Digital transformation has been a trending topic in the business world for several years, but out of necessity, efforts to upgrade digital capabilities accelerated sharply in 2020. With social distancing measures in place, millions of office workers tackling their workload from home, and consumers and business buyers researching products and making purchases online, companies had little choice.

Digital marketing accounted for more than half of ad spending in 2020 for the first time ever. And while vaccine distribution provides hope of a return to a more normal life, the way people make purchasing decisions and buy products changed during the pandemic. Marketing leaders are betting on a digital-focused future by adopting martech solutions at an accelerated pace. In the Gartner CMO Spend Survey, nearly 70% said they expected to increase martech investments over the next 12 months.

As companies settle into a more permanent pattern of heightened digital activity and add tools to accommodate a higher volume of digital interactions, it's becoming clearer that CMOs and CIOs must work together more closely. By aligning their activities and working as a team, CMOs and CIOs can improve the customer experience, ease the process of integrating new martech solutions that drive innovation and improve efficiency across the board.