing Solutions Summit can help!

Photo by Aman Pal on Unsplash

July 2025 is Website Analytics Month on Digital Marketing Briefing – Here’s how to get involved
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Each month on Digital Marketing Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on different parts of the marketing sector – and in July we’ll be focussing on Analytics solutions.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help marketing industry professionals find the best products and services available today.

So, if you specialise in Analytics and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Kerry Naumburger on k.naumburger@forumevents.co.uk.

Here’s our features list in full:-

July 2025 – Website Analytics
Aug 2025 – Conversion Rate Optimisation
Sept 2025 – Digital Signage
Oct 2025 – Printing
Nov 2025 – Creative & Design
Dec 2025 – Online Strategy
Jan 2026 – Content Management
Feb 2026 – Lead Generation & Tracking
Mar 2026 – Email Marketing
April 2026 – Digital Printing
May 2026 – Social Media
June 2026 – Brand Monitoring